I had a very disappointing interview experience with Arena Club.
I was initially contacted by an external recruiter and later by an internal recruiter, but the overall process felt disorganized and lacked clear communication. The first interview was presented as a conversation with the CTO, but it was unexpectedly scheduled with a member of the data team instead. I was not given any clear guidance on the format, expectations, or topics for the interview.
During the interview, the experience felt more like a rapid-fire Q&A than a thoughtful discussion. The interviewer seemed to have a prepared list of questions and did not appear very interested in understanding my background or experience in depth. I also felt that my responses were frequently interrupted, which made it difficult to have a meaningful technical conversation.
At the end of the interview, there was no clear communication about next steps or timeline. After following up with both recruiters, I received a rejection about a week later. I completely understand that not every candidate will be the right fit, and companies are entitled to pass. However, I believe the recruitment process should still be respectful, transparent, and well-coordinated.
Overall, the experience left me with concerns about the company’s hiring process and communication culture.