Email invitation for an online interview: The interview was absolutely standard, with questions that seemed to be read from a script. It showed little interest in my personality or unique experiences. It sounded like the HR person was sitting in a call center. I was also asked to sign a form, which included the contacts of previous supervisors.

I applied for a professional role and the entire experience — from submitting my application to withdrawing from the process — occurred in approximately three hours. Within about an hour of applying, I received a brief phone call that was strictly to schedule an interview. There was no real discussion about the role, expectations, compensation range, or what the company offers. When I asked about pay, I was told it “depends.” Within minutes of that call, I was sent multiple links requiring extensive paperwork, consent forms, and assessments. Candidates are instructed to print and complete a full application (with no sections left blank, including salary history) and physically bring it to the interview, or arrive early to complete it on-site. This was required despite the fact that I had already completed an online application and submitted a detailed, professional resume. The speed at which the process escalated, combined with the volume of duplicative requirements and lack of compensation transparency, felt overwhelming and outdated. All of this was required before any meaningful conversation about role alignment. After reviewing the expectations, I chose to withdraw from the process.