I submitted my application on February 12, and followed up on March 4, at which point I received a standard response: “We are currently in the process of reviewing resumes. If your resume is selected for the next steps, someone will be in contact with you. We appreciate your interest in C.A.S.E.” After not hearing back, I followed up again on March 15, and received a more pointed message: “Thank you for your continued interest in C.A.S.E. Per my previous email and C.A.S.E.’s auto response to emails, if your resume is selected for next steps someone will reach out to you. The auto reply also says, ‘NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.’ We would greatly appreciate your adherence and respect for our processes.” Despite my professional and respectful attempts to follow up, I was met with limited communication and ultimately blocked by the HR director on LinkedIn after reaching out there. I also commented on a LinkedIn post asking if the position was filled—my comment was ignored while others were addressed. As an experienced designer who lives near the organization and has a background in community and youth work, I truly believed this role was a perfect fit. I even made an effort to stay engaged with C.A.S.E., wishing the team well ahead of their recent conference. Unfortunately, the applicant experience did not reflect the values I had hoped to see. I strongly believe that organizations should notify candidates if they are not being considered, so applicants can respectfully move forward with their search. Transparency and respectful communication matter—especially from HR teams representing mission-driven organizations.