The overall hiring experience was pretty smooth. HR kept communication consistent throughout — you always knew where you stood in the process, which is rarer than it should be. Both the HR rep and hiring manager were warm, empathetic, and genuinely respectful of my time. That part stood out in a good way. Where things went sideways was at the VP round. A significant chunk of the interview — easily 15 minutes — was spent questioning why I was applying for a role that was "below" my experience level. Here's the thing though — my CV was right there. My experience level wasn't a surprise. If seniority was a concern, that call could have been made at the screening stage without ever progressing me to a second round interview. Instead, I was put through the process, grilled on why I wanted a junior role rather than on my actual skills, and then rejected the very next day for being — you guessed it — too senior. That's a frustrating use of everyone's time, and it's a gap in the screening process that's worth reflecting on. The earlier stages of the process genuinely impressed me. It's just a shame the final round left such an unnecessary bad taste.