First, there was a call from the recruiter, followed by a panel interview, then a two-week wait, an in-person interview, and finally a virtual interview—only to receive a rejection email stating that other candidates were a better fit for the role.
The process felt unnecessarily prolonged just to communicate a "no." One of the key issues throughout was a lack of clear communication. I strongly encourage keeping candidates informed with timely updates so they’re not left in the dark and stressed during such a lengthy process.