I interviewed virtually with a team member for about an hour and was told the next steps would include a written assignment followed by a final interview with senior leadership. About a week later, I received the assignment details and completed it. The assignment took over 20 hours of work to finish. After submitting it, I did not hear anything for approximately a month and a half. I reached out to both a recruiter and the HR team simply seeking a status update on my application and the assignment. The responses I received were rude, dismissive, and unprofessional. Instead of providing an update, I was sent a link and told to apply to the role again. Within two minutes of submitting the application, I received an automatic rejection. I then reached out to the original team member who had interviewed me, only to be told that he was no longer working at the company and did not know who I could contact. About a week later, I saw that this same individual posted on LinkedIn announcing that he had accepted the role himself. Based on the timing and circumstances, this raised serious concerns for me about how candidate work is handled and whether interview assignments are used appropriately. This was, without question, the most disrespectful, dismissive, and unprofessional interview process I have experienced. Candidates invest significant time and effort into interview assignments, and the lack of communication, courtesy, and transparency here was extremely disappointing. Pros: • Initial interview conversation seemed promising • Role itself appeared interesting Cons: • Excessive unpaid assignment with no feedback • Extended ghosting after submission • Rude and dismissive communication from HR • Lack of transparency and accountability • Poor candidate experience overall Advice to Management: Respect candidates’ time and effort. If you require lengthy written assignments, provide timely feedback and clear communication. Train HR and recruiting teams to communicate professionally and transparently, even when delivering unfavorable outcomes.