Jobs

Why does the interview and hiring process for jobs these days seem to take forever? The interviewing process is exhausting and frustrating.

Elaine Varelas explains the reasons why the interview process can take longer for more important roles within an organization.

Ask the Job Doc. Boston.com

June 28, 2023

3 minutes to read

Q. It seems like the job interviewing process is taking longer and longer these days. I’ve had interviews where I’ve had to interview first with an external recruiter, then an internal recruiter, then meet with 6 or 7 people within a company, had to give a presentation or talk through how I’d approach a company problem, and then I don’t even get an offer. How can I minimize all this wasted time?

A. There are some positions that are so important to an organization that the interview process is significantly longer and more involved than the days when getting a live body into the role was all that was needed. While you don’t identify which role or industry you are in, it would indicate to me that the position is of vital importance to the organization.

When starting the interview process with an organization, ask them about how the interview process works, and the timing for when they would ideally like to see someone start. If you are aware of what the process is before they invite you to take part in it, you are in a better position to decide whether to participate in the interview process based on your sincere interest in the role and the company. You may decide to walk away if it’s a position that you are not significantly interested in or if you think you may not learn anything during the interview process. This process can be highly valuable in terms of your learning – if you use it that way. Some positions are highly competitive and may attract a large number of candidates, which can involve multiple rounds of interviews for screening. There may be a wide diversity of backgrounds that could be acceptable. Companies don’t do this for fun. It is very costly to get many people involved in interviewing and to pull them away from their primary role. The hiring process may also involve multiple layers of stakeholders, which can often lengthen the hiring process for an important role.

If you are interested in the position, it’s important to check in at every step of the interview process to get a sense of how you are doing. Close each interview with a variation of the theme of “Do you have any concerns about my ability to be successful in this role?” “Is there anything you are concerned about in my background?” “A year from now, I have done a great job in this role, what has been accomplished?” Using questions like these demonstrates how interested you are in the role and gives you a heads up about where you stand in the process and what they really want. There’s a significant investment in the interview process and you want to make sure that both you and the organization are aligned at every step. Often people are afraid to ask questions that might solicit a negative response, but the time to do it is when you are in the meeting. This is your best chance to address any misunderstandings or lack of information that’s been presented. Every one of these questions and answers should be considered an educational opportunity for you as well.

For more significant roles, the interview process frequently involves candidates making a presentation, or solving a problem. It can be frustrating when you’re asked to devote what feels like free consulting. Asking questions about why the organization has decided to use that as part of the process and asking how much time they anticipate the project will take l absolutely fair and gives you a better sense of the depth they are asking you to approach the effort. They may have had past experiences in which people suggested that they had a particular skillset but didn’t. They may have found that the approach that someone takes to solve critical problems doesn’t factor in the people at the organization, but only solves the technical problem. Most organizations who ask you to do something like this have a specific behavioral component to the job that they’re trying to find out more about. Take that into account as you approach the project.

Not everyone can get an offer, which is why organizations interview to find out if they’re aligned with the person and if the individual has the critical skillset that they need. If possible, reframe the time you invest in interviewing for a new role. Instead of thinking of it as wasted time, instead view it as a valuable learning experience that you can gather feedback from, particularly if you don’t receive an offer. And while a lengthy interview process may seem frustrating, it helps ensure the right fit for both you and the company!