My interview process with the company began in early August and followed a fairly standard structure — an initial HR screening, a hiring manager interview, and then a portfolio presentation. Everything progressed smoothly, and by late September, the hiring manager emailed me to say that they planned to make an offer. Following that, I had two additional Zoom calls with the hiring manager to discuss references, compensation, and in-office expectations, which made the offer feel genuine and confirmed. However, in late October (just a few days after the last call with the hiring manager), I unexpectedly received an email stating that the team had decided to move forward with another designer who had more domain experience. This made it clear that the company had continued interviewing other candidates even after communicating an intent to offer me the position. The experience was deeply disappointing and, frankly, hurtful. After multiple conversations and clear indications that an offer was forthcoming, I felt misled and that my time and trust were not respected. I understand that hiring priorities can change, but transparency and professionalism are essential — and unfortunately, those were lacking in this process.