Employers and Job Seekers Disagree on Ideal Number of Job Interviews

American job seekers and employers agree that more than one interview is necessary when filling open positions, but while candidates say two should suffice, some hiring managers believe that number should be closer to five, according to a recent survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. 

Participating job seekers understand the interview process isn’t “one and done,” and 83 percent believe they should participate in more than one interview before receiving a job offer with two in five (41 percent) preferring no more than two interviews. Very few expect more than five interviews.

In addition, 4 in 10 hiring managers (40 percent) say candidates can expect to go through two interviews before receiving an offer while 15 percent say job seekers can expect to go through five or more interviews at their company.

Both groups agree multiple interviews are beneficial for several reasons, including job seekers’ ability to ask follow-up questions (56 percent), gain information on the position (56 percent), and meet other employees within the company (47 percent). Hiring managers say these extended opportunities allow them to better evaluate candidates’ personalities (50 percent) and skills (48 percent), ensure their fit with the company’s culture (47 percent), and get other employees’ perspectives on the prospective colleague (41 percent). 

Taking too long to extend an employment offer, however, could also have consequences. Job seekers say the drawbacks include the additional time added to the process (52 percent), delays landing a job (45 percent), additional costs (39 percent), and the possibility of accepting another job offer in the meantime (32 percent). Some may become fatigued or disillusioned with the business (27 percent). Hiring managers add that lengthy interview processes could lead to subjective decision-making (26 percent) or biases (24 percent).   

The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between June 13 and June 26 among 1,010 U.S. hiring decision-makers.