I had a first-round screening interview with the Talent Acquisition representative for a Product Designer role at Riva, and unfortunately, the experience was quite disappointing. From the very beginning of the call, the interviewer seemed disengaged and uninterested. One of the first questions asked was whether the person who referred me was related to me. When I explained that I had been following her on LinkedIn for some time and had spoken with her regarding suitable opportunities aligned with my experience, the response felt dismissive, as if not knowing her personally was an issue. I was then asked about my understanding of what Riva does. While I shared my knowledge of the company, the interviewer repeatedly interrupted to emphasize what it is “not only about,” in a way that felt more like an attempt to point out gaps rather than have a constructive discussion. Only a couple of questions were asked about my current role, and throughout the conversation there was very little engagement, no follow-up questions, no acknowledgment, and minimal eye contact, which made the interaction feel uncomfortable and unwelcoming. Overall, the screening did not feel conversational or respectful of the candidate experience. I believe first interactions strongly reflect company culture, and this one unfortunately left a negative impression.