I was contacted by a recruiter, Leena Gajjala, to schedule an initial call, then completed two Teams interviews (VP on Dec 16, 2025 and Enterprise Architect on Dec 23, 2025). During the initial recruiter conversation, I was told they don’t have an applicant tracking system (ATS), which was surprising for a large organization (Catalyst Brands / JCPenney). That comment foreshadowed the rest of the process. After the interviews, communication became inconsistent and largely reactive. I had to send multiple follow-ups over the next several weeks (Jan 2, Jan 14, Jan 16, and Feb 25, 2026) to get any status update. Responses were vague (“waiting on feedback,” “interviewing candidates”), with no clear timeline or proactive updates. I ultimately received a rejection only after prompting again. The interviewers themselves seemed professional, but the recruiting process felt disorganized and unnecessarily drawn out. A basic cadence of updates and clearer expectations would have made a big difference. Pros: Interviewers seemed knowledgeable and professional. Cons: No clear process/timeline, slow follow-up, and lack of proactive communication/closure. Advice to management: Implement (or properly use) a structured candidate tracking process, set expectations upfront on timing, provide periodic updates without candidates having to chase, and close the loop promptly once a decision is made.