How many candidates do they interview for a role?

[mobi]

Yesterday I went to a interview where the agent told me client is interviewing 5 candidates for the role.

He also said, another of his client interviewed 15 candidates for a role and still couldn't find a suitable one.

How many do clients usually interview (face to face) for a role?

[Jeebo72]

usually between 5 and 15 ... er ???? Depends on role, availability of suitable candidates, compnay, person hiring .............................

[Paddy]

Yesterday I went to a interview where the agent told me client is interviewing 5 candidates for the role.

He also said, another of his client interviewed 15 candidates for a role and still couldn't find a suitable one.

How many do clients usually interview (face to face) for a role?

The more candidates they have; the less serious they are about filling the role. I have seen this sort of thing so many times, the more candidates there are makes it less of a chance that anyone can agree who to have.

[mobi]

Usually face to face interview is always after an initial telephonic interview.

Doing that for 5-6 candidates is probably fine. But doing the same for 15 candidates - seems too many!

But again, it is downturn in economy....

[Pondlife]

The more candidates they have; the less serious they are about filling the role. I have seen this sort of thing so many times, the more candidates there are makes it less of a chance that anyone can agree who to have.

I would say it's a case of they don't know what they want rather than don't want to fill the role.

To the OP. How broad was the job spec?

[Not So Wise]

Try to keep it to less than 5. If you do a good job going though CV's and know what you want anything more than that is just time wasting

If i heard place was interviewing 15 would not even bother to turn up

[rootsnall]

I think it would often be 1 in the good times and in a suitable niche

As this is now more than one ( even for us ) there are some confused contractors out there when they get their first knock back in years.

[VectraMan]

My first ever contract interview I had to do a simple MFC app as a code test, the kind of thing that anybody with any actual MFC experience could do blindfold. Afterwards they told me I was the 10th person they had in and the first that could complete it.

I was amazed that such a small company (no HR numpties with nothing to do) would waste so much time interviewing unsuitable people for a 3 month contract.

[Support Monkey]

I think it would often be 1 in the good times and in a suitable niche

As this is now more than one ( even for us ) there are some confused contractors out there when they get their first knock back in years.

Spot on, back in the good old days, (a couple of years ago) it was rare to hear of anyone interviewing more than 3 people, probably now it a case of so many similar CVs hitting the agency for the same job they are just putting through as many as possible to pick and choose the right person.

Of course we are talking contracts here, for permanent position i have seen upwards of 15-30 people interviewed, tested, taken to lunch, interviewed some more, called back for the second interview (and then still not get the job).

[BolshieBastard]

I would say it's a case of they don't know what they want rather than don't want to fill the role.

To the OP. How broad was the job spec?

Spot on Id say. When they interview that many, you can just hear the dullard responsible saying 'I just cant put my finger on it but none of them are the right person' blah, blah, blah.