My interview experience with Dave & Buster's was a tale of two very different experiences. First, I want to recognize the recruiter and talent acquisition team. Throughout the process, my recruiter was consistently responsive, timely with updates, and proactive in answering any questions I had. They did an excellent job keeping me informed and making what can often be a stressful process feel organized and transparent. Even when there were delays outside of their control, they remained professional and communicative. They represented the company well. Unfortunately, my experience with the executive leadership was the complete opposite. My interview with the CEO was scheduled virtually, and he joined approximately 10 minutes late. Once the interview began, he asked me a single question, then repeatedly rushed me to finish my answer. He ultimately interrupted me and said he didn't want to interview me that way, explaining that he wanted to schedule an in-person meeting instead. I appreciated that sentiment at the time, but that meeting was never scheduled. After that conversation, there were two weeks of complete silence. Thankfully, the talent manager reached out personally to let me know the company had decided to move in another direction. She handled the communication with professionalism and kindness, and I genuinely appreciated that courtesy after such a long period without any updates. What concerns me most isn't that I wasn't selected—companies make hiring decisions every day. The red flag is that the CEO became personally involved in the process, made a commitment to continue the interview in person, and then never followed through. If an executive chooses to step into the hiring process at that level, candidates should be able to trust that their commitments will be honored. Failing to do so reflects poorly on the organization's leadership and respect for candidates' time. I left the process impressed by the recruiting and talent acquisition professionals, who did everything they could to create a positive candidate experience, but disappointed by the lack of follow-through from the highest level of leadership. Strong recruiters can only do so much when executive actions undermine the process.