My interview process started out very strong. The initial two conversations were engaging, thoughtful, and aligned well with the expectations of the role. I was given a project to complete, which I felt was a fair and relevant way to demonstrate my skills. I also had a positive interview with part of the team, and those interactions reinforced my interest in the position. Unfortunately, the presentation interview was a sharp contrast. The interview format and style felt incongruous with assessing alignment to the responsibilities of the role and didn’t provide a meaningful opportunity to walk through the work I had prepared. I was not able to present the content of my project, nor was I asked substantive questions that indicated the reviewers were engaged with the material. It also appeared that at least some of the interviewers were not fully paying attention, which made it difficult to have a productive or fair assessment. Overall, while the early stages of the process were excellent, the final interview left me with concerns about communication, role design, and alignment within the team.