The process consisted of two rounds. The first was a ~45-minute virtual panel interview via MS Teams with four team members, focused on behavioral/STAR-based questions — well-structured and straightforward.
The second round was an in-person visit to the Largo location, which included a 20-minute presentation on a project where I served as the SPOC, followed by a 25-minute Q&A with a panel of five — the recruiter and four department heads the role would support. The entire team was welcoming, professional, and asked genuinely thoughtful questions. I was even offered a tour of the 911 call center afterward, which was a highlight of the experience.
Outcome & Honest Reflection:
Approximately one week after the final interview, I received a call from the recruiter letting me know they had selected an internal candidate. The communication was timely and respectful, which I appreciated.
For Future Candidates:
My one piece of constructive feedback — and the reason I'm sharing this — is that knowing whether internal candidates are being considered would be a helpful transparency. I invested significant time and energy preparing a detailed presentation and building genuine excitement for this role. In hindsight, internal candidates carry real, understandable advantages: established relationships, organizational knowledge, and no onboarding ramp-up. That's a completely reasonable business decision. However, having that context upfront would help external candidates make more informed decisions about how to invest their time and manage expectations.
Overall, the organization presents itself professionally, and the people I met were genuinely impressive. I have no regrets about the experience — just a suggestion that a bit more transparency early in the process could improve the candidate experience.
