The interview process with Aktos fell far below expectations — both in terms of how it was conducted and the overall transparency of the company. From the outset, Aktos presents itself as a promising startup founded by ex-Google, TikTok, and Meta engineers, which naturally sets high expectations around professionalism and clarity. But what was encountered was quite the opposite. The technical interview was conducted by individuals who showed no interest in creating a welcoming or constructive environment. Their tone was cold, their responses were mostly monosyllabic, and there was a complete lack of empathy or engagement. It felt more like an interrogation than a conversation. For a company supposedly focused on innovation and talent, this kind of attitude is both off-putting and unprofessional. Beyond the interview itself, what raised even more concerns was the lack of verifiable information about the team. Many of the supposed team members either have incomplete LinkedIn profiles or no profiles at all. Most notably, a person featured in an official article — “A Day in the Life at Aktos with Alvaro Atienza” — as a Staff SRE no longer has a visible LinkedIn presence. The profile that was previously associated with him () is now unavailable. It raises a fair question: does this person still work there, did they ever work there, and do they even exist in the context claimed by the article? Based on the available evidence, the answer is likely no. This combination of cold, detached interviewing, lack of team transparency, and questionable public representation may reflect deeper issues — such as possible immaturity in leadership, a potentially toxic or unstructured work environment, and even poor architectural or technological choices that could make daily work unnecessarily difficult for those who join. All in all, the experience gave the impression of a disorganized and opaque company, with a hiring process that prioritizes pressure and detachment over mutual understanding and professional rapport. Interviews should be a two-way street — a chance for both sides to evaluate whether there’s a fit. Unfortunately, in this case, Aktos showed little interest in that kind of exchange. While caution is advised when considering this company, it goes further than that: I personally do not recommend wasting your time applying or engaging with their process. There are far better places to invest your energy as a candidate.