I recently went through an interview process with Harper Wilde, and it was, unfortunately, one of the most disappointing and disorganized experiences I've had. Here’s a breakdown of the issues I faced: Excessively Long Timeline: The entire process dragged on for over six weeks, involving four interviews, a project, and reference checks. Misleading Communication: From the outset, I was led to believe I was a top candidate. After the team reviewed my project, I was told they “loved what they saw” and invited to the final interview with one of the founders. Lack of Transparency: Post-final interview, communication completely stalled. A week went by before I followed up, and I was told the team was still “discussing internally.” Then, I was asked to provide references, which I promptly did. My references confirmed their conversations with the company, yet another week passed before I was informed they were “moving in a different direction” due to a lack of a “robust strategy background.” This reasoning was confusing, especially since my second interview with the hiring manager was entirely focused on “diving deeper into email/SMS strategy,” where I showcased my expertise. My 5+ years of strategy experience directly align with the job requirements, so if this was truly a concern, it should have been addressed much earlier in the process. Unprofessional Feedback: When I politely asked for feedback to better understand their decision and improve for future opportunities, the hiring manager curtly replied that they couldn’t share “confidential information about the company’s internal processes.” Overall, the process was emotionally exhausting and felt incredibly disingenuous. It’s disappointing to invest so much time and effort—especially completing a project and providing references—only to face a lack of transparency and courtesy. While I’m relieved I didn’t end up at a company that handles candidates this way, I’d caution anyone considering applying. Be prepared for an unreasonably drawn-out process and a lack of communication or closure.