Interviewed for Customer Success Manager in California. Applied on a Friday, was contacted by recruiting that Monday, and interviewed the same week. The recruiter was initially very communicative and transparent throughout the early process, which I appreciated. My background includes education, EdTech, customer success, and former classroom teaching experience, so I was genuinely excited about both the role and the company’s mission. The disappointing part was that shortly after my recruiter interview, I was told leadership already appeared to have a "preferred candidate" identified before my interview feedback had even been shared internally, which I found to be strange. While I appreciated the honesty, it made the process feel largely decided before my candidacy was fully evaluated. I was then told my interview notes would still be discussed with leadership and that I would receive an update the following day. That update never came. After multiple follow-ups over the next week with no reply, I eventually received a rejection citing the need for “more direct experience,” despite my background being closely tied to both education and customer success work outlined in the role itself. What ultimately stood out most was the inconsistency in communication after the initial interview stage. I later applied for a nearly identical neighboring territory role and reached back out professionally with additional context around my experience, but received no response at all. Overall, the recruiter was personable and transparent early on, but the broader process felt disorganized and at times already predetermined. I remain impressed by the company’s mission, but the candidate experience itself was disappointing given the amount of preparation and interest invested into the opportunity.