The interview process followed a standard structure: Recruiter, Hiring Manager chat, Resume discussion, System Design interview, and a final round focused on technical background and coding. I had a positive experience with most of the interviewers. I especially enjoyed the technical code/system design round! The final round with a Principal Engineer stood out for the wrong reasons. When asked a DSA question I didn’t know, I admitted as much, expecting the interview to conclude. Instead, the interviewer gave me a smug smile and questioned ‘You can’t code?’ The condescending tone was unnecessary and unprofessional. Companies are free to set any technical standards, but degrading candidates in a power dynamic situation may offer insight into how the company operates.