I interviewed for a role and unfortunately had a disappointing experience. The panel came across as rigid and dismissive, especially the lead interviewer who lacked basic courtesy and professionalism. The overall tone felt like an interrogation, not a collaborative or respectful technical discussion.

What stood out most was how outdated their technology stack and release processes were — reminiscent of setups I worked with nearly a decade ago. Their questions focused heavily on specific older tools, with little interest in broader experience or modern practices. At one point, I was asked how to run a command in a tool I haven’t used in years, despite explaining I’ve been working with more current frameworks and CI/CD systems.

It felt like they were looking for someone to match their existing setup exactly, rather than someone who could improve or modernize it.

I ultimately declined the role. Since then, I’ve had great conversations with other companies that value adaptability, professionalism, and forward-thinking engineering. The contrast was clear.

Let this be a reminder: interviews are a two-way process. You're a professional evaluating whether a team, company, and role are helping you grow. Respect your value. Choose where you invest your time wisely.

At one point, they asked me a very basic question about how to do something using an outdated command in an old tool I haven't used in nearly 7 years — despite me clearly explaining I’ve been working with more modern frameworks and CI/CD pipelines.

It felt like they weren’t interested in adaptability or depth, just checkbox answers.