Initially the process was normal. I had a short conversation with the internal recruiter and then a Zoom call with the hiring manager. Then it got a bit odd. A couple of days after the meeting with the hiring manager they gave me a take home assignment that was really not related to the job I applied for and required creating an application. I am very technical but not a developer so this was a bit outside my wheelhouse. At the time I thought maybe they were giving me a stretch assignment to see how I could adapt. I completed the assignment which cost me ~$130 in AWS fees and then sent in my assignment. About 2 weeks later I got a rejection stating I was not technical enough. The thing that seemed odd about this was that the job went off the website for about a month and then returned. Also from what I've heard a take home assignment usually comes later in the process. Since the assignment involved basically assessing their product, comparing it to competitors and then giving some ideas how AI/ML could be used I think that they were just using applicants for free consulting to give them outside ideas on the product with no intention of hiring them. Now I may be wrong but I just think prospective applicants should beware of this as, if true, it is wildly unethical IMHO.

I first had a short call with an internal recruiter and then one with the hiring manager. Manager did not seem very engaged with the process but sometimes I know they can get this way after interviewing so many candidates. The part that bothered me was after the hiring manager interview they assigned me a take home assignment about a week later. This seemed really early in the process and then the assignment was not really applicable to the position I applied for and was highly technical to the point they expected you to create an application (I was not applying for a development job). At the time I assumed perhaps this was an instance of them handing you something outside your wheelhouse to see how well you can adapt. I completed the assignment, which actually costed me ~$120 of AWS charges and submitted it only to be rejected. In hindsight I think they use this assignment to get free consulting from rejected candidates. Obviously I cannot prove this but assigning a task that is unrelated to the job posting so early in the process really indicates something is off. Additionally this position was reposted about a month later and remains online 2 months after that. This is very fishy and I would be suspicious of this company and this tactic if you run across it yourselves.