I applied online and didn’t hear back for about three weeks, so I followed up on my application through LinkedIn. After that, the process moved quickly. I had an initial phone screening, and the next day a virtual interview was scheduled. The company mentioned they were hoping to fill the role very quickly and even asked if I’d be open to relocating within two weeks if offered the job. The screening itself was fine, though it felt a little informal for a first-round conversation. The interview itself was relaxed and not overly corporate, which I appreciated, but a few things stood out as red flags. I was told the marketing department was brand new and still getting organized, since it had recently split from merchandising. When I asked about the team’s goals, culture, or collaboration style, there wasn’t a clear answer beyond “we all do our parts.” The job also seemed broader than a typical event manager position — covering PR, product marketing, operations, and travel logistics — which usually belong to separate roles. Overall, I’d call the experience neutral. Everyone was polite, but communication wasn’t great, and it seemed like the department was still figuring out its direction. I appreciated the honesty about the team being new and the benefits being solid, but the lack of structure gave me pause. I received a rejection email about a week later.