How many job interviews should you expect during the hiring process?
A manager’s goal in the hiring process is to find the right person for the job the first time. The goal of a job interview is to get a job offer. In this article, we talk about how the hiring process is seen by both hiring managers and candidates. We also talk about how many interviews you might have to go through and what kinds of interviews you might face.
What do the people in charge of hiring think about having more than one interview?
Hiring managers might think that candidates are glad to hear from them and be asked to come back for more interviews. Most of the time, they want to show that the company is still interested in them and that they are still in the running for the job. Hiring managers may also think that holding multiple interviews shows they are thorough in the hiring process and are trying to make the best decision for everyone.
What do people who are looking for a job think about having multiple interviews?
Near the beginning of the interview process, candidates may be glad to get through the first interview and be asked to come back for another. They might think that if they make it to the next round, they have a better chance of getting the job. But if it keeps happening with the same company, they may start to wonder why the hiring manager hasn’t picked anyone. They may also wonder if it’s worth taking time off from their current job, which may not pay, to keep looking for a new one.
How many interviews do you need to get a job?
There is no set number of interviews needed to get a job. But for hiring managers, it might be best to meet with each candidate between one and three times. It depends on the job how many interviews there are. For entry-level jobs, you might be able to decide after just one interview. For jobs in the middle, you might only need two interviews. If the job is senior or above, the company can use three. Sometimes, there’s a good reason for an organization to use a fourth interview to choose between two very good candidates. How the company hires people usually determines the exact number.
Why do companies ask people to come in for so many interviews?
Here are six reasons why a company might hold more than one interview before hiring someone:
Check out the credentials
Companies may do more than one interview with a candidate to make sure that the person they meet in person is the same person they saw in their resume and cover letter. During screening interviews or phone calls, hiring managers may ask you to explain or expand on what you said in your application materials.
Determine job capability
Having more than one interview may help the employer figure out if you can do the job. Even if you have worked in the same industry or niche before or know a lot about it, no two jobs or companies are exactly the same. Hiring managers may have an idea of what kind of person would be best for a job, so they may give you more than one interview to see if you are that kind of person.
Check to see what they chose
Multiple interviews, especially the third and final one, can help hiring managers make sure they are choosing the best person for the job. If it has been a few days, weeks, or months since your last interview, companies may want to see you again to confirm what they wrote down and decided about you before.
See what other people think.
If you have more than one interview with the same company, you may be able to meet people other than the hiring managers or your potential bosses. These people might tell hiring managers how you treat them and what they think of you. They may want to see how you get along with other people at work and how they feel about you joining their team.
Learn about yourself.
Hiring managers may want to talk to you more than once to learn more about who you are outside of work. They may want you to get to know them better and feel more comfortable so they can see if you are funny, kind, or have other good qualities.
Try to find another person or job.
Hiring managers may ask for more than one interview if the first person they wanted to hire turns down the job. They could make another offer by going back to the list of qualified candidates and conducting more interviews. Also, if a company has more than one job opening that is slightly different from the others, they may ask you to come back for another interview to apply for a better job within the same company.
What are the different kinds of interviews?
You might have more than one kind of interview during the hiring process. Hiring managers may even mix some of these types, depending on the job opening and how many people they want to meet. Here are some kinds of interviews:
Interviews based on how someone acts
Behavioral interviews look at how your actions in the past might affect how well you do at a new job. Interviewers may ask you to tell a story or give an example of a time you solved a problem, worked with a coworker to solve a problem, or did something else that helped them learn more about your personality, skills, and work ethic.
Case studies
Case interviews are a type of interview in which fake situations are used. Hiring managers may give you a problem that doesn’t exist and ask you how you would solve it. This kind of interview is common for jobs that value being able to solve problems and think critically, like management and investment banking.
Skill-based interviews
Competency-based interviews, which are also called “job-specific” interviews, are a type of interview where you are asked to give examples of specific skills needed for a job. The person in charge of hiring you might ask you to tell a story, show a portfolio, take a test, or do an assignment for your practicum.
Exit interviews
When a company hires someone, they don’t use exit interviews. They use them instead when an employee quits or is let go. The human resources department of the company uses the information from these interviews to learn how the company works. They might also ask you why you’re leaving and where you’re going next. They can ask what you think about your boss, your coworkers, and the job itself.
