I moved through several rounds of interviews for a leadership role, including a final conversation with the management team. The discussions were engaging and focused on the need to align fragmented business units under a coherent marketing and communications architecture. I was transparent from the start about my background being in strategic marketing management across industries rather than aerospace, which the team appeared to view as an asset. The process concluded with a sudden rejection citing a lack of aerospace industry experience as the deciding factor. This was a criterion known to the company from day one, and it was frustrating to invest significant time and effort only to be dismissed on a premise that was never raised as a concern during the interview stages. The experience was further diminished by a lack of basic professional courtesy. I was asked to open my network for references, which I did in good faith. When I attempted to reach out for simple process clarifications, I found my calls were ignored and my number was blocked. This was deeply disappointing and at odds with the level of mutual respect I expected at this level of seniority. While I respect the hiring decision, the lack of transparency in managing expectations and the unprofessional communication toward the end of the process were significant red flags