Woman Survives 7 Rounds Of Job Interviews Then Comes Next Reply: ‘Really?'

A 34-year-old woman says she "actually threw up" after receiving a rejection following nearly two months of interviews, describing a hiring process that included seven rounds, a case study, a board deck and a final HR meeting.

Reddit user namas_D_A wrote that after six weeks of preparation and repeated evaluations, the company’s rejection email felt abrupt and confusing.

"’We're moving forward with another candidate that better fits our needs.’ Really?" she wrote, adding that her "head is still spinning."

Her experience reflects growing frustration among job seekers facing lengthy and intensive hiring processes with no guarantee of an offer.

Many commenters focused on the emotional toll of investing time and energy into interviews with multiple stages.

One Reddit user wrote, "To be honest, no matter how far you get in the process, you’ve got to stay neutral. I realized this after having 2 final rounds with 2 different companies and still got rejected.

“Just had a 3rd company that I finished interviews for, but am not expecting an offer, even though from my perspective, I did well. But still hoping for the best."

Another added, "This happened to me, and the company finally posted who got the position earlier this week. I pulled her up on LinkedIn, and she is an incredible candidate who had a very similar background and layoff experience to what I had gone through.

“As much as I wanted to be sad or hate her, I was just happy to see someone get their win in this job market."

“Seven rounds of interviews with take-home work is f****** bananas,” one commenter declared.

The length and intensity of interview processes have become a point of concern, particularly when candidates are asked to complete detailed assignments or presentations.

In a separate case reported by Newsweek, one applicant was applauded across the internet for billing a company after being rejected following a demanding project.

"In my view, the scope of this assignment went well beyond a standard evaluation exercise," they told the publication.

"It required the kind of strategic thinking and professional-level output you'd expect from a paid consultant, not a job applicant.

‘Not uncommon’

Career guidance articles have also warned about the risk of unpaid labor in hiring.

In a LinkedIn article about interview red flags, career coach Tessa Grashuis wrote, "It's not uncommon for companies to overstep and ask candidates to produce assignments like in-depth projects, presentations, or recommendations to solve real-life business challenges."

While companies may use multi-stage processes to evaluate candidates, job seekers continue to question whether the time and effort are worthwhile, especially when feedback remains limited or generic.

And for the OP, there was a final sting in the tail: the company reposted the position just days after her rejection.

Newsweek has reached out to namas_D_A for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.

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This story was originally published April 2, 2026 at 5:00 AM.