Reply to: Three interviews for one role - is this unusual?

[Antman]

Eee by gum you 'ad it easy. I'ad 18 interviews for one job, and most of 'em at the bottom of a lake, and for another I 'ad to cover my self in petrol and burn to death....

Death? you 'ad it easy then...

[BlasterBates]

Eee by gum you 'ad it easy. I'ad 18 interviews for one job, and most of 'em at the bottom of a lake, and for another I 'ad to cover my self in petrol and burn to death....

[psychocandy]

In my experience, the more interviews the worse the gig turns out to be. Best gigs have been on the basis of a quick phone interview.

You know its not going to work when they make you go for an interview, and some spotty permie geek is doing his best to catch you out with obscure technical questions about some obscure feature that only the use.

Recent gig wasn't a bad idea. They had a recruitment session of about 2 hours. Basically, 7-8 people around the table, they went through the company, the work, general stuff etc and then had a general chat. Seemed to work well saving them time I guess also.

Surprisingly, even in that environment one or two people said things that you thought oh dear thats not going to work. (and they didnt get the gig).

Its was a 6-7 week gig and one they said they didn't want anyone to have any days off in this time (seemed fair it was only short after all). One guy thought he'd argue about that and said it was unfair. WTF you aint got the gig yet!

[Scrag Meister]

BNP missed out due to their long interview process. a 3rd and final interview was being arranged when I got an offer from another client, and I had been out of work for 3 months and was my first contract.

So jumped at the offer and was there for 3 years.

[flipFlop]

I'm a newbie contractor and start my first gig next week. I had three separate interviews over two weeks (one face to face) totalling almost three hours with the client. Is this unusual? I was a bit surprised to need more than one interview based on experience from other contractors I know. I'm at upper-middle/senior manager level.

Interested to hear if anyone has had a similar experience...

I once had six in a row in the environs of Hammersmith but mercifully the client cancelled the last one because the putative interviewer "was in a meeting"; this was a five-hour job with no refreshment.

But interviews do not work. Look at poor Lord C12H22O11 and his laborious twelve-week assessments of his candidates over the years. One of his picks, Stella, just tried to sue him.

[Shimano105]

Eh? What planet is this happening on? Can't remember last time I ever needed more than 1 phone interview and then the offer usually is made the same day. My rates are still going up as well so not like I'm in some crappy area. Glad I'm not pigeon holed into just finance then!

[malvolio]

maybe your reputation precedes you

Maybe I have a damned good CV...

[MPwannadecentincome]

Hmmm...

My last four gigs - a total of 2 face-to-face meetings and two phone calls, and probably less than an hour's discussion for the lot. So clearly I operate at the opposite end of the bell curve!

maybe your reputation precedes you

[VectraMan]

I had a phone interview + 2 face to face interviews for a previous permie job, so about 6 hours in total, and TBH I was seriously losing patience and considering telling them to sod off - I'd have never got through 13. The third one was because they'd decided to offer me a different job so had to meet some different people, which I guess is fair, but they made me wait another 2 weeks for the guy to come back off holiday. And after all that, they then asked for references.

The contracts I had were all face to face only, and for not much more than an hour.

[malvolio]

Hmmm...

My last four gigs - a total of 2 face-to-face meetings and two phone calls, and probably less than an hour's discussion for the lot. So clearly I operate at the opposite end of the bell curve!

[MarillionFan]

I'm a newbie contractor and start my first gig next week. I had three separate interviews over two weeks (one face to face) totalling almost three hours with the client. Is this unusual? I was a bit surprised to need more than one interview based on experience from other contractors I know. I'm at upper-middle/senior manager level.

Interested to hear if anyone has had a similar experience...

Depends on the company. We put our candidates through

(1) Initial screening. 10 minute chat with recruiter
(2) Pre-business chat. 30 minutes with senior manager or sponsor
(3) Then if pass, bring them in for 4-6 30 minute meetings with the people you'll be working with.

We normally only move to 3 when we're 80% certain we're going to hire though.

[BrilloPad]

13 interviews?? That's unbelievable! What type of role/company was that for?

The most I would go through with is 4 which I have done before for a perm role.

13 was PIMCO. Most IT based in West coast of states but role based in London. So alot of interviews with people in New York and California. And LOndon users. And technical tests.

I passed all with flying colours(colors?). Then one interview with board member(not Bill Gross). He kept asking questions about my degree and early days in finance! Then failed me for not being forward thinking technologist! Agent reckons real reason was being a contractor - they don't understand that on the West Coast apparently.

[edison]

In finance its becoming the norm now. And most industries are becoming more red tape now.

And at the management level there is generally a longer decision making decision process.

Back in the late 80s it was only 1 interview for 30 minutes tops.

2 years ago I had 13 interviews for one role - some at 11pm at night! I failed at the final one which was annoying.

Last year I I had 7 interviews for a single role.

13 interviews?? That's unbelievable! What type of role/company was that for?

The most I would go through with is 4 which I have done before for a perm role.

[BrilloPad]

In finance its becoming the norm now. And most industries are becoming more red tape now.

And at the management level there is generally a longer decision making decision process.

Back in the late 80s it was only 1 interview for 30 minutes tops.

2 years ago I had 13 interviews for one role - some at 11pm at night! I failed at the final one which was annoying.

Last year I I had 7 interviews for a single role.

[Darksider]

I had 3 interviews of my last gig. All with separate people though - IT Techies, IT Boss and then head of HR. A bit uncommon maybe, but not unusual.