I applied online on a Sunday night and was contacted by a recruiter the following Monday. After the initial recruiter call, I went through three rounds of interviews. The first two were one-hour conversations with senior engineers, focusing on my resume, past experience, and some technical questions related to Python and AI agents. Both of those interviews were professional and constructive.
The third interview, however, was the most unpleasant interview experience I’ve had in my life. It was a 30-minute call with their GenAI team lead. She joined about five minutes late and began by saying she wanted me to feel at ease, but she apparently lied there. After I was unable to answer one technical question about the cybersecurity aspects of AI, her demeanor shifted noticeably. She became cold and dismissive and stated that I should not have applied for the job if I didn’t know that topic.
From that point on, the conversation turned into a critique of my qualifications rather than an interview. Instead of continuing with technical/behavioral questions, she made comments about my suitability for the role. When I asked questions or tried to engage constructively, I was told to “watch YouTube” or “ask AI.” I remained patient and open to feedback, but the overall interaction felt more like a humiliation than a professional interview.
Regardless of whether a candidate is a good fit, I believe everyone deserves to be treated with basic respect during an interview process. This experience left a very negative impression. Knowing she is the team lead, I personally would not feel comfortable working on that team.