I went through a 2.5-month-long process with CARPL.ai, involving 6 rounds of interviews. Most of the rounds were engaging, the interviewers were knowledgeable, curious, and it felt like a two-way conversation. However, the final “culture fit” round was disappointing. The panel seemed inexperienced in handling senior hires, focused excessively on repetitive questions like why I left my previous job, and lacked clarity about the role I was interviewing for. Instead of assessing fit, it came across as judgmental and dismissive. In hindsight, I’m grateful the offer didn’t come through. The experience showed me how critical maturity and clarity are in a hiring process and helped me reaffirm the kind of team and leadership I’d like to work with.