I was contacted by an internal recruiter for a Lead Data Scientist role. The interview itself was straightforward and focused on my experience and a couple of use cases. The interviewer was prepared, but I often felt they were looking for a specific, expected answer rather than exploring alternative approaches. As a hiring manager myself, I value diverse viewpoints and open discussion; I didn’t get the sense the team encouraged that. The biggest issue was the process management. After my interview I heard nothing for three weeks. When I followed up with the recruiter, I was later offered a short call that provided only vague feedback. I’ve also heard from a former colleague who reached the final stage, was asked detailed compensation information, and then never received further communication. That lack of timely and clear follow-up felt unprofessional for a firm of this size.