The interview process was outlined to me as a five-stage process (including a screening call, systems design, culture, and managerial interviews). Late in the process, I received a call that said they were considering adding an additional take-home task. I explained that given the final stage of the process I was already at, I wasn't prepared to take on an extra task, and they were happy to go ahead as planned. Following the final interview, I was told that feedback was positive and that we'd catch up the following week. After this final stage, I received no proactive communication for an extended period. I had to follow up multiple times to get an answer to previous messages, and several questions were not acknowledged or answered. I eventually received a message to let me know they were catching up with the hiring lead that day. I never heard an update, despite my following up. Eventually, after several weeks of silence/unanswered questions, I withdrew from the process. The work the team at DeepL is doing is truly fascinating, and I sincerely liked each person I met through the process. Each of them seemed like smart, engaged individuals who I would have been very glad to work with. My reasons for withdrawing were entirely due to the poor candidate experience and communication. The additional round suggested late in the process made the hiring journey feel inconsistent and poorly managed, and the lack of response and transparent communication was frustrating given the time I (and others) had invested. Even a quick “we’re still deciding” message makes a difference, but despite follow up messages I was kept in the dark on where I stood after the interviews had been completed.