[mikeleeorg]

I was treated with respect throughout the whole process, and the interview was very well done, with challenging questions that forced me to think, and didn't rely on language trivia. I would recommend the company to any of my friends, whereas I can't say that about almost any other company I interviewed with.

This is a really important point to remember for interviewers. The interview process isn't just to help you find good candidates, it can be a great branding/marketing vehicle as well. I've gotten many good people from former candidates who enjoyed our process and spoke highly of our team.

I wouldn't have just stopped replying to emails though. An interviewer should always reply, even to politely decline. And it can help to add a reason why you are declining a candidate too, since it can help them improve and perhaps return for another interview in the future (I've hired a few people that I originally passed on too).

[danielweber]

Of the many companies that have rejected me, Suitable Technologies (makers of Beam robot doubles) were the best. The biggest thing was that they rejected me as soon as they knew they had rejected me. Within a few hours.

Which hurt, in the short term, because I am a human being. But it was better than many other companies that would say "we'll tell you later today" and then wait a week, or wait for two weeks since my last interview and then reject me in the middle of the CTF they are running and I'm participating in (what, did my answers in the CTF suck?) and then invite me to apply for a job at the end of the CTF after rejecting me. That's really yanking my chain.

[dllthomas]

"And it can help to add a reason why you are declining a candidate too, since it can help them improve and perhaps return for another interview in the future (I've hired a few people that I originally passed on too)."

I've always tremendously valued the rare feedback I've gotten, but my understanding is this is not the same advice a lawyer would give (and that makes me a little sad).