I went through five rounds of interviews, each one building my excitement and making me feel like this job was the perfect fit. It started with an initial screening, where the recruiter praised my background and hinted that I was exactly what they were looking for. Next came the technical interview, for which I spent hours preparing; it went smoothly, and the manager seemed genuinely impressed. By the time I met with potential team members, they were already discussing projects I might handle, making the position feel even closer. Then, I had an executive round, where a senior leader shared big-picture goals and hinted that they saw me as part of the team’s future. Finally, in the last round, the recruiter confirmed I was the top choice and verbally offered me the role—on the condition that they secure funding. I felt elated and hopeful, but that optimism quickly turned to frustration. They said it would only be a short wait for funding confirmation, but weeks went by with no response. Every follow-up email I sent was ignored. The company that had been so enthusiastic and open suddenly went silent, leaving me without any closure. After months of being left in the dark, I realized they had ghosted me. All the excitement and energy I poured into the process felt wasted, and I was left questioning how something so promising could fizzle out with such little respect for my time.