I applied online and about a month and a half later, I was scheduled for an interview with a recruiter. The interview was pretty standard, covering topics like the company, my background, and why I wanted to join. The next step was a take-home coding challenge involving a word game. The task itself wasn’t overly complex, but I put in significant effort to make it as polished as possible. I focused on writing efficient code, adding detailed comments, creating a thorough README, and even included tests (which weren’t required) to show my commitment. After submitting the challenge, I waited about 2-3 weeks only to receive a standard rejection email stating I wasn’t selected for the next phase. No specific feedback was provided, despite my request for it. This was especially disappointing since I had put in several hours of work for the coding challenge and genuinely wanted the role. I believe it would’ve been reasonable to receive at least a brief explanation or some feedback to help improve for the future. The lack of transparency makes me question whether the company is seriously recruiting or just testing the waters.