I recently completed a detailed six-month strategic proposal for a role, submitting it on April 1st after a significant investment of time and effort. The process included a request for substantial work that closely resembled real deliverables, which raises concerns about the expectation of unpaid “free work” during the interview stage. Weeks later, I have received no feedback whatsoever. Meanwhile, the position continues to be reposted regularly, attracting new applicants while earlier submissions appear to go unreviewed. This lack of response and transparency is disappointing. Additionally, I had included feedback in the interview section noting concerns about the scope of unpaid work requested, but that comment was later removed. This further undermines trust in the process. Overall, the experience felt disrespectful of candidates’ time and demonstrated a lack of transparency in how applications and contributions are handled. Based on this experience, I would be hesitant to apply again.