The initial screening call with the hiring manager was pretty good. They were friendly and the conversation was very straightforward. I received a homework assignment as part of a merit-based evaluation. I understand why companies want to do this as a way to test if someone's more than just a sweet talker. They told me to not overthink the assignment and to not spend too much time on it. However, the nature of the project demanded a lot of time if you wanted to do a good job, including researching the company, understanding their brand, creating, designing, and revising. I ended up spending 15 hours and staying up past midnight to finish the project. Some of the feedback I received on the project was fair and made sense. Some of the other feedback, however, felt a little like they expected me to read their minds and know exactly how the company operated. They decided not to move forward with my candidacy. I got a gift from Goody as a thank-you for my time, but to be honest, I'd rather have been paid for the work I did.