I was initially excited about the opportunity to work with CALSTART. The process began on a positive note with a friendly and prompt phone screening with an HR representative. Shortly after, I had a video interview with the hiring manager, which went well and led to a panel interview. Throughout these stages, communication was timely and professional. I was initially excited about the opportunity to work with CALSTART. The process started on a positive note with a friendly and efficient phone screening from an HR representative. Soon after, I had a video interview with the hiring manager, which also went well and led to a panel interview. Throughout these initial stages, communication was timely and professional. However, things changed after the panel interview. I was told they were still interviewing other candidates and would make a decision within two weeks. After that, I heard nothing. I followed up five weeks later to ask if a decision had been made or if they had moved forward with another candidate. To this day, I never received a response. What was especially frustrating was that while I was still in the interview process, I noticed they reposted the same job — but with a lower salary range than what was originally advertised. That change, combined with the complete lack of follow-up, made the experience feel like a waste of time and demonstrated a lack of respect for candidates. I hope CALSTART takes this feedback seriously and works to improve their candidate experience. Clear, timely communication — even just to close the loop — makes a big difference. Future applicants should be aware of the inconsistencies and consider this when applying. Being ghosted after multiple interview rounds is incredibly disheartening and shows a lack of respect for candidates' time and effort. I hope CALSTART takes this feedback seriously and improves their communication practices moving forward. Future applicants deserve a more considerate and transparent hiring experience.