Very positive phone interview with the hiring manager (good flow and felt like a conversation rather than an interview) and I was told (by the hirining manager) that I was sure to be contacted about the next steps by the recruiter. I had my hopes very high up since the interview went really well only to receive a rejection letter from HR after a couple of months. When I emailed them asking for feedback, they said they could not provide any. My issue with the whole process is solely based on my personal experience. By no means I am to discourage anyone from applying to the company. Please understand that this review is a reflection of my own feelings. I felt quite angry and betrayed when my application got rejected since my CV matched exactly what the role was asking for, I interpreted the interview as if I had the "job in the bag" and felt I was a strong candidate. Also, I was literally being chased down by the recruiter for 3 days straight through phone calls just for them to arrange a phone interview for me with the hiring manager. The thing that bothered me the most was the lack of ethics. I perceived it quite unethical for the interviewer to use phrases such as "when you meet the team", "when you start working" - positive phrases that give a job seeker hope and promises rather than using vague statements such as "if you are selected", "if you start working". That, with the combination of an initial and continuous and strong interest from their side and the eventual lack of feedback and answers after I tried to bring this matter forward to their HR (I truly felt a victim of injustice). Employers have to understand that job seekers have gone through myriads of futile interviews and rejections and are tired of constantly being beaten down. Getting a job is indeed a matter of "life and death" for some. When you choose to interview a candidate, remember that they are a human being that has a story, try to understand where they are coming from and refrain from using "typicality-style" language and use honesty instead. Last but not least, this is a comment for the overall job market and not just for Lloyds Banking Group, however it would be good if they also had it in mind; it is pretentious of companies to push a "humanistic" agenda by promoting "diversity", "the environment" and "mental health" instead of actually being an embodiment of the ideal and putting effort into humanising the hiring process. This is the area where actual transparency and honesty need to circulate toward...