I started the interview process for the A&R and Client Development role at Symphonic Distribution genuinely excited. The company presents itself as artist-first and people-centric, which aligned with my own approach to long-term partnerships and growth. The first step was an AI chatbot interview, which felt impersonal and disjointed, but the conversations that followed with the recruiter and later with senior leadership and a team member were much more engaging and restored my optimism. Shortly after, the recruiter moved our communication to WhatsApp and asked how I would feel about joining under a contractor arrangement: a fixed monthly fee, no commissions, and the possibility of converting to full-time with incentives after hitting certain targets within an undefined timeline. Because this was a revenue-focused role, and because I'd been directly asked to consider those terms, I asked for clarification on the targets, the timeline, and what the full-time position would actually look like. This is when the tone shifted: instead of any clarification I was told this wasn't a formal offer and that leadership was still evaluating other candidates. From that point on communication froze up, with multiple follow-ups over the next couple of months going unanswered by the recruiter, the hiring manager, and leadership. I completely understand that companies change direction or choose other candidates, what was most disappointing was the total lack of clarity after being asked to consider specific terms, and the absence of any closure. The experience ultimately felt misaligned with the company's public emphasis on transparency and care for people.