The interviewer clearly lacked experience, which unfortunately showed throughout the conversation. She mentioned she was about to go on maternity leave and that the role would be a maternity cover — something that hadn’t been disclosed in the job description. That already set a confusing tone. Although she acknowledged that I had the necessary experience, her feedback was that my background didn’t feel “as relevant” as other candidates’. I found this unconstructive, especially since the interview lacked depth. Had she asked more informed questions, she might have understood the full scope of my skills and how they aligned with the role. My advice would be to include an additional person, ideally from HR, in early interviews. This would help balance out potential biases and ensure candidates are being properly assessed from the start.