The interview Process started well but ended up so badly. I applied for the position of Associate Director at the Global Brand Health Tracking at IPSOS APAC. I met with the local MD to start with. The meeting was OK. I was a bit surprised by the lack of knowledge about online research methods. Then, I met with my direct line manager. This meeting was much more interesting and I found it pleasant. He insisted on the fact that the team I will deal with was not really easy and to make sure I knew what I was getting into. Then, the next round was to send me a presentation about the research I needed to comment on. I had one week to give the presentation back. I sent it back a day earlier and the team looked happy about it. It was a Wednesday. The same day, they asked me to come for a final presentation - face to face. I agreed to come on the following Monday. Then, it went downhill. I spent a lot of hours getting ready for the final interview, in repeating the presentation (and they knew that). I went to the final round, gave my best at the face-to-face presentation. I only got positive comments and encouragement at the end. Then, the MD told me she had some updates to share about the role... - Wait for it - "The role has been filled last Thursday."..."One ex-employee called us back and it was easy to hire him straight away as he knows the company." Myself: "So what I am doing here?" IPSOS: "We like you a lot so we wanted you to come here." (Are we in a Disney Movie?) "Ah, there is maybe a job at the end of the year - we could see a good fit - in like 6-9 months....we are not sure." That was more or less the end of my poor experience with IPSOS. So, as a dedicated candidate, I spent most of my weekend working on this presentation but the result was the same, the decision was made the week before but IPSOS still calls candidates to take pleasure in torturing them. This is just not right. It also shows poor leadership at IPSOS - when it comes to communication and dealing with people. In Covid times and even NON-Covid Times, this kind of behavior is UNACCEPTABLE. Advise: they could have sent me an email on Friday to mention that the position has been filled. It is rather easy but maybe too hard to put in place for them because they did not do it. They have one hour to waste for an interview with no outcome but they do not have one minute to write an email to inform the candidate so that I do not waste my time. I am really happy I have not been hired by a company that cannot care enough about candidates and people and which is having such a poor culture and a big lack of respect for people. I have never seen that kind of POOR treatment in my whole career. Definitely, it is "NOT a good place to work'. I hope this review will help future candidates.