After applying online, I was promptly contacted for a one-on-one interview with the head of strategy and operations, which was encouraging given the company's innovative service product. At the end of the interview, I was assigned a take-home problem-solving exercise, which I completed and submitted on time, despite the significant effort it required. It was made clear to me that the recruitment process would be quite quick, with only one or two more interviews taking place in the following weeks if I progressed. Given this timeline, the fact that I hadn’t heard anything back within a week or received any acknowledgment to my follow-up emails made me assume I had been rejected. Considering this company is just starting up with only 10 employees, I expected more respectful and considerate communication, especially after candidates invest time and effort in their application process. A simple rejection email or acknowledgment of follow-ups would have shown basic respect and professionalism.