How many interviews is too many?
Finding the right candidate for your vacancy is so important. A poor fit can disrupt your company culture and wreak havoc on your team’s productivity. So, it’s understandable that you’d want to hold as many interviews as possible. That said, if you hold too many interviews, your candidates may become frustrated, and you risk losing out on an excellent new hire.
In this blog, we’ll discuss how many interviews is too many, how to avoid excessive interviews and the benefits of fast recruitment.
How many interviews to get a job?
There is no standard number of interviews, and they can vary dramatically depending on the company, industry and role requirements.
Recently, candidates have reported being required to attend 17 interviews without receiving a job offer, or being asked to participate in interview rounds with no defined end stage.
Despite these reports, several rounds of interviews aren’t best practice.
How many interview rounds is normal?
For Eden Scott clients, usually, three rounds of interviews is normal. That includes:
1st stage - Screening call with recruiter/HR
2nd stage - Introductory meeting with Hiring Manager
3rd stage - Technical test (aptitude test or psychometric test)
However, for certain roles including software development, five rounds of interviews is normal. That includes:
1st stage - Screening call with recruiter/HR
2nd stage - Interview with senior developer
3rd stage - Interview with the team
4th stage - Interview with a Director
5th stage - Final interview with recruiter
How many interviews are most candidates willing to attend?
Most candidates say they are willing to attend a maximum of two interviews before losing interest in a job offer, according to Eden Scott research.
On average, candidates are willing to attend only two interviews for the right position. 27% would extend this to three, and just 6% would consider attending five. That said, this number can vary between industries and professions.
Why won’t candidates attend several interviews?
It's crucial to recognise the challenges candidates face when attending multiple interviews. They need to take time off work and prepare for roles they might not secure.
That’s why detailed screening before interviews is vital. A candidate's skills, experience, and qualifications should be thoroughly assessed using the information provided in the CV and application form. The interview becomes an opportunity to understand the person and their working style.
The benefits of fast recruitment
Hiring fast and reducing the number of excessive interviews can benefit companies and candidates. Here’s why:
Better quality hires
Great candidates are likely to be interviewing at several companies, not just yours. A streamlined recruitment process can help you secure top talent. It also demonstrates that your organisation is efficient and decisive - impressive traits to ambitious applicants.
Higher acceptance rates
Acting fast and making prompt offers means you can engage candidates and keep them enthusiastic about the role on offer. It also gives them less time to consider other offers or counter offers from current employers. Making faster job offers leads to higher acceptance rates.
Better company reputation
Waiting to hear back from an interview is a nerve-wracking experience for the candidate and prolonging it just makes matters worse. Being decisive with your hiring process and communicating with the candidates in a timely manner helps you differentiate your organisation from competitors and improves your candidate experience.
Word travels fast - a good candidate experience can have a snowball effect, boosting your employer brand among other prospective employees too.
Attracting the right candidates
Want to attract the best employees? Find out how to interview candidates in our new report.
Find out here about how you could use AI to help with the intervew process.
