The interview consisted of a 45-minute call with the recruiting manager. The opening was somewhat unusual, with time spent discussing how many people shared his first name, which set an informal and slightly awkward tone rather than a structured introduction. The conversation focused almost entirely on a single topic: providing an example of dismissing a team member. There was little interest in discussing coaching, development, or longer-term performance improvement, despite the role involving senior technical staff where ramp-up time is typically significant. The strong emphasis on termination, with minimal discussion around coaching or employee development, raised concerns for me about the organisation’s approach to people management and its wider culture. The interview was conducted with an AI-based note-taking tool enabled, meaning the discussion and comments were being captured automatically. Towards the end of the interview, I was invited to ask a question. During this exchange, the interviewer made a joke referencing alcohol and cocktails, then immediately changed it to “mocktails” after looking at me, appearing to assume or stereotype my background. This moment felt uncomfortable and unnecessary in a professional interview setting. By the end of the interview, it had become clear from the tone and level of engagement that the interviewer had already decided I was not a fit for the role, and the overall experience felt uncomfortable. HR contacted me shortly afterwards to confirm that the company would not be progressing, which saved me from having to formally withdraw my application.