I had a multi-stage interview process with this company that ultimately ended with the decision coming down to “experience.” While I respect that hiring decisions are complex, this was frustrating because my experience level was clear from the very beginning of the process. Despite this, I was asked to complete a substantial demo and invest significant time preparing materials, only to be told at the end that they were seeking candidates whose experience more closely aligned with what they were looking for. That criterion could and should have been identified earlier. The team I interacted with was professional and kind, but the overall process felt misaligned internally and unnecessarily time-consuming for candidates. I would encourage the company to clarify non-negotiable experience requirements upfront before asking applicants to complete intensive interview tasks.