I went through four rounds of interviews, including a final conversation with the CEO. Throughout the first three stages, I consistently received positive feedback and was given the impression that my background and experience aligned well with the role. However, the final interview with the CEO introduced a very different style of evaluation than what had been communicated. The hiring manager had indicated the conversation would focus on company core values, but it instead included abstract thought experiments and technical questions without prior preparation. I was also evaluated on my familiarity with the company’s platform, which is not accessible to external candidates, making it difficult to prepare or be assessed on a level playing field. Additionally, I was told I would hear back “very soon” after the final interview, but ultimately had to follow up a week later to receive a decision. Overall, the experience felt misaligned across stages, with shifting expectations and limited transparency about how candidates were being evaluated. I would encourage the company to better align interview structure and criteria across interviewers, and to set clearer expectations with candidates—especially in final-stage conversations.