The case study brief explicitly stated: "You are not expected to design complete APIs or backend systems." After submission, I received feedback citing "system design and API decisions for consent management" as a gap directly contradicting their own brief. When I pushed back with this exact quote, they conceded the point but then changed their story: the gap was suddenly about "how trade-offs were reasoned through in the discussion." There was no discussion. The final interview had not happened yet. The real ask became clear: they wanted to move me to a mid-senior level. When I declined, the process ended. Pattern:
I found a 2024 Glassdoor review describing the same experience. Same process, same lack of feedback, same disorganization. Nothing has changed.
Advice to Management:
Write briefs that reflect your actual evaluation criteria. Don't ask candidates to invest 15–20 hours and then reject them with feedback that contradicts your own instructions. And if the budget isn't there for a senior hire, say so upfront. Advice to Candidates: Find somewhere else to worth your time and effort.