This company’s hiring process was disorganised, excessively drawn out, and ultimately a waste of time. Over three weeks, I went through seven separate steps in the process for a role they later cancelled—not due to my performance, but because the founders were unsure whether they even wanted to hire for the position. The process included: An initial HR interview An interview with one of the founders A take-home task briefing A multi-day assignment asking for a redesign of their mascots, two large campaign ideas, and designs demonstrating how their product branding could be improved A live presentation of that assignment to two of the founders A follow-up interview with a third founder Full reference checks (with scheduled meetings, not just emails) An additional follow-up meeting where I was asked to revise and refine my take-home work—with less than 24 hours' notice—even after they had already checked my references Throughout the process, I was repeatedly told I was the frontrunner. My references were formally scheduled for calls, implying a final decision had been made. Then, on the very day I was expecting an offer, I was informed that the role had been pulled entirely—because the founders were now unsure whether they needed it. The hiring process was inconsistent, overly demanding, and ultimately unprofessional. The amount of unpaid creative work requested—treated as a live project rather than a skills assessment—raises concerns about potential misuse. This resulted in wasted time not just for me, but also for my references, who took time out of their schedules for meetings. For senior professionals considering opportunities with this company, I’d advise caution—there are far better-structured hiring processes elsewhere. (Also, while this was an incredibly frustrating experience I'd like to add that TA was great throughout this process)