The process was straightforward and clear, and I enjoyed most of the stages. However, after completing all the stages, the company ghosted me, only providing final feedback more than two weeks later, despite originally estimating a response within three days. I messaged both the recruiter and the hiring manager, but they continued to ignore me for another week before finally informing me that I was rejected. From the final feedback, it became evident that, although this was a lead position, they were expecting responses more suited to a junior analyst. This was particularly frustrating because no one on the team seemed to have extensive experience working as a senior or lead analyst. The direct manager comes from a management background rather than analytics, which made me feel that I could contribute significantly to this area. Instead of blindly calculating metrics, I explained why some of them would be misleading to stakeholders and harmful for decision-making. For example, I pointed out how using a particular metric they had in mind would confuse causation and correlation, and I provided an alternative solution. Although they agreed with every suggestion, they still stated that "focusing more on the specific exercise that was required would have demonstrated stronger stakeholder management." To them it seems, that the best form of stakeholder management for a Lead Data Analyst is simply to act as a calculator, without questioning whether the metrics make sense or challenging the request. In my view, however, this critical thinking is a core strength of a senior-level analyst."