Six rounds of interviews. A two-hour take-home assessment. Detailed, positive verbal feedback from every person I spoke with. I came away from each conversation feeling like a strong fit — because that's what I was told.
What I got at the end: a form rejection email. No explanation. No response to follow-up.
I work in HR. I understand that decisions don't always go the way feedback suggests, and I have no issue with a no. What I do have an issue with is a company putting a candidate through one of the more demanding processes I've experienced — at a senior level — and then treating them like an anonymous applicant when it's over. That's a choice, and it reflects on your culture whether you intend it to or not.
The people I interviewed with were smart and the role was genuinely compelling. But candidates deserve to know: the investment is not reciprocal at the end.