To summarize, the interview process was absolutely over the top to the point where I feel I invested too much time, and discovered very late in the process that the current culture was not one I would ever want to be a part of.
The length and complexity of the interview process is far and away the most I have ever encountered, and I have interviewed and landed jobs at massive nationally recognized billion dollar businesses. It sounds like the length and complexity of the interview process is known by them and is a point of pride? But it really should not be. The amount of assessments collected prior to even being given a job offer, was excessive. Specifically the personality testing. Understandable once you get someone on payroll but before even having a job offer in my hands? too much. I have roughly 6 hours invested between phone interviews assessments and in person interviews. After that I was asked to come in for a THREE HOUR final interview, at which point I cut my losses and declined. Hard skills testing I can somewhat understand prior to a job offer being given, though it seems heavy handed and a bit un-trusting. Maybe check my references instead?
Generally I am very conscientious of how I present myself in an interview, as you might expect. But it was they who were the first organization I have interviewed with to fail to meet my standards for how interviewers should conduct themselves.
I got a very negative vibe and gut feeling in the office from conversations with my interviewers and other conversations going on within an earshot of me, and nonchalant sexist comments.
One of my two interviewers was quite rude. My point of contact with their HR department gave me a salary range early on in this marathon interview process so that if I had unrealistic expectations - I would know, and I greatly appreciated the gesture. Nothing is worse than not being on the same page salary wise and finding out after lots of time has been invested. When asked AGAIN about my salary expectations in the final rounds of the interview (despite already having been asked and given them this information) I was told that my salary expectations (despite being well in line with what HR had originally told me was realistic) was in fact not realistic and he the proceeded to make me feel like a idiot for asking for an amount that was both within what the HR individual told me and close to what I was paid for similar job duties in the area. I almost walked then and there. At worst it is a despicable bait and switch tactic, at best pure incompetence, neither of which is tolerable.
This same guy also did not bother to read my resume. He was making broad summaries of my professional experience that was simply not true. I was on the fence about the place and this guy solidified my choice to not accept any offer they gave me. He was in short haughty , superior and condescending as if he was talking down to a high school student wanting a job at his ice cream stand. Not an imminently qualified College Graduate with 10 years of very successful time in the industry. I think internally you know precisely who this person is, and I will not cite his name here out of courtesy.
I was also asked to submit my social security number in a job application in a un-encrypted PDF attachment via email. Keep in mind this is a company responsible for data security for their client base - and this came across as amateur hour to me and a red flag. Its either total ignorance, or laziness. In this day and age of data breaches they need to quickly get real about data security. I ran this past some of my peers in the industry and they advised me to withdrawal my application on this fact alone.
I find it ironic that one of their internal core values is to "innovate" yet the office atmosphere felt like a time capsule from 1980 - very stuffy culture. The necktie requirement for people who are working with remote clients who will never see you is silly and borderline pretentious. Again, this is 2019, and this is the technology sector not Goldman Sachs. I understand the desire to differentiate yourselves but this is not the way to do it. Innovate and get in line with the rest of the tech sector. Non baby boomer end users honestly don't care what their computer support person is wearing - they care about results which neckties and a dated stuffy culture do not contribute to positively.
Relax the dress code and culture a few notches and attract young intelligent professionals who are capable of thinking differently from you. Just because it worked 30 years ago does not mean that should still be your playbook. And if you're reading this and dismissing me - read the rest of the reviews of actual employees. I am not alone.
Treat your applicants with respect. On the whole, your organization did that, but one person ruined it and that is all it took to make my decision.