Recently, I interviewed with Real Estate Developer company in Mumbai Labdhi Lifestyle Limited . As a candidate with over 10 years of experience in digital marketing and entrepreneurship, I approached the opportunity with enthusiasm and the hope of contributing my skills to their team. Unfortunately, the process turned out to be a lesson in what professionalism should not look like. The initial interview, conducted by a non-marketing professional, focused less on my expertise and more on probing into personal matters like financial stability and past entrepreneurial ventures. While I appreciate curiosity about my background, this approach felt intrusive and dismissive of my professional journey. Following this, I was kept waiting for over 1.5 hours to meet with the CEO. When the meeting finally took place, it became an exercise in judgment rather than an exchange of ideas. My entrepreneurial efforts were ridiculed, my work with remote organizations was dismissed as “not real jobs,” and my personal projects were mocked. This experience left me feeling undervalued and disrespected. It also underscored a broader issue: the lack of respect for candidates during interviews. To companies and hiring managers, I’d like to share a humble reminder: Interviews are a two-way street: While you assess candidates, they assess your company culture. Professionalism matters: A respectful and constructive approach can leave a lasting positive impression, even if the candidate isn’t selected. Value effort and growth: Failure is a stepping stone to success, and entrepreneurial experiences teach resilience, problem-solving, and creativity. To my fellow professionals, remember this: no interview defines your worth. Challenges and failures are part of the journey, and every experience, good or bad, shapes us into better professionals and individuals. Let’s continue to champion professionalism, mutual respect, and the celebration of diverse career paths. PS: After all this at the end, CEO asked me to send him an email of 2 pages on "Where i see myself in 2030" but never asked a single domain related question.