Of the ones you listed, I would have given you some advice on this one:

- I'm tapped for a director role. We go back and forth. I go through every round and things are looking strong. I'm given a test and I exceed expectation. I've not worked in this particular industry, but I have experience changing industry (not role) every few years. At the end of the interviews, weeks of indecision. I'm contacted to be told they are still thinking. Then I'm told that they don't want me for the director role, but a lower role (at the same pay I'm making now) with the idea that once I "show them that they didn't have anything to worry about" I would be upgraded to the role I was originally considered for. Nigga please.

It's ok to accept a back-fill lateral. You'd be astonished at how many companies/managers are either insecure about making the wrong hire or want to make people earn the job. Then they come up with these 'safety net' scenarios. But what I would have told you is...

"Get everything in writing".
1-Ask for the evaluation period to be specified (6 mos? 1yr?) and I would have said argue for a 6 month eval period but no more than 9.

2-Get that 'end of the road' title in writing. If it doesn't work out, you can always say you were 'contracting' when you're back on the market but if it does work out, we not doing the 'well you can do the job but we feel like you'd be good as an Assistant Associate Jr. Director'. Nope.

3-Get the agreed upon salary set. Ok, trail me for x evaluation period, but should I meet or exceed expectations, I want Y dollars for the role. (Let's say you were hunting $120K-135K for this type of role and would have taken $120K easy since it'd be your first director role, well making you prove yourself now comes with a premium because you KNOW you can do the job, so the range is now $135K-150K and I'm taking nothing less. Get it in writing.)

4-Get clearly defined measurables. What they need, what they want done and deadlines to do so if necessary.

*5-If you REALLY wanted to swing for the fences when negotiating, add a provision stating that if you don't meet their expectations, that the have to employ you in the same role you're doing for them for at least 6 months while you seek other employment (rather than them just being able to lay you off).

That offer letter would have been all types of legally binding lol:

Mr. Double Negative
1234 Okayplayer Lane
Anywhere City, USA 54321

We are pleased to offer you the role of (not director)! This role comes with a probationary period of (8 months) during which we will evaluate your skills and abilities. At the end of the 8 month probationary period, should you meet or exceed expectations aligned in the addendum A of this offer, the items in addendum B, which outlines promotional and compensatory considerations agreed upon by both parties, will become effective on (insert date).

Because in the end, you make a professional leap and you lose nothing to prove that you deserve it as you'd have a similar title to your current job at the same pay. And at worse, an 8 month delay in your job search isn't the worst thing in the world (hell, maybe the job market is friendlier in Early 2023 than today).

____________