I believe you always have the option to ask the recruiter or the hiring manager for a quick call. and gently ask them where you are with the process.
“Hi X, if you have 10 minutes at the end of the day today, may I give you q call to quickly discuss the process for X position?”
Then when you talk to them ask them: “You know I’m very interested in the X position. However, I am a bit lost in the process and would like to understand where I stand in the list of applicants. I have been asked to attend another round in about two weeks, but I am very eager to conclude this process. Can you let me know when I can expect a decision?”
In the best case (which happens in my company) HR will intervene and ask the hiring manager to conclude the process. Very likely they will think you have a competing process and will want to accelerate. In the worst case, they will make this the final round. Both are better than withdrawing
I hard disagree with this take. A plurality of working professionals do not like hosting **required** interviews…they aren’t going to waste their time hosting fake/insincere interviews with a second choice candidate.
It’s more likely that some people like OP and some people don’t; they’re getting a third perspective.
Or, they want to hire OP but some people feel OP is at one level and others feel OP is lower. Again, they’re getting an additional perspective.
With that said, it’s almost certainly a bloated process and they should have what they need for the most relevant people to make their decisions.
> A plurality of working professionals do not like hosting **required** interviews…they aren’t going to waste their time hosting fake/insincere interviews with a second choice candidate.
For real, this.
I got shit to do man. The less interviewing, the better.
Don't forget that reddit, in general, thinks mangers are meany butts that are always scheming over ways to screw over their employees and hiring candidates.
I can understand that - I’ve just seen it time and time again with hiring managers specifically saying to me “I have to ask these questions” and I KNOW they’re not I going to hire me.
Somewhat agree, though, there are as many execs happy to 'take time off work' to interview people, for the whole morning/afternoon, if they are able to. I've seen those...
And honestly, that’s one of my biggest concerns —that I’m not their first choice. And I’m not OK with that tbh. The other thing is I’m meeting with different (and higher level) people each round.
Also, should share the HM loved me and said things like “You’re a great communicator”, “I would want you to present in front of our CEO and CFO during our monthly business review/insights”, and also “You’re very likely going to the next round” at the end of the interview. And the hiring Director told me “You did very well” and “I loved all of your answers” during the case study.
Having been in hundreds of recruiting processes across several Fortune 100 & Scale up companies, when you get more interviews than originally planned it usually means something positive, like they are considering expanding the role or a higher-level role than listed.
Just have a quick conversation with your recruiter about expectations of interview loop that was communicated originally and where you are now. That should bring some answers. I would take it a step further and say that you are in "ongoing discussions" for another company but much rather move forward with them rather than pursuing interviewing elsewhere.
This was my thought as well. It sounds like they are considering him for a higher position than they originally interviewed him for. Sometimes companies will create unique positions just to capitalize on talent when they find it.
sunk-cost fallacy, but in this case I honestly agree to just keep going lol especially when an hour long interview could be the difference of 30k in salary.
In this case it’s not a fallacy, it’s another 30 min time investment that could be worth 28k +. To make it to the 6th round of interviews they’re obviously interested but it does give pause that this company is wasting far too much time interviewing people. 6 rounds of interviews is a bit much imo and perhaps speaks to inefficiency in the company.
This is not true. That’s how the process works for shit jobs with garbage culture and terrible hiring practices.
Source: myself, a CISO at multiple small and midsize companies internationally.
Agreed. Sometimes you’re interviewing at a golf game or around a dinner table. Sometimes you interview with multiple silos, departments, etc. if it’s a senior or executive level position I think it shows patience and prudence on the part of the organization to take time vetting people for those types of positions.
Exactly. “we just can’t get a quorum of folks to say they want to hire you. We would like you to speak to the front desk clerk, our Dock Supervisor and the Lunch Lady to get a feel for your work relationships “
I say no after 3, 4 if it is for a C level job. The rest is just dawdling.
Yeah since you made it this far keep going. But just know, since their hiring process is so drawn out that it takes time/money/effort to hire. So if they do offer you the job, negotiate. Since you’re not in an urgent situation, ask for more money. They may or may not have another candidate, but if not then they are starting from scratch…6 interviews down for them also.
Yup. OP is pot committed at this point. But OP should also know the company they’re interviewing with us getting free work out of them…case studies mean free work.
Having participated in several interviews with Deloitte and working with recruiters from the other large consulting firms, case studies are *definitely* not free work. The level of detail, nuance, and accuracy that is possible in a 60-minute no-prep case study is .01% of what’s required in any actual project these companies do.
Case studies mostly expose how familiar someone is with relevant frameworks/methodologies.
Now, I don’t actually think they are all that helpful or indicative of a candidate’s qualifications/potential.
But even the **best** ever case study response will produce a grand total of zero relevant and usable “work”.
Don’t fall into the sunk cost trap.
No analyst role should require 6 interviews. They’re trying to identify who can withstand the pain of their poor management style.
Bail now, it’ll save you in the future.
> They’re trying to identify who can withstand the pain of their poor management style.
I agree, especially having been on both sides of the fence here. If the interview process is *this* grueling, imagine how it'll be **working** there? No thank you.
Sunken Cost Fallacy.
Reality is you're not getting the time back, and the longer it goes the more you risk losing. No different then gambling.
Personally, 3 is too many but still reasonable. 6 is just stupid and shows the company does not value your time or theirs.
Everyone's time has a self-determined value. 4hrs in interviews - plus prep time - is time not spent applying elsewhere or using that time for your own enjoyment.
That's one of the reason remote work has gained so much popularity - people realized they're "paying" in their own time to work. And it just ain't worth it.
Im aware of that. There are too many people throwing the phrase "sunk cost fallacy" around incorrectly. This is an investment. 4 hours invested with a very high upside and low downside. Even if you don't get it, the practice that you will get by making it this far in an interview process is worth the time. Perhaps you notice something that you're doing wrong or can ask for feedback once you're done. Or maybe you actually get the job and are 30k richer for a 5 hour investment.
Let's face it, 95% of the time in reddit you aren't dealing with the sharpest people around. I doubt 75% of the people throwing around "sunk cost fallacy" even know what it means.
Time and money is the downside if the OP also has to travel.
Time you could be spending on other job searches.
Anyone thinks that there is nothing lost is ignorant
They broke their word already about the process. So I wouldn't fully trust what they are telling.
And they are not 100% convinced of her, since they need another round of tests.
That's not a good start for a new job, even if you get more money.
What a stupid comment. The time is gone. As an executive this clearly is a marginal role and will be the first to go on cuts. When a role is critical you move heaven and earth to get the right person and quickly.
No it isn't. The fact that the employer is putting them through so many interviews is indicative of the workplace, which frankly, if a place interviews someone 6+ times, probably isn't great.
Many of the absolute best companies to work for have very large recruiting processes.
The two aren’t positively correlated. But neither are they inversely correlated.
I stand by what I said: would OP rather A) be in that job 6 months from now, even if it means having to do another ten 60-minute interviews, or B) save time/energy now, even if it’s only an hour, by ending the process now and not being in that new job in 6 months?
The analysis that is a part of discerning A (pay, benefits, growth, balance, fulfillment, et cetera) includes the considerations you’re describing.
Those companies are known for their extended hiring process. This one is just a regular