Last conversations
The last interviews you have to go through before getting a job offer are the final ones. Depending on how the company sets up its hiring process, they may be combined with another type of interview. Your last interview might be with a high-level manager or the CEO of the company. You’ll find out if they want to hire you during this interview. Even if you get to the final interview, that doesn’t mean you’ll get the job.
The first get-togethers
Most first interviews are one-on-one, either in person or over a video call, with the hiring manager or a possible direct supervisor. Candidates may be asked about their past jobs, skills, and experience, as well as when they will be available for other interviews or to start the job. Sometimes a candidate only has one interview before the hiring manager gives them the job.
Talks with groups
Group interviews can help both the people being interviewed and the people doing the hiring. There may be one candidate and a panel of interviewers in a group interview. This gives everyone a chance to judge the candidate and talk about their thoughts. In another type of group interview, more than one candidate and one hiring manager talk to each other. This kind of interview could make it easier for companies to compare candidates.
On-the-spot interviews
Informal interviews are a type of interview that can happen at the start or end of a cycle of interviews. This kind of interview is more like a conversation. Hiring managers might use this type to find out what you like to do outside of work and what kind of person you are.
Interviews to get information
Informational interviews are usually done by the candidate before applying for a job or at the beginning of the hiring process. During informational interviews, candidates can ask questions about an open position, a company, or the industry as a whole to find out if the job or company is right for them.
Fake job interviews
Mock interviews can be held by career coaches, counselors, and university career centers to help people get ready for their real interviews. You can get feedback on how you dress, how you act, your resume, cover letter, portfolio, and how you answer questions. Hosts may also offer words of encouragement and suggestions for how to get better.
Away-from-home interviews
Off-site interviews can happen in public places that aren’t an office. Hiring managers can choose to have an interview somewhere else if a company is moving, the building is being fixed up, or something else similar. They may also choose to mix off-site interviews with casual ones for a more casual atmosphere.
Open interviews
Open interviews, which are also called “walk-in” interviews, happen on the spot and don’t need to be set up ahead of time. When many jobs need to be filled, most companies hold open interviews. Most of the time, open interviews happen at job fairs or other events where people are hired. To take part, candidates must show up at the advertised time and place and meet either one-on-one with a hiring manager or with multiple interviewers based on who shows up first.
Interviews by phone
Most phone interviews are short, and they can happen early on in the hiring process. Hiring managers may plan phone interviews or call candidates out of the blue to see how they react when they aren’t prepared. Phone interviews may help narrow down the candidates so that you can decide who to meet in person.
Restaurant interviews
Restaurant interviews, which are also called “dining interviews,” usually happen over lunch or dinner. Hiring managers may use restaurant interviews to see how well a candidate gets along with others, talks, and behaves at the table. They may also want to see how candidates act when they are under stress or in social situations outside of work.
Interviews for screening
Screening interviews might be the first ones you do when hiring someone. They might take place over the phone and be shorter than other kinds of interviews. Hiring managers may ask you yes or no questions about your resume or application to see if you meet the requirements to move on to the next stage.
Interviews number two
The second interview could take a few hours and be longer and more in-depth than the first or screening interview. You might meet with the same person or people from your first interview, or you might meet with a new group or other staff members, like your potential direct supervisor or team.
Interview with a plan
Structured interviews are not so much a type of interview as they are a way of doing interviews. In a structured interview, the hiring manager asks all of the potential candidates the same set of questions to test certain skills or situations. Hiring managers may choose this option if they want to make it easier to compare candidates or if they want to make fair decisions about the qualifications of candidates.
Interviews No. 3
The third interview could be the last one before the final interview, or it could be combined with the final interview and include an offer of a job. This interview gives the candidate a chance to meet more people in the company and helps the hiring managers confirm their choice.
Interviews with no set plan
In an unstructured interview, you don’t use a set of questions to guide you through the process. Instead, you use an outline. Hiring managers may start the interview with a few general questions and then move on based on how the candidates answer. This kind of interview could be more like a conversation. But it might be harder to compare candidates because each interview might be a little bit different.
Video interviews
Video interviews may be used by hiring managers for people who are applying for jobs far away or when in-person interviews can’t happen. They might use video chatting or software for virtual meetings to do a traditional interview from afar. Companies can also use video interviews instead of phone interviews to cut down on the number of applicants and invite the best ones to meet in person.
