This was, without question, one of the worst interview experiences I've had in my career. The HR team were pleasant and professional, but unfortunately the interview itself was extremely uncomfortable and disappointing. I went into the process genuinely excited about the role, having spent considerable time preparing, only to be met with an interview that felt more like an interrogation than a conversation. The hiring manager questioned almost every answer I gave as though I was being dishonest, often focusing on topics that seemed only loosely related to the role itself. What made this even more surprising was being told during the interview that my CV had not been read beforehand. As someone who had invested significant time preparing, this felt incredibly disrespectful and left me wondering why I had been invited in at all. I was told I would receive an update on next steps by the end of that week. After hearing nothing, I followed up the following week and was told I would hear back by the end of the day. To this day, I have never received any further communication. Even a brief rejection email would have been preferable to complete silence. There also seemed to be very little regard for candidates' time. We were expected to travel to the office with only two days' notice, only to be met with an interview process that appeared poorly prepared and disorganised. What concerns me most is that this does not appear to be an isolated incident. A friend of mine interviewed separately and had a very similar experience. Another colleague in the industry also reported the same treatment. It is a small industry, and the consistency of these stories is telling. Overall, the process felt highly unprofessional and poorly managed. In hindsight, the experience may have saved me from joining a company or manager whose approach to people reflects what I experienced during the interview. If candidates are treated this way before they join, it does not inspire confidence about what working there would be like. I would strongly encourage the company to review how candidates are treated throughout the hiring process. Respect, preparation and basic communication should be the minimum standard.