4 rounds of interviews. the HR tells me that I have passed all the rounds but headcount needs approval . WHY INTERVIEW AND WASTE TIME IF I HEADCOUNT IS NOT APPROVED?

Recruiter screen → Hiring manager → Case + deck creation → Panel interview → Offer stage The interview rounds were structured and professional. The case assignment was clear, and the panel interview went smoothly, although a scheduled grandparent interviewer did not attend and there was no separate grandparent interview afterward. The experience changed at the offer stage. The level proposed did not match the scope discussed throughout the interviews, and the compensation presented was significantly below market for the responsibilities outlined. Requests for clarity on leveling criteria, compensation philosophy, and internal benchmarks were met with vague answers, making it difficult to understand how the offer was determined. The team seemed alright, but the lack of transparency and the large gap between role expectations and the final offer raised concerns about internal alignment. I ultimately declined.