Approximately 2.5 months ago, after submitting my application, I received feedback inviting me to complete a case study. Exactly one month after submitting the case study, I was informed that I had passed that stage and would have a Human Resources interview. My HR interview lasted about 1 hour and 15 minutes. At the end of the interview, I was told that I had successfully passed that stage as well and had qualified for the next stage, which was the technical interview.
A week later, I had my technical interview, and I learned a week after that it was successful. I was thrilled and excited, and I was invited to the office for the final interview, where I would meet the team leader. Believing that the final interview would be more of an introductory meeting after passing all the stages, I went to the office with great enthusiasm. My interview, which lasted about an hour, was, in my opinion, successful. It wasn't particularly different or more challenging than the previous stages; the questions were mainly focused on getting to know me better.
After completing this stage, I was told that if everything went well, I would be contacted within a week for a reference check. However, three days after the interview, I was deeply saddened to learn through an automated email from the company that they could not proceed with my application.
The fact that the fifth and final stage resulted in a negative outcome deeply upset me, especially since this was a place I had long wanted to work for, a place I had set as a goal for myself, and thought I had finally secured an opportunity with them. The only thing that confused me was where I fell short after successfully passing all the previous stages, so I requested feedback. Unfortunately, I did not receive a positive response to my request.
Honestly, I believed I met many of the expectations the company had for its candidates. Before the interview, I watched countless videos on their YouTube channels, downloaded and used their apps for days, and tried to take every step I could beforehand to present myself as part of their team. Besides my case study, HR, and technical interview competencies, I also made sure to meet the expectation of "deeply knowing our company." There wasn't a piece of content about the company that I hadn't reviewed.
After 2.5 months, I believed it was crucial for me to have successfully completed this stage. Frankly, I am very disappointed. Moving forward, I will focus on improving any potential shortcomings, albeit based on my own assumptions, and if I see a new opportunity, I will try my luck again in the future.