I am interviewing remotely for a hybrid product role, but each person I meet gives a different answer about who the position would report to. The recruiter says the team is being reorganized, the hiring manager is “still being finalized,” and the panel wants to assess candidates before deciding where the role fits.
Common advice says to stay flexible during an interview process, but does this usually mean the employer is still defining a legitimate opening, or that approval and accountability are missing? Should I continue to later rounds, and what specific questions would distinguish a normal reorganization from a role that may disappear or change substantially after I accept?
2 Answers
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What decision must be made before this role can be formally offered: budget approval, reporting line, or scope?
If the reorganization is real but controlled, later rounds can be worthwhile. Ask who owns the headcount, when the reporting line will be confirmed, what business problem the role is funded to solve, and whether the written offer will name a manager and core responsibilities. A practical target is a clear answer before the final round.
If nobody can identify a budget owner, success criteria, or decision date, treat it as exploratory hiring rather than a defined vacancy. Continue only if the conversations are low-cost and you’re comfortable walking away.
A legitimate reorg can change structure; it should not leave authority, funding, and priorities entirely unassigned.
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If no executive can name the role’s sponsor, continue only if they’ll state contingencies in writing. Example: ask whether an offer survives a reporting-line change; request that answer before the next round.
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