Instead of a one-on-one session, all shortlisted candidates were brought together in one room. From there, we went through several elimination rounds — group tasks, on-the-spot presentations, and rapid-fire Q&As. It felt like a corporate version of a reality show. What made the experience even more uncomfortable was the atmosphere. The hiring manager and his assistant were noticeably unfriendly — curt responses, dismissive tones, and at times, even rude remarks. There was minimal encouragement or feedback, just a cold, competitive environment. While I understand the need to assess candidates in different ways, the process felt unnecessarily harsh and lacked basic professionalism. It was a reminder that interviews are a two-way street — as much as companies evaluate candidates, we’re also evaluating the kind of culture we might be stepping into.