Initial screening was pleasant and the communication leading up to the technical round was clear. The company utilizes a take-home technical assessment project but fails to manage its hiring pipeline transparently. After passing the initial rounds, I was scheduled for a final interview on a Wednesday and given a rigorous case study assessment the week prior, with a strict requirement to submit it 48 hours before the interview. I spent my time building out the data manipulation and strategy with a presentation and submitted it exactly on time Sunday evening. On Monday afternoon, I received a generic rejection stating they had already hired someone else and canceled the interview. Requesting hours of custom, technical labor from a candidate when you are already closing an offer with someone else is incredibly unprofessional. It shows a complete lack of regard for a professional's time and boundaries. Advice to Management: If a role is on the verge of being filled, pause outstanding technical assessments immediately. Do not allow candidates to perform free work for a position that is no longer open.