I participated in a recruitment process with this company that lasted approximately two months and included multiple interview rounds, assessments, and an onsite interview. Throughout the process, I received positive feedback and was repeatedly informed that my candidacy was progressing well. During my discussions with the hiring manager, it was also communicated that the preference was to have someone based at the headquarters in the Netherlands. Based on these communications, I invested a significant amount of time and effort into the process. What I found particularly disappointing was that, only a few days before the final decision, I was informed that the company was still considering me positively for the role. However, just three days later, I was told that the company had decided to move forward with an internal candidate located in Canada. While I fully understand that companies may choose internal candidates, I found this outcome difficult to reconcile with both the information that had been communicated throughout the process regarding the preferred location for the role and the positive feedback provided until the very end of the recruitment process. My disappointment is not related to not receiving an offer. Recruitment processes do not guarantee employment. Rather, it relates to the lack of transparency regarding the hiring direction, the apparent change in priorities at a very late stage, and the considerable time and effort expected from candidates who had progressed through an extensive process. Overall, the experience left me with the impression that the recruitment process could have been managed with greater transparency, consistency, and respect for candidates' investment in the process.