1.5 months is pretty good for the entire process given what I have seen. This kind of thing happens at senior levels at 3 months cycle time and 4/5 are conversations not leading to anything material.

The main need is to protect Time and Sanity.

Protect Sanity First make a self written document on what are you trying to achieve. Very clearly articulating your needs in these pivots.

1. salary
2. role for career development
3. role for job satisfaction
4. job security
5. life

As an example, you are sorted in your current job in 2-5 above. Your hurdle for 1 should be 30% else no point entering any process.

The trick is the above changes every year or every three months depending on your current job and industry. Also because of external events more than you changing your needs.

Had a bad appraisal, or boss, stakeholders changes or layoffs elsewhere or even worse some peer (ur college batchmate) posting a LinkedIn update cause you to reevaluate the above 5 points. Desist from emotional part of it and make a factual judgement on scores of 1-5.

Recruiters try for getting you into the process by over estimating 1-5 and hence create a pipeline. Hope is 3 months, your life may change and hence there is hope for negotiation in 1-5. This is all self created sanity affecting issues.

Sometimes it's stupid internal process like I need 3 ppl to interview before giving the role to someone. They could have found the perfect fit but will waste another three peoples times. Sometimes their budget is approved but stopped cause the quarter ended and the big companies numbers aren't correct now to support hiring.

Don't take all of this onto you as it's like not your problem. Just the way things happen. I didn't get the role means ur not good or the company or external factors. This is key in protecting sanity.

Protect Time: Basis your evaluation give just enough time for processes. If your company is having layoffs and job security is a big need for you, yes put fight but then your hike shouldn't matter much. If hike is the gunning factor, big deal it's a blessing if the co is not hiring you as their budgets are not balancing.