Interview Review – Product Role, Novicap Overall experience: ★☆☆☆☆ (frustrating - Time-Wasters) Interview difficulty: ★★★☆☆ (moderate) Interview stages and timeline Recruiter Screen – Discussed salary expectations and my limited working‑capital experience. Recruiter assured both were fine. Hiring Manager (Head of Product) – One‑hour video call; again confirmed salary fit and skills match. Panel (CTO, Head of Ops, Head of Product) – One‑week take‑home business case; panel praised my creative solution. CEO On‑site – One‑hour conversation about motivations, career goals, and salary (third time expectations confirmed). Follow‑up Alignment (Head of Product) – Two‑hour deep dive into onboarding plan and KPIs. Final HR Call – Asked for salary figure a fourth time; told role needed board approval. Outcome – After three “we’re waiting on news” emails, HR phoned to say I was the favorite candidate but lacked working‑capital experience—contradicting every prior conversation. No offer or feedback followed; subsequent emails were ignored. What went well Interviewers were polite and asked thoughtful product‑leadership questions. Areas for improvement Consistency: Salary range and experience requirements changed after six rounds and a week‑long assignment. Communication: Two weeks of silence ended with a one‑minute rejection call citing a reason previously dismissed. Time‑wasters: ~15 hours of unpaid prep plus travel, yet the process ended abruptly with a reason known from day one. Candidate respect: No feedback, apology, or ballpark offer despite heavy time investment (≈15 hours prep + travel). Advice to management Clarify must‑have experience and salary bands before starting the process, and align all interviewers on those points. If priorities shift, inform candidates promptly and offer constructive feedback. Respecting people’s time preserves your employer brand.