After applying, I received an email from the CFO saying they had narrowed the candidate pool (CFO was filling in on HR duties to cover someone on parental leave). Set up an initial screening phone call. The CFO was more than five minutes late to that call on Uber Conference line. The interview itself was very normal (tell me about yourself, why are you applying for this position, give an example of your relevant work, etc.) for a screening call. During the interview, I was told I'd be sent a writing exercise and given 24 hours to complete it. Fine with me, but I was very surprised when I received the writing exercise that included five lengthy questions. This was the longest, most in-depth writing exercise I've ever been asked to complete and very early in the interview process. I almost decided to withdraw my application because this felt like a red flag to me, but chose to proceed. After completing the writing exercise, which took 2-3 hours, I submitted it and received a receipt the next day. About two weeks later, I was emailed an update that the committee was still reviewing the writing exercise. Three days later, I received an email from the hiring manager stating that I was not a finalist.

I applied for this role in July of 2022 and found out in Aug. I was in their finalist candidate pool. Did a brief phone interview and was given 24 hours to turn around a lengthy writing test. I was on vacation at the time, and had no warning this was coming until I was on the screening call, so I had to shift plans and work late to complete it. Then I heard nothing again for a month. Subsequently I was invited to an interview with the team I'd work with. It went well, but then silence again. In early October I was invited to a third interview with the leadership team. There were far too many questions for the time allotted, the most important concerning diversity and equity saved for the end when I was rushed. I scarcely had time to ask any follow-up questions. Weeks went by until I was given short notice that they wanted to speak to me yet again (a fifth meeting). I was traveling for work but made time out of curiosity about what further information they could need after so many meetings. They told me they were splitting the position in two and thought I was a fit for the new one. Since I'd had no notice I was interviewing for this new job, I gave my best answers on the spot and sent a follow-up email with some point I'd missed. They asked for my references. I sent them promptly and learned they'd called all of them in short order. Then, once again, silence for over a month. In late November I inquired about the process and was told they'd let me know by the end of the month and only given feedback that my references were impeccable. That's the last I heard from them until seeing they'd hired for both positions at the start of the new year, never contacting me to let me know their search was over or that they were no longer interested. I think I put about 20 hours of work into this search, only to be ghosted entirely as a top finalist after nearly six months of investment in it. Important organization doing critical work, but extremely messy processes and immensely disrespectful of candidates' time.