I interviewed for an Associate Software Engineer position, and the experience was disappointing. The interviewer joined late and seemed distracted throughout, frequently excusing themselves and asking me to repeat my answers. The interview felt rushed and unprofessional, lasting only about 30 minutes. At the end, they mentioned they were looking for someone with at least a year of experience in the role, which made me question why I was invited to interview in the first place. Later, I noticed the role was filled by someone who, based on publicly available information, did not meet the stated qualifications or skill requirements. It appeared that internal connections may have influenced the hiring decision. If hiring is not going to be merit-based, I suggest reconsidering how job postings and interviews are handled. Candidates invest time and effort into the process, and it's frustrating to feel that the process may not be fair or transparent.