My experience in the selection process for a senior role at Terumo exposed serious issues in the company’s culture and leadership—issues that should concern any candidate who values professional ethics. From the very first conversation, the hiring manager told me I would be hired, even though I had not gone through the formal evaluation steps. He asked me to reject other opportunities because he “was going to hire me,” despite not having the authority to make that decision. This is not enthusiasm; it is manipulation and a clear sign of immature, misaligned leadership. What happened next was even more alarming: I received WhatsApp screenshots of internal Teams conversations where HR personnel were making negative comments about me. A leader sharing internal communications with a candidate demonstrates a culture where confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism simply do not exist. This is not an isolated mistake; it is a cultural symptom. The HR interview was conducted with an aggressive, dismissive tone completely disconnected from the values the company claims to uphold. There were offensive remarks about my previous experience and a level of disrespect that should never occur in a professional hiring process. There was also a clear mismatch between the level of the role and the expectations. They asked for strategic leadership examples, but when I provided them, they requested individual‑contributor scenarios instead. This reflects poor calibration, a lack of understanding of the role’s seniority, and misalignment between internal teams. The final feedback was delivered without context, without calibration, without any prior relationship, and in a hostile tone. They ignored the natural power asymmetry of an interview, where the candidate cannot defend themselves. Providing aggressive feedback in that context is not professional—it is an abuse of position. What is most concerning is that these behaviors do not seem like exceptions, but part of a pattern: • leadership acting without authority • HR operating without respect or judgment • breaches of confidentiality • internal misalignment • hostile treatment of candidates • corporate values that are not lived What I experienced was not just a poorly run process—it was a window into a culture that tolerates unethical behavior, misaligned leadership, and practices that contradict the values the company promotes externally.
