The interview process was five stages spread out over five months. In essence, the recruiter and position manager had an internal candidate in the position and strung out candidates, without informing them, as a backup plan in case the interim resource did not perform to expectations. In the end, no hiring decision was made. Literally every interview was with a different person at a different portion of the organization, while the recruiter was left to string along both myself and other candidates, taking weeks to provide feedback, while gaslighting both myself and another candidate continuing telling us "we remain candidates" for the position. The entire process lacked transparency and was insulting to candidates for the position. This isn't hard, and this process shouldn't take five months stringing along candidates as backups. It reflects remarkably poorly on all parties involved, and I'd strongly suggest if this company cannot promptly make a hiring decision on a position for which you're a candidate, you bow out and move on.