I had a 30-minute first-round interview with the hiring manager where we discussed my portfolio and design process. While I appreciated the opportunity, the overall experience felt a bit lackluster as the interviewer didn’t seem very engaged or interested throughout the conversation. There wasn’t much back-and-forth or curiosity about my work, which made it difficult to build a strong rapport. I was ultimately rejected after this round. It felt more like a screening call than a genuine conversation about fit or potential contribution, and I left the interview without a clear sense of what they were looking for.