The interview process was the longest I have experienced in my career. I completed six interviews, and before the seventh interview, I was asked to complete a take-home assessment based on real company scenarios and data. The total number of rounds was never clearly communicated, so at each stage I was left believing the next interview would be the last.
I chose to withdraw at that point because the process had already become far too time-consuming, and the assignment felt uncomfortably close to unpaid consulting work that could directly benefit the business.
To be clear, I did not leave the process because I failed to get an offer. I withdrew because the company was taking too much of my time and asking for unpaid work. At a certain point, a process like this does not select for the best candidate. It selects for the candidate most willing or able to tolerate an excessive and inefficient hiring process.