Does rejection after a time-consuming interview process ever get easier?

Just went through 7 rounds for a Creative Strategist role—multiple interviews, an in-depth project, and a final presentation to a panel on one of their actual struggling clients. Got a lot of praise and was asked to send the full deck after. A week later… rejected. No real feedback. It’s disheartening. Is this the new normal?

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Spent a year and a half interviewing. Dozens and dozens of applications. Many where I got down to the last round, put together a good handful of custom projects. Would stop applying for weeks at a time after a particularly demoralizing rejection, before I could bring myself to start the process over again. All that before I finally landed a role. And it was the right role. Had any of the others worked out, it would’ve come with compromises. But the one I finally landed was exactly what I was looking for.

Take heart. It’s rough right now. But you have to keep going. Root for yourself. Be kind to yourself. But whatever you do, giving up is not an option. You can do it.

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I really appreciate this. I’ll try to keep my head up and pray the right opportunity comes along.

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That sounds terrible honestly. First, I don't think the rejection ever gets easier. Also, and this is hard to hear I'm sure, but I think this company was taking advantage of you. No one should need 7 rounds to interview a candidate. It also sounds like you gave them a lot of free work. I hope you got compensated for it, but I would guess not.

I'm sorry they treated you that way. Unfortunately, I think a lot of agencies are operating this way now, which is tragic. They're taking advantage of people's misfortune to get free work and free consulting. I hope it gets better and wish you the best of luck.

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I get it. It's hard to turn down a project when you think it'll lead to a job. Unfortunately, I think a lot of companies are doing this now.

You gave them free ideas. I always refuse the deck request until I’m hired.

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No, that is NOT normal! 7 rounds, plus free work product?! They took advantage of you. I wouldn't want to work for a company like that. Care to name them so I can steer clear?

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Sounds like a great way to avoid paying a consultant. Just call it a job interview. Wow.

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Prayer works, hang in there 🙏🏼

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That’s a crazy process. Sounds like agency and clients are scheming for free work.

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I’m sorry you are going through this. Been down the same road and finally landed a role. Hang in there :)

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