I was approached by their HR recruiter on LinkedIn and subsequently applied for the job. We have scheduled an interview, which will primarily focus on HR-related questions regarding my background and relevant experiences.

The interview process at Rewaa consisted of three stages. The first round was with HR, the second with a technical team member—likely someone I’d be working with—and the final one with the Director of Engineering. The HR round went really well. I was quite optimistic afterward. During that conversation, I clarified that while I am a technical person who has led teams and projects, I don’t identify as a traditional project manager. HR assured me that they were in fact looking for a technical lead, not a manager, which aligned with my background. However, in the second round, the interviewer seemed to have a different expectation. He conveyed that they were actually more focused on finding someone with strong managerial experience, leaning more toward a project management profile than a hands-on technical one. That shift in direction completely changed the tone of the interview and, unfortunately, it became clear that the role wasn’t the right fit after all.