This was one of the worst work environments I have experienced in my career. The company culture is dominated by office politics, lack of transparency, and favoritism. Decisions are rarely based on merit or actual performance, but rather on alliances and internal power dynamics. If you are focused on doing good work instead of navigating politics, you will quickly find yourself sidelined.
Management appears either unwilling or unable to address these issues. In some cases, the behavior seems normalized or quietly encouraged, which creates a stressful and demoralizing environment. Collaboration is superficial, trust is low, and accountability is inconsistent.
The hiring process，particularly the recruiter responsible for the role was a major red flag from start to finish. The recruiter asked referees a series of unusually intrusive, leading, and unnecessarily critical questions that went well beyond standard employment verification. Several questions appeared aimed at extracting negative interpretations rather than obtaining a balanced assessment. This approach placed referees in an uncomfortable position and demonstrated poor judgment and a lack of understanding of best practices in hiring.
