Poor candidate experience and rushed screening process I was contacted on a Friday afternoon by a recruiter about a Principal Scientist role and asked to schedule a phone screen for the following Monday morning between 6–8am in my local time zone, because the recruiter would be going on vacation afterward. When I said I was happy to speak after they returned, I was later told the role would likely be filled within two weeks and asked again to speak immediately. The process felt rushed and poorly planned. For a principal-level role, candidates should not be asked to accommodate last-minute scheduling pressure caused by internal timing or recruiter availability. It also raised concerns about whether the external interview process was being run in good faith, since the role was apparently already close to being filled. I would recommend clearer communication, more respectful scheduling, and better upfront process planning for senior candidates.