I applied to a junior engineer position at Ecorobotix, a role I was slightly overqualified for given my background in agricultural robotics. The process involved multiple steps, including an onsite visit I attended at my own expense, followed by two weeks of silence and then a request for references, which typically suggests a final stage. I reached out to a senior and highly respected researcher in the field to act as my referee, only to later inform them that they would not be contacted after all. The eventual rejection was framed around a supposed lack of technical depth, which felt inconsistent for a junior role and overlooked my direct experience in the company’s niche domain. I would have preferred more transparency throughout, especially before involving references, as in our small and interconnected community these experiences circulate quickly and shape perceptions of how companies value candidates. The final cherry on the cake was being informed that the role would simply be reposted, reinforcing the impression that the decision had less to do with technical depth and more to do with a preference for candidates from French-speaking Switzerland — something already clear from my CV.