The initial recruiter call was excellent. She provided clear insight into the role, set realistic expectations, and took the time to review my background thoughtfully before moving me to the next step. The following interview, however, was a noticeably different experience. The interviewer seemed disengaged and the conversation felt unusually tense. Some of the questions were challenging. Which I expected, but a few felt disconnected from the responsibilities outlined for the role. What was most disappointing was being told afterward that I wasn’t moving forward due to a ‘lack of technical skill,’ even though no technical skills were discussed or evaluated during the interview. This made the feedback feel inconsistent and left me unsure of what the actual decision factors were. Overall, the experience created a less-than-positive impression for a role that aligned well with my background