A cluster-NINE separate interviews. I was advised that in theory, the most important two (first two after recruiter) went excellently, that they were concerned that I would apply other places and that I was basically a shoe-in for a different job which they were going to post. I was then told to quickly apply when they put new job req out there.
The next 4 interviews were set up very fast. The last interviewer in this set asked questions related to skills that were not even on the req, instead more closely aligned to their role and was currently lower level with an LI profile that appeared to be swinging for this role and not describing their actual role. Why would a company do that with the conflict of interest? In my experience, when you put peer, subordinate or stymied internal candidate in the interview process and give them veto power-they will veto just about all candidates. Also, when you put too many people into the interviewer process, someone will veto a qualified candidate. Vetoers will normally pick a non-threatening candidate or one that they align with better with in terms of skillsets.
Total process went over 5 weeks.
Tone changed at the last two interviews and I was advised there were other candidates that they had to get through. For last two-they replaced a higher level person with a subordinate-bad sign. Then they had the hiring manager again who asked me all the same questions the individual asked 4 weeks prior(?) and took notes this time. Very disorganized hiring manager, clearly stressed and short in second interview. Maybe a bullet dodged?....they mentioned the previous owner company red tape but I believe it could be more chaotic now, and less budget for solutions. I had initial chat with them last year before they were sold and budgets weren't an issue then as they are now. Most of the other reviews I've seen for company and interviews reflect an organization in decline after sale to a PE last year-which I was concerned about going in.
Most others (including the recruiter and the person being backfilled) were quite nice and appeared to be suffering through some folks around them in the process who appeared to control the decision.