I applied via a recruiter from MedReps.com and received an email to arrange a phone screen call -- which I scheduled right away. The phone screen went well -- very conversational -- making sure the position was a match. In our conversation, the recruiter mentioned that there would be about 50% travel -- based in my nearest major city with travel to an adjacent major city and another connecting state - which I have documented experience covering. They also mentioned that I would receive an email for a personality assessment -- which I did. The assessment (Hogan Assessment) was actually 4 parts -- not just a personality assessment -- look up the Hogan Assessment for details). After completing all 4 assessments, the recruiter informed me that "everything looks good" after the assessments and proceeded to schedule a zoom interview. I prepared well for the initial zoom interview on the company, position, and what I brought as an applicant -- and so should you. The zoom interview was with the - hiring manager. -- and was told by the recruiter it would be for about an hour. The hiring manager was very "corporate" and cold in tone and presentation. I immediately tried to warm the conversation by asking what brought them to Medline, etc. The hiring manager shared their story and proceeded with the interview -- reviewed the resume, and various typical questions. The hiring manager mentioned right off the bat that they "traveled for 3 months for training when they started" -- I expressed that I welcomed the travel and opportunity to learn. The hiring manager then told me that travel would include air -- several out of state population centers -- which I was glad to support. Note: if you are an independent contractor - 1099 - self employed -- you will be asked "how are you measured? do you have a manager?" I have clear achievements on the resume. The hiring manager seemed not willing or able to understand how to compare someone who is an independent representative to what they typically see in resumes/for interviews. I was asked how many sales calls I make a day — cold calls, etc. I got the sense that the hiring manager could not or just did not want to try to understand that comparing an $18 billion company to an individual with vastly different resources may not be a good way to “measure” — given the territory, access challenges, different products, and call points. Medline offers mainly products that their call points require and urgently need for the most part — whereas my sales bag contains innovative and new products to the marketplace. Also, an independent contractor does not have “quotas” — if so, then you are a W-2/employee. I also had stellar quotas from a previous sales position. Some questions included: "Tell me about a professional goal", "Why do you want to work with Medline" -- "Walk me through your resume" -- which the hiring manager seemed not to have read prior to the interview. The interview wrapped quickly -- about 38 minutes -- I did ask if there seemed to be any challenges to my application on moving forward and the hiring manager replied "I don't see any red flags." I did not have good vibes from the encounter. I sent a solid thank you email the same day and received a reply from the hiring manager stating "the recruiter will be in touch with next steps." The next day I received an email telling me that my application was not moving forward because "There are other candidates who more closely align with the needs of the team." I would have appreciated at least some honesty and transparency in the hiring process. The job posting listed 1-2 years related business experience, experience developing presentations for various audience levels. My application clearly met the criteria -- along with specialized medical sales training. I get the sense that my "profile" was not what the hiring manager/team was seeking -- perhaps an issue with “age”. If you apply, good luck.