How many interviews would you go on?

[vanillacourage]

A coworker was telling me about a friend who has gone on *5* interviews for a position to be an employee wellness coordinator for a large health system. So, not entry level but certainly not management. Meanwhile she has another offer in-hand from a job she's not as excited about.

I said that after that many interviews and with a legit other offer I'd call them and say sincerely that I wanted to work for them but had another offer, and nicely ask if they were at a point where they were prepared to make an offer to their top candidate. My coworker said, "oh, that's you, because you're so confident". I do not see asking them to fish or cut bait after 5 interviews as being nuts, but maybe I'm wrong?

[milkrations]

Three levels of interviews is the max for the most senior positions in my organization, and that process is spelled out in the recruitment brochure. I think 5 interviews is crazy.

[chia]

Aug 20, 2012 22:12:47 GMT -5 kooshball said:

We do 1 phone interview either with hiring manager or a technical. Then you come in for another interview which will loop you around ~5 people each lasting 45 minutes.

This is pretty much what we do.
But, it's not 5 separate trips.
*Possibly* a second interview with the big boss, but that's only if he cares to do so.

[steph96]

I can't imagine having to take off work for that many interviews!

One position had me do a phone interview and then 2 in person interviews. I thought that was sort of pushing it.

[sillygoosegirl]

I think 5 interviews is completely nuts. Also, I think it says bad things about the company that it is so hard for them to make up their minds. Or is this all taking place in some country where it is impossible to get rid of employees who don't work out?

I don't think of myself as particularly confident, but with another offer in hand, a certain amount of confidence should naturally be present. How long will the other company hold the other position open for her?

[bliss]

I'd assume if it's a large company that she'd be working with multiple departments and perhaps they've had issues in the past. So they are being overly cautious with her and having her meet with all the various departments she's gone on.

It sounds like it might be her *dream* job so I could see why she'd jump through interview hoops and hoard the other offer. I'd do the same thing. Well, after 5 interviews I'd ask when an offer was being extended.

[aurora]

I don't think it's unreasonable ever to say you have an offer in hand and inquire about the timeline for the hiring decision, even after just 1 interview. As long as you're polite, it's just a question, and a reasonable one at that. I would certainly not hesitate to ask after 5 interviews.

[Deleted]

I just had a third interview for an administrative assistant position. The first was with a hiring coordinator, the second two were with the office manager and the owner. I don't understand why they wanted to meet with me twice. I would understand if it was 3 seperate groups of people, but I was baffled. But then, I am new to this interview thing.

[LoveTrains]

I had to go to a fourth round interview once. It was pretty farking ridiculous.

At my current job, it was just two rounds plus a phone screen. I would consider a phone screen followed by two in person rounds to be pretty standard. IME, sometimes the final in person interview can be a full day. I am pretty sure I did four hours at my current job and I also did an entire full day once.

We just had candidates come through for my the open position above me, and all the candidates came in for an interview that lasted 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

[statlerwaldorf]

I've never been in that situation. I would have a hard time inquiring about a timeline, but I'm not good with that kind of stuff.

[FrozenSunshine]

I went through 3 interviews for a Marketing/HR position. First was a phone interview, second was an interview the head of HR, the third was 8 hours of interviews, interviewing individually with everyone in the department. Two of the people had been there less than 2 months. I got a tour of the building and was introduced to people.

I didn't get an offer, I got a call I was overqualified.

[jigsy]

At the olive garden, three interviews is standard for every position. I thought it was ridiculous, but in the end, people who worked there stayed there at least a tear and most longer, so maybe they are doing something right in a high turnover industry, lol

[drloretta]

I had to do 3 rounds once and it was ridiculous.

I don't think your suggestion is overconfident at all.

[aspentosh]

I had three for my first job out of college. One phone interview, one where I came in to meet the managers and one to meet my prospective coworkers.

[orangeblossom]

It's excessive to me, but also becoming more of the norm. I read an article awhile back about this new phenomenon of excessive interviews, some where it was 5+ and even ten interviews

The article said that part of the reason is simple: they can. Employers know people are looking and there's not a lot out there. One of the other reasons had to do with the incompetence of the person hiring, and these days it's often not the HR doing the interviewing/hiring and those that are doing it are unsure of their choices, and making major blunders during the process that causes people to rethink and back out mid-interview process. I found the latter to be the case for me and should have run for the hills.

In this case after five interviews, and an offer in-hand I would simply tell them and see what they say. The person just needs to know her bottom line before calling. Is she going to walk if they can't give her an answer sooner or is she going to try to negotiate and give a timeframe. Will she be willing to accept the job, but renege on the offer if other job comes through after the deadline.

[Awkward]

I'm not sure what I'd do in that position. I agree your approach sounds reasonable, but I think I too would have a problem bringing that up to get them to the point. How do you come up with that many excuses for missing work?

For my current job there were zero interviews, job before that was one with HR and one with the hiring manager. The job I'm applying to now had a phone screening/interview and one in person.

[Wines Not Whines]

Was this 5 different interviews or five ROUNDS of interviews? There's a big difference IMO. I've gone through some hiring processes where I had 5-7 individual interviews, but there were only two rounds of interviews -- usually 1 interview during the first round, and then I was called back and had a half-day worth of interviews and maybe a lunch with several different people.