I progressed to a second interview in mid December, which went very well, and I was explicitly told they would “definitely get you in for a third interview.” I left the discussion on a positive note and was advised that, due to the festive period, there might be a delay in communication. I followed up with a formal thank you email expressing my enthusiasm for the next step. When no response came, I followed the manager’s instruction to contact the recruitment representative for an update, but I received no reply. The Christmas period passed, and I continued preparing for the next stage in my own time. After further attempts to obtain clarity, including an email on 8 January and a voicemail on 13 January, I finally received a brief message stating that, despite my strong experience, I lacked specific OR experience and would not be progressing. This was the first time in my career I have had to follow up so many times simply to understand the status of an application. Being told I would be moving to the next stage, only to later learn through my own enquiries that this was no longer the case, created unnecessary confusion and made it difficult to plan my next steps professionally. I also know of other applicants who have experienced similar treatment, progressing to interview stages and then receiving no further communication. This suggests that the issue may not be isolated but part of a wider pattern in the recruitment process. In the final message I received, I was told I would be welcome to apply for other opportunities in the future. However, based on this experience, I do not feel confident that the recruitment process would be handled any differently, and it is not something I would choose to repeat. Everyone I met during the interviews was professional and pleasant, and I believe they would have been excellent colleagues. However, if this recruitment experience is reflective of the organisation more broadly, it does not create a positive impression of how candidates or employees are valued.