Promising Start, Rough Finish: I applied online and after about two weeks I heard from Grace (HR assistant) with the usual initial questions - salary expectations, notice period, immigration status, nothing out of the ordinary. A few days later, I was invited to a 30-minute interview with Magdalena (Head of HR). That went well - we covered my experience and modelling skills in more depth, had a few good laughs, and overall it felt like a solid vibe check. Next up was supposed to be an in-person modelling test, which I was really looking forward to. After eight days, I heard from Magdalena that I would be meeting two Managing Directors. I wasn’t sure if the test was skipped or if I’d get to do it after that stage. The interview with Declan and Adrien was scheduled about a week later. The meeting started with technical difficulties on their side - one MD was right on time, the other joined late, and then their connection kept dropping. I tried to lighten the mood by saying, “This is why in-person interviews are always better.” The first question caught me off guard: “How did you get on with the test?” - except, I hadn’t done the test (yet?). Both MDs were kind, especially one who smiled warmly and made me feel comfortable. The other was a bit tougher and glanced at his phone several times during the interview. Not a big deal. They asked a mix of competency, personality, and technical questions. I felt confident in all my answers until one technical question (out of many) stumped me. Instead of bluffing, I was honest and said “I don’t know this one, can you walk me through it?" I’d rather be upfront than pretend. The MD appreciated the honesty and walked me through the answer. The interview ended with one of the MDs saying HR would be in touch with next steps (mentioning the modelling test). I thanked them and ended the call feeling hopeful. Three days later, I got a rejection. It was a gut punch - especially since I was told I’d have a chance to do the test. Days have passed since, and no feedback was given. At this stage in my career, not receiving any feedback after progressing this far is disappointing and frankly, unacceptable.