Prior to covid, I had a phone interview with just HR and team management. I then had an in-person interview with 8 technical employees. The start date did take a while. However, I was able to start within a month or so after the last round of interviewing.

HR initiated the contact with me. They did the background check first, then arranged the interview. The company leans heavily on certifications because they support public government sites, and the government likes industry certifications. The company has a generous support program for employee's further education. However, where I was, the company did not make use of inexpensive automated tools, to lighten the workload for employees so they would have enough energy to take school after work.