This was one of the more disappointing interview experiences I’ve had. The process began with a short Talent Acquisition screening call, after which I was moved directly to a 48-hour take-home task. I requested an initial conversation with the hiring manager before committing to the task, as is standard in most product design processes and important for assessing mutual fit. A call was scheduled but cancelled an hour before it was due to take place (personal circumstances were explained). I chose to proceed with the task regardless and submitted it. Three days later, I received a rejection call from a different Talent Acquisition representative. When I asked for feedback, I was told none was available and that they would “try to ask” the reviewer. For a process requiring substantial time investment from candidates, I would expect at minimum: 1) A conversation with the hiring manager before assigning a task, and 2) Meaningful feedback, especially after a take-home exercise. The task involved analysing and improving a real, existing product flow, requiring substantial UX and strategic thinking. Without any prior discussion or post-submission feedback, the process felt one-sided and uncomfortably close to an unpaid UX consultation rather than a purely evaluative exercise. I value thoughtful, respectful hiring processes. Unfortunately, this experience did not reflect that.