I applied online via beapplied.com, submitting my CV and answering a few SMART questions. The interview was face-to-face with three staff members. As part of the process, I was asked to prepare a presentation on designing a research study based on a brief and submit it ahead of the interview. On the day of the interview, I presented my work and responded to the interview questions, which I had been given a few minutes before to prepare for. The atmosphere was positive and welcoming. A week later, I received an automated rejection email with a link to a score distribution graph, showing my scores were above average both at the application stage and during the interview. I followed up with an email requesting more detailed feedback. The response was positive, commending my research skills and presentation, and wishing me the best in my job search. When I pushed further to understand how this aligned with their rejection, they explained, “The standard of applications for this role was high, so there were many strong candidates who were not offered the role”. The positive feedback does not reconcile with the outcome for me. And on top of that, a depersonalised automated rejection!