I recently experienced some challenges in my job search as a senior engineer in India after taking a four-month personal break. During this time, I kept myself engaged by working on advisory projects and exploring AI, rather than jumping straight into a full-time position. However, I've noticed a troubling trend in the hiring process. After several rounds of positive discussions with three different companies—a large tech operating system company, a bootstrapped startup, and a Series B company—the processes went completely silent. In a couple of instances, the only change I made was requesting about 15 days for relocation before starting, even though it was within the same state or inter-state. This seemed to trigger a shift in their perception of my candidacy, leading to ghosting without any rejection or feedback. It feels like the market is heavily favoring candidates who can join immediately, those who are currently employed, and who present zero operational friction. The transparency in hiring post-COVID seems to have diminished significantly, and I'm curious if others are facing similar challenges regarding short breaks or relocation timelines.