The CTO reached out personally via LinkedIn for an initial 45-minute Zoom call, which created a great first impression of being sought after. This was followed by an HR screen and a 2.5-hour technical interview where I was asked to build a loan-matching API on my own laptop, with code assistants allowed. Mid-way through the session, the requirements shifted to include DB schema design and more complex logic. A notable part of the experience was being handed a laminated paper with the instructions and then being left alone in the room for the majority of the 2.5 hours. This felt very transactional and disconnected, especially since the brief moments of engagement with the interviewer felt dismissive. Despite the high-level "hype" and personal outreach at the beginning, I received a standard rejection the very next day. While the process is fast and allows for a comfortable dev environment, there is a significant disconnect between the initial executive interest and the actual, somewhat impersonal, interview experience.