I wanted to provide some constructive feedback on my recent experience interviewing with Smart, in the hope it may be useful for future candidates. I initially applied for a role in September. The interview process took approximately one month, after which I was unsuccessful. However, I was told I would be a strong fit for an upcoming role and was encouraged by the team to remain engaged, as that position would be better aligned with my experience. In December, I was contacted to say the role had been signed off, although interviews would not take place until January. I then proceeded through a further two interview stages, including one in London, which required a significant time and personal commitment. Throughout the process, I received positive verbal signals — including comments at interview that suggested I had performed well — which naturally created a reasonable expectation that I was being seriously considered. Unfortunately, I was again unsuccessful, and on both occasions I received the same templated rejection email, word for word, with no constructive or role-specific feedback beyond the statement that other candidates were “more aligned.” Given the length of the process (around six months in total), the number of interview stages, and the level of engagement encouraged by the business, this felt particularly impersonal and disappointing. While I fully understand that not all interviews result in offers, I do believe that lengthy, multi-stage processes — especially those involving travel — warrant more transparent communication and meaningful feedback. This would help candidates understand where they fell short and whether the encouragement to continue engaging was genuinely well-founded. I remain appreciative of the time taken to interview me and the professionalism shown during the meetings themselves. However, I felt it important to share this perspective, as the overall experience did not reflect the level of care and candidate experience I would have expected given the time and effort invested on both sides.