After an initial phone interview from an outside HR company, I was invited in for a first interview the next week. Then, a second interview the week after with more of the team. After another week they sent me a test to perform and said that candidates get paid for their time - great! I took 5 hours to complete the test but had another day before it was supposed to be turned back in so I asked some quick questions just to be sure I was doing a good job and got this response included with a half-answer, "Not to rush you but the sooner the better today would be great!" So I turned in the test quickly and received a canned rejection note from their HR company the next morning. I was disappointed but ready to move on. However a week later I received an email from one of the interviewers: "We're still in our hiring process and since you were one of our top candidates I'll keep in touch as things progress". I wrote back and mentioned the email from their HR company saying "Was that a mistake? If so, great - I'm still interested in the job! Also, you had said that candidates get paid for the time they put in on the test. Is that still in the works?" Well, I never heard back from her! Even a quick note from the HR contractor would have been a more professional move, and, it's just WRONG to offer money for testing (attempting to shine a great light on the company) and then never follow through.
