I see a lot of posts on interview processes, questions, timelines, getting ghosted, etc. so I wanted to share a recent interview process that I went through.

Background- Experienced professional with 7 years as a PT, 2 years successful b2b, 3 years successful med device sales. Over 100%, nationally ranked, etc. etc. etc.

Current- Med device territory manager in ortho (non OR role). Track record of success, highly liked, credible, great interviewer.

Experience- In January, I applied to a role with a top med device company known internationally (not yellow and gold company lol).

1. Initial screening with HR - CHECK, job sounds great, I'm a great fit, solid. Moving on.
2. Two-person TEAMS Interview with Hiring Manager and another successful account executive. Basic interview, lots of STAR questions. Great feedback, closed, no pause or hesitations. Moving on.
3. Panel interview with 3 other regional managers across the country. Took 2 hours. Well liked, they each stated they would love to have me on their team if I lived in their territory.
4. National Director of Sales flys in from across the country to meet with me and the hiring manager in person. 90 min. interview in a hotel conference room. I created a rough business plan on powerpoint, printed it out, brought it with me. They were impressed, had high praise for me. Hiring manager proceeds to tell me I am only remaining candidate left and that "if I advance," the last interview is with company VP. Few days after this interview, hiring manager calls me to reaffirm I am the only candidate remaining and that she has already started to introduce my name to some of the bigger accounts and that they are scheduling my meeting with company VP.
   
5. Get the e-mail congratulating me on advancing and to meet with company VP 2 days later. Location TBD.
   
6. 24 hours before interview, I'm given location and time of interview. It's a 3 hour drive from me and interview starts at 8am, so I gear up and leave my home extra early and arrive around 730am.
   
7. On my way to interview, hiring manager calls me and asks if I can call her immediately after the interview to let her know how it goes.
8. I interview with VP of company for 60 mins. He has an ego and loves to talk about himself, his accomplishments, and trips he likes to take himself on. We have good conversation and after my close, he says to me, "no red flags, you'll be a great fit. You'll hear back within next couple days.
9. Three days go by and I don't hear anything. Hiring manager says it'll be a few more days, but not to worry.
10. One full week after meeting with VP, hiring manager calls me and begins with "I have some disappointing news. The VP isn't a fan of the one company you worked for in 2019. We cannot hire you." I was speechless and did not know how to respond. I proceeded to ask tons and tons of questions with receiving the same answer "He has the final say, I cannot do anything. He told me to start the process over from scratch."

So three full months of interviewing, great interviews with EVERY single person I interviewed/interacted with. High praise from the other managers, colleagues, and peers. VP of company looked me right in the eye and said no red flags. Did not get the job because Mr. EGO VP does not like a specific company I worked for. That's it. Interview process over.

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The point of this post is to share my personal experience of how no matter how well prepared, how successful you are, how well liked you are, how you're the "only candidate remaining," how you'll be a "great fit on the team" etc. does not translate into a job offer. There are assholes in this business. There are ego driven self centered individuals who love to flex their "power" whenever they can in whatever form they wish. This is a prime example of such.

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To those trying to break into the industry, do not give up. For those in the industry and looking to further develop their careers, do not give up. This was a hard pill to swallow and it still hurts today, one week after receiving the news. The biggest execs, presidents of companies are sometimes the most insecure and this was a prime example of such. Keep grinding, keep applying, keep doing what yall do best.

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Side Note - Two days after getting the complete rejection from this company, another company called me with interest in hiring me. Currently just finished round 2 of that interview process today. When one door closes, another opens.