The recruiter was very excellent and engaging. After an initial review and discussion, my alignment with the role seemed like a great fit. But the next day, I was advised that an internal candidate had been considered for the role. I understand the preference for an internal candidate, but this is not the first time it has happened with this organization. I would have imagined that they had completed the internal search before posting it out on the market. Unless they have to prove a certain number of external candidate has been reviewed to justify internal hiring,