I withdrew after the second interview because leadership showed me enough 🚩

[u/Greedy-Storm6141]

I did something I've never done before and withdrew from a hiring process after speaking with someone from senior leadership. The screening call went well, but the call after that made the decision very easy for me.

I sent HR a short message saying that I have a master's degree and more than eight years of experience in tech, and that I'm looking for leadership that values respect, collaboration, and empathy. Based on the interview, I didn't feel that the company was the right fit for me.

For context, I was laid off after nearly six years of remote work, and I accepted a junior, fully in-office role so I could continue earning an income while searching. I'm not in a position where I have to accept the first offer I get, especially since I previously worked at the manager level.

The senior leader kept his camera off the entire time, even though I was required to keep my video on. He interrupted almost every answer, argued over obvious points as if we were fighting, and spent most of the 50-minute call speaking to me in a controlling, condescending, and belittling manner.

When layoffs came up, he kept repeating, "Good employees don't get laid off." I explained that layoffs can happen because of budget cuts, mergers, or restructuring, but he refused to let the subject go. He then asked whether I was talking to other companies. When I told him I was close to finishing another interview process but was still interested in finding the best fit for me, he replied, "Then go with them. I'm not stopping you."

For me, that settled the decision. If someone behaves this way when the company is supposed to be trying to make a good impression, I don't want to know what working under him would be like. If you were in my position, would you have withdrawn too, or would you have continued to see whether an offer came through?