I participated in an interview process with Samsung Semiconductor that included a substantial take-home assignment. I made the decision to complete the assignment and attend the interview despite being ill and traveling through a winter storm. That choice was mine, and in hindsight it was poor judgment — I did not fully realize how sick I truly was at the time and ultimately became extremely ill afterward. While that part of the experience was my responsibility, what followed was not. Although it is entirely reasonable for a company to decide not to move forward with a candidate, the complete lack of follow-up or closure after the interview was unprofessional and disrespectful. The hiring manager, who was also a senior manager and appeared to be acting as the recruiter throughout the process, never provided an update, rejection, or any form of communication after I invested significant time and effort into the assignment and interview. Asking candidates to complete unpaid work and then failing to close the loop demonstrates a lack of respect for their time and effort. For an organization of Samsung’s size and reputation, this level of candidate communication is disappointing and unacceptable. I respect the hiring decision itself, but the interview process and overall candidate experience were handled poorly and fall well below the standard I would expect from a global, industry-leading company.