I went through the full interview process, including an in-person interview and an assessment, only to be informed that the company had decided to promote someone internally. This was frustrating because they could have been upfront about the possibility of an internal hire instead of putting external candidates through unnecessary steps.
The overall process felt like a formality rather than a genuine hiring effort. Unfortunately, after researching, I found that this has happened before with this company, suggesting a pattern.
If you're applying here, be aware that your time may not be valued. Transparency in the hiring process would go a long way in improving the candidate experience.