The entire interview process took over two months and involved multiple rounds with the hiring manager as well as employees from various departments (finance, analytics, and partnerships). While everyone I spoke to was polite and professional, it quickly became evident that the interviews were just a formality. It felt as though they were merely ticking boxes, as it was clear from the start that the manager had already decided on an internal candidate. In addition, several interviews were postponed at short notice or rescheduled to inconvenient times, due to some interviewers being in different time zones. This lack of consideration added to the overall impression that the process was more about going through the motions than seriously considering external candidates.