I had a disappointing interview experience with this company. The conversation felt lackluster and one-dimensional, with a heavy focus on foundational SEO concepts that should already be in place, rather than a more strategic discussion about where the function needed to go next. It did not come across as a particularly strong or forward-thinking interview. I was also asked to complete a fairly detailed content strategy exercise as part of the process, and a few weeks later I noticed that some of the structural and optimization recommendations I provided appeared to have been implemented on the company blog and elsewhere across their digital presence. That made the experience especially disappointing, because it suggested my work was being used to improve their digital presence without any credit or transparency. I think that is a terrible way for a company or marketing leader to handle a candidate’s time, expertise, and trust. The final rejection email was also very brief and impersonal given the amount of time and strategic thought required for the assignment. Overall, the experience left me with concerns about transparency, respect for candidate time, and how candidate input is used to inform marketing strategy, content management, and broader digital execution during the hiring process. I would encourage future candidates to be very selective about how much strategic work they provide upfront, because the effort you share during the process may be used without your knowledge or without any acknowledgment.