Turn Ghosted Take-Homes into Public Playgrounds
When companies ghost you after a take-home assignment, publish the code publicly on GitHub, iterate with new patterns, and use it as a portfolio that attracts other opportunities—like the author's contract at a different firm.
Repurpose Rejected Code as a Learning Playground
Build take-home assignments to production standards regardless of the company's response: use single-module functional architecture, include working tests, and add a detailed README. After submission—for a mid/senior Android role requiring Google Places API integration, raw HTTP (no SDK), location permissions, list/map views for nearby restaurants, search, and favorites persistence—the author faced total silence from a responsive recruiter by Friday. Instead of deleting the project, which lingered annoyingly on the desktop, make it public on GitHub immediately. This transforms sunk-weekend effort (Thursday spec to Sunday submission) into an experimental space for new APIs, libraries, and patterns without production risk.
Evolve into a Scalable Portfolio Piece
Iterate incrementally over time: the author's project grew from a basic app into a three-module Clean Architecture playground, incorporating concepts not feasible in a single initial design. This organic evolution demonstrates real-world growth, turning a one-off spec into evidence of ongoing skill-building. Public visibility exposes it to broader networks, bypassing the original ghoster's gatekeeping.
Unlock Unexpected Opportunities
The unreviewed code directly led to a contract at another company, proving ghosting reveals low-value processes while your work finds higher-value homes. Avoid the deletion urge; every take-home becomes a reusable asset that showcases initiative and expertise to future employers.