I've worked for my current company for about 5 years. I started low on the chain but have moved up to “upper middle management.” Due to some changes in the culture at my current job I don't have much room to grow anymore as family members of the owners have been placed in roles above me. This makes it highly unlikely I will continue to move up. I've been casually looking for a new opportunity since then.
Just after Christmas I found an interesting job opening that fit my skills and applied. They reached out to me on January 30th and asked to set up a Zoom interview on February 1st and I accepted. About halfway through the interview things seemed odd, as the questions they were asking me didn't pertain to the job I applied for. I brought this up and they explained that the role I originally applied for has been filled, so they wanted to interview me for a different role. I explained that I was thankful for the thought, but I was not interested in that role. I told them if anything closer to the job I applied for opens up in the future I'd be very interested. That was the end of that.
A little over a week goes by and on February 9th I get a call from one of the interviewers, she tells me that the original job I wanted is now open and they want me to come in the next day for a formal interview with multiple managers of the company. I was very excited by this but told them I'm working at my current job tomorrow. At best, I can come in at 3PM, or I can come in anytime all day the following Monday or Tuesday. She tells me 3:00 P.M. is fine and she will send me an email confirming this with instructions on where to go. A little time went by and I received an email from her with my interview schedule the next day which includes a series of 4 interviews.
11:00-11:30 A.M Interview with person A
11:30-12:00 P.M. Interview with person B
12:00-12:30 P.M. Interview with person C
12:30-1:00 P.M Interview with person D
There was no way I could pull this off at my current job without calling in sick. I emailed back explaining that as stated on the phone I was not available until 3:00 P.M or later. I asked if there was any way that may still work and then reaffirmed that if not, I'm also available anytime on Monday or Tuesday. I did not get a response until yesterday. The response was an automated message from their HR team thanking me for my time, but as of now they have decided on another candidate.
TL;DR Applied for job, got interview for different job. Turned it down, was later asked to come in for interview for original job. When I couldn't drop everything and come in the very next day for an interview, I was told the job has been filled.