I applied online and shortly after received an email with seven follow-up questions. Once I responded, I was invited to an interview with the hiring manager and the team. The interview went very well, I gained valuable insights and had a great conversation with the team. They even mentioned that the next step would be an interview with another colleague, which made me feel optimistic about moving forward. I asked about the timeline for the next steps, and they assured me that I would receive an update the following week. However, after that, I heard nothing. I followed up via email but was met with complete silence. Two months later, I sent another message simply asking for feedback on the process. Only then did someone from HR respond, apologizing and informing me that they had moved forward with another candidate. While I completely understand that not every candidate can be selected and I respect that decision the lack of communication, especially after implying I had progressed to the next stage, felt highly unprofessional. Being ghosted after such positive engagement is disappointing and does not reflect well on the candidate experience.