I applied online and received an invitation within a few days for an initial conversation with HR. This first interaction was very positive - friendly, relaxed, and engaging. It gave a great first impression of the company.
A few days later, I was invited to a second-round interview with two team members. Unfortunately, this experience was very different. The interview felt extremely rigid and lacked basic interpersonal engagement.
The interviewers did not demonstrate strong communication or people skills during the conversation. There was no effort to build rapport, no interest in understanding me as a person, and the interaction remained very cold and transactional throughout the entire hour. There were no moments of connection, and the atmosphere felt uncomfortable and distant.
In my opinion, interviewing is not only about assessing technical fit, but also about understanding the person behind the profile. This aspect was completely missing, which made the experience one of the more unusual and less positive interviews I’ve had.
Overall, while the HR stage was excellent, the second round would benefit significantly from a more human, balanced, and engaging approach.