The recruiter was enthusiastic and communicative early in the process, staying in close contact via WhatsApp messages and calls. After an initial round of engagement, I was told the hiring manager had just returned from leave. I followed up two weeks later as suggested and received no response. It has now been three weeks of silence with no update at all. I understand that hiring timelines can shift and that recruiters manage heavy workloads, but going completely unresponsive after such an engaged start was disappointing. A brief acknowledgement, even just to confirm the role's status, would have gone a long way. Candidates invest real time and energy in these conversations, and a closing note costs very little.