The interview process consisted of two rounds conducted via Zoom. The first was with the QA Lead, and the second was with the Sr. QA Lead. Both interviews went very well.

As far as I knew, these individuals were not the ultimate decision-makers. Therefore, I expected to have at least one more interview with a decision-maker.

The outside recruiter who secured the interview informed me of the company's decision not to extend an offer, providing a rather unsatisfactory reason. The recruiter seemed surprised that the second person I met with was involved in the decision-making process. Upon hearing the name, their response was that they didn't know that person to be involved in final-round interviews.

I expressed that I was expecting another interview, as the conversations had gone exceptionally well. The interviewer had provided positive feedback, using phrases like "good answer" and "that's exactly what I was looking for." I felt we ended on a very strong note and was unaware that this would be the final round.

Given that I possessed significantly more experience than the individuals who interviewed me, I felt something else was at play.

I suppose it's better to be rejected early on than to be hired and then dismissed later with some pretext.

Lessons learned. Be careful with these recruiters.

Airbnb now leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Tell me about your leadership style.

Tell me about a project where you found a major issue and how you handled it.