I was asked to complete a lengthy technical exercise that took over 10 hours. After submitting it, I received positive feedback and continued communication that suggested interest in my profile.
I was later told the role had been cancelled for “priority” reasons. Shortly after, I saw the same role reopened in a lower-cost country. When I followed up to ask for clarification, especially since I had been told I was qualified, I received no response. The role has since been opened to a blanket "Europe" location once again.
Reading other reviews here, it appears I am not the only candidate who has had this experience.
This raised serious concerns for me about how candidate time is valued, and whether extensive unpaid technical exercises are being used appropriately in the hiring process, or just exploitative. I would advise candidates to be cautious about the time commitment requested, unless they live in a lower income country. A quick look at the company’s recent hires also shows that the vast majority of roles appear to be filled there.