I did not enjoy the overall hiring process. Communication throughout was inconsistent, and I had to proactively follow-up to receive updates. The initial interview with the director was pleasant and professional, and I was invited to a second round. However, given the size of the company, I was surprised to be asked at such an early stage to prepare a highly detailed and complex go-to-market plan for their product (took a day to complete), followed by a lengthy presentation, an intense role-play, and extensive questioning. I completed the task in full. While I fully understand not being selected for the role, the scope and depth of the assignment felt disproportionate for a small and relatively less established company. The process raised concerns about whether candidates’ ideas were being tested appropriately or used as unpaid consultancy, as the level of detail requested went far beyond what is typical for an interview exercise. Additionally, I had to follow up again to receive any meaningful feedback after the decision. Overall, the process felt unnecessarily demanding and poorly communicated, and could be improved with clearer expectations, better candidate communication, and more proportionate assessment tasks.