I recently drove 50 miles for an interview with an international CPG brand that is expanding in the US market. I had a great conversation with the team lead and felt that my experience aligned well with what they were looking for. I left the interview feeling confident about my fit for the role. However, a few days later, I received an automated email stating that I didn't make it through the selection process. I was shocked and decided to reach out to the senior recruiter for feedback, especially since the initial screening had been a bit confusing when she called me about a job I hadn't applied for. I thought it was reasonable to ask for honest feedback given the effort I put into the interview and the positive chemistry I felt with the hiring manager. To my dismay, she responded with the same robotic email, stating, "after careful consideration... not the right overall team fit." I simply replied with a polite, "thank you for the insightful feedback," but I was left feeling frustrated. I understand that companies aren't obligated to provide detailed feedback, but the lack of consideration in this situation felt particularly disheartening. At this point, I'm viewing all recruiters as NPCs in this job search game.