The interview experience was overall okay. The first round was a standard system design discussion typical of senior-level roles. I asked a few clarifying questions to better understand the interviewer's expectations before diving into the solution. The take-home assignment was engaging, but again, I needed to ask some questions to ensure I was aligned with what was being asked. During the debrief, I walked through my design decisions and answered all follow-up questions thoroughly. I was later informed that I was rejected because—and I quote—“we are looking for someone at a senior-to-staff level, and we had to give you hints during both rounds.” Honestly, I find this feedback confusing. Asking clarifying questions to align with the problem scope should not be interpreted as needing hints, especially when the expectations were not clearly defined upfront. In the case of the take-home assignment, there were no “hints” at all—just necessary clarifications I proactively sought out. Note to the recruiter and hiring team: If you decide not to move forward with a candidate, providing clear and constructive feedback is not only appreciated but also respectful of the time and effort invested. And if there was no genuine intent to hire, it’s far better to be transparent from the beginning.