The initial interview was smooth - the hiring manager were personable, inquisitive and seemed knowledgeable. However, the 2nd interview was unscheduled and felt disorganized as the internal recruiter called impromptu to walk through screening-style questions.
For the 3rd interview, I was required to prepare a 45-minute presentation and attend an onsite round of interviews. I interviewed with the COO, hiring manager, VP of HR, and IT ops team members over 5 hours, which seemed fair given the role's seniority. After the onsite, the process stalled, and I had to consistently follow up for updates. I was eventually verbally offered the role but never received an offer letter. Various reasons were provided, first "waiting for approvals" as various key people were traveling then finally my references needed completing. After nearly two months, the recruiter called to withdraw the offer, citing the fact that my resume omitted a couple of short-term roles - one over 10 years old lasting a month. Instead of a simple clarification, the default here was suspicion and immediate questioning of my "integrity." The whole thing left me feeling blindsided and humiliated. As a member of an underrepresented group, I couldn't help but wonder if unconscious biases played a role in the ultimate decision to withdraw the offer after such a lengthy process over minor resume omissions from years prior. The first part of this process was fine, but the second was among the most humiliating interview/hiring experiences I've had. I recognize that miscommunications and unintended negative impacts can occur during hiring processes, despite all our best efforts. Sharing my experience in the hopes that others have a more positive experience with this organization.