want to share my experience with the hiring process, especially the final stage. For context, this was not a short or superficial process. It spanned multiple weeks and included several steps: an initial screening, a take-home assignment, multiple engineering interviews, a department deep dive with a Team Lead, and finally an onsite interview in Munich. Throughout the process, the feedback was consistently positive. I was told I was technically aligned, a good cultural fit, and well aligned with the team. I also completed the take-home assignment quickly (within a day, despite having two weeks), mainly because I was genuinely interested in moving forward quickly in the process. The task itself was relatively straightforward, and I saw no reason to artificially stretch it. The final onsite interview required a significant effort: more than 10 hours of train travel in total, leaving home at 5:30am and returning around 9:30pm. This is a serious investment of time and energy, which you accept when the process appears meaningful and consistent. Up until that point, the experience had been very positive. The process was well organized, and communication was handled professionally. Special mention to Elisa, who coordinated everything in a very clear and supportive way. She did an excellent job throughout and was not the issue at any point. However, the final feedback was difficult to reconcile with everything that came before. I was told that despite being aligned technically, culturally, and with the team, I did not show enough “engagement” during the interviews. After going through such an extensive process and traveling across half of Germany for the onsite, this reasoning felt inconsistent and disproportionate. If anything, the level of effort and responsiveness I demonstrated should have clearly indicated strong interest. Overall, the decision did not reflect the signals given during the process nor the investment required from the candidate. I would not apply again.