Over the past two months, I interviewed for the Senior Product Manager, Fintech role at Toast. I felt deeply aligned with the company’s mission and had a great initial conversation with the hiring manager, who believed I was a strong fit for the Tax-focused PM role. It was great to meet the whole hiring team, leaving a more positive impression on me! Unfortunately, the process was marred by long delays (over two weeks waiting for role approval), shifting direction (being considered for both Tax and Accounting roles under one job ID which is unusual for companies to do), and poor communication. I completed four of five final interviews, with the last rescheduled due to interviewer being out that day and rest of the week. I made myself available immediately the following week. After the final round, I was told I was the "top choice," received positive feedback, and was walked through benefits and offer timing—only to learn that the Tax role had been offered to someone else the day before. Days later, I was rejected altogether. This was disheartening, not just because of the outcome, but because I felt like I was never given a fair shot due to internal delays, confusion and poor coordination. I had been fully invested in joining Toast and believed I was a strong match for the role and Toast's culture. Candidate experience matters - Transparency, timing, and follow-through can shape lasting impressions. I still respect the team and the work Toast is doing, but I sincerely hope this feedback helps improve the process for future candidates.