I applied online and had an initial round with HR. The HR representative explained the role and provided detailed information about the company, which seemed promising. She mentioned that the next step would be a take-home assignment, followed by an interview with the hiring manager. I completed and submitted the assignment on time and received an acknowledgement that the hiring manager would review it, and they would get back to me. However, after waiting for over a week with no update, I followed up with HR but received no response. I was effectively ghosted, which is both unprofessional and disappointing. This experience reflects poorly on the company's culture and their apparent lack of respect for candidates' time and effort. A simple update, even if it’s a rejection, would have gone a long way in maintaining professionalism.