A 30-minute recruiter screening was followed a week later by an interview with the hiring manager and a senior HR representative. The session ran long, with the hiring manager asking numerous technical questions that delved into operational detail and extended beyond the job description. Several seemed to reference internal pain points framed as interview questions. Given this emphasis, the session felt more like a free consultation than a job interview, with little time spent on the role, team, or organisation—unlike my other senior-level interviews. Culturally, I observed a split: the boardroom felt traditionally Chinese, while the wider office had a modern, international vibe. Even HR reflected this—talent team was indeed through an outsourced company embedded in the office, they were polished and professional, but the internal representatives in the boardroom conveyed a different tone. Candidates may find it useful to observe these contrasts when assessing the actual workplace culture.