The process I went through lasted approximately 5 weeks and included multiple stages of interviews, such as technical, people management, strategy and planning, culture contribution, technical project, and role discussions. While some sessions overlapped in content and could have been combined, overall, the interviews were reasonable and manageable. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with the various interviewers throughout the process. I believe I performed very well in these interviews, receiving positive feedback at each stage, with only one growth opportunity identified.

The hiring panel unanimously approved my candidacy, and during the final sync session with the recruiter, a verbal job offer was extended. The next step was to finalize the compensation package with the higher-level decision-maker, with an expected response within 1 to 2 days. However, contrary to expectations, the decision-maker did not approve my candidacy, resulting in the withdrawal of the offer. This came as a surprise since the hiring panel had shown unanimous support, and the recruiter had verbally offered me the position. It was a mistake on my part to trust their words without having a formal contract in place. I advise others to exercise caution in similar situations.