It's a major red flag when a company asks for a comprehensive assignment—including wireframes and detailed documentation—without any compensation, especially if it directly addresses their current business challenges. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of proceeding with such an assignment. That was just the first round. Once I submitted the work, the job listing mysteriously disappeared from their website, and the recruiter became unresponsive, only replying to my emails while ignoring calls. They arranged a superficial interview where no meaningful questions were asked, and eventually rejected me with a vague reason, which they shared over 10 days later. The entire process dragged on for over a month, and I deeply regret putting in the effort. Be cautious if you ever encounter similar situations.

Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. The nitty-gritty of it was quite typical, but I really got the feeling that they wanted to get to know me as an individual. They were interested in not only finding a qualified candidate, but one that fit the team well.