Smalls interview questions

Straightforward process but confusing expectations. The recruiter called to talk about general requirements, and then Zoom calls with HM and stakeholder. Both were nice but neither seem to be on the same page about what they actually needed. The recruiter said they're considering anything from an IC to director, but the hiring manager and stakeholder expected an experienced department head. Answering their questions was difficult. They were clearly looking for someone with more experience than the recruiter and JD led me to believe. I think I was brought on so they could meet an interview quota. I didn't make it to the take-home assignment, but I guess that part would've been difficult too. If they can't agree on the role itself, I doubt they'd grade it equally. It’s not the biggest red flag, but this tells me they don't have set plans for this role. I get they’re still a startup, but their goal salary range isn’t even close for an individual contributor, let alone a head of department.

Applied, submitted a sample questionnaire, interviewed twice, and then waited around for a long time to be turned away. Total time was around 2 months. While everybody I spoke to was pleasant, it was very unprofessional, lengthy, and a waste of time. The manager is unorganized and not considerate of applicants time. The customer service team is not diverse. I would expect this process for a mid/senior level job, not an entry level $17 hourly position. It was disappointing. I found a job elsewhere during this time. Should I have received an offer I would have declined due to my experience.