I completed four interviews and a written assessment as part of the recruitment process for this role (I was ultimately not selected). The process ran from early October to late November 2025, taking nearly two months in total - an unusually long and time-intensive process for a non-senior position. The first stage was a brief HR screening call (around 20–25 minutes), followed by a one-hour interview with the head of team and a colleague. This was a substantive and well-structured interview, covering motivation, relevant experience, and working in a high-pressure environment. I was then asked to complete a written assessment involving identifying three trusts and foundations prospects, researching them, producing a short briefing, and drafting an introductory email. This was followed by another interview with the Fundraising Director and a colleague, for which I also had to prepare a 10-minute presentation introducing Tiko’s work to a prospective funder. There was a fourth interview near the end of November, involving a 30 minute conversation with the Fundraising Director. In total, I invested a significant amount of time and preparation across multiple stages over more than six weeks. Given this level of engagement, it was disappointing to receive no feedback or clear communication on the outcome of the process. Communication throughout was slow, and the scope of the process expanded well beyond what was initially outlined. I had been told to expect one interview and an informal conversation if shortlisted. So I felt the extended process and lack of closure reflected poor decisiveness and bad candidate experience on my part.