Very frustrating! They said they decided to pursue candidates who already had Director level experience. I guess they figured I would need some direction and assistance since it would be my first time being a Director. I mean, it WAS a little bit of a reach since I was looking to get a promotion to the next level and it's true that I do not have director level experience, though I DO have two years of prior team management experience.

Who knows? Maybe they lied. Maybe it was something else that they cannot tell me that arose in the final interview.