I had a lengthy and rigorous interview process with Coolblue that spanned over three months:
HR Screening: Positive feedback.
Managerial Round: Positive feedback.
Take-home Coding Challenge: Positive feedback.
Coding Interview (based on the take-home challenge): Positive feedback.
Offer Letter: Received, signed, and submitted on September 13th.
Cultural Round: Completed on November 12th with positive feedback.
Unfortunately, despite receiving positive feedback throughout and signing the offer letter, Coolblue unexpectedly canceled my contract just three days before my joining date. The stated reason was my application for another position within the company, which they perceived as a matter of mistrust.
This decision followed extensive discussions about relocation, salary, and weekly interactions with their relocation specialist, all of which required a significant investment of time and energy. If there were concerns, they could have been raised earlier in the process. Communicating this decision at the last moment felt abrupt and unprofessional.
While the experience was disappointing, I am glad this situation occurred before joining. It highlighted certain communication gaps and mismatches in organizational expectations that might not have aligned with my professional values.