Initial conversation with the TA was very positive. The recruiter was engaging, provided a clear overview of the role and team, and left me genuinely excited about the opportunity. Based on that discussion, the position seemed like a strong match for my experience and skillset. The next step became challenging. Scheduling required multiple follow-ups from me due to time zone confusion, missing or broken meeting links, and unclear communication about who was coordinating the interview. I eventually learned that the hiring manager had left the company and their replacement had not yet been hired, which explained some of the uncertainty. The interview itself was conducted by a manager filling in during the transition. A significant portion of the conversation was spent explaining the organizational structure and clarifying that I would not be reporting to them, which created an unusual dynamic. The interview focused almost exclusively on whether I had performed compensation activities in exactly the same way they had at Twilio. There were very few situational, behavioral, or problem-solving questions that would have allowed me to demonstrate how I approach new environments, build processes, or partner across teams. My impression was that the interviewer had been asked to step in without much preparation, making the conversation feel more like a checklist of prior company-specific experience than an evaluation of transferable skills and potential. I remain genuinely interested in the company but the overall candidate experience fell short of the standard one would expect. Communication throughout the process for this role was inconsistent, and I ultimately did not receive any follow-up or feedback after the interview.