I was invited to a screening call and reached out to clarify whether it would be by phone or virtual. I didn’t receive a response for two days. I acknowledged the automated reminder and confirmed I was looking forward to the chat, but still received no reply. At the scheduled time for the interview, I was called and told the company had decided to move forward with other candidates “who where like for like, with more years of experience and who are just better than you.” I was told the lack of communication was because they’d been busy and didn’t have time to get back to me. However, I received out-of-office hours replies when trying to schedule the interview. I was also told they might reach out if those candidates didn’t work out. While I fully appreciate that hiring is competitive and based on experience, the phrasing and delivery of this message felt unnecessarily blunt. The company emphasizes professionalism in the leaflet they share to learn more about them but in practice, I experienced delayed communication, last-minute cancellation, and feedback that could have been delivered more thoughtfully. Being informed sooner, would’ve avoided me spending time preparing for an interview the hiring panel knew I wasn’t being selected for. Respecting people’s time and being considerate goes a long way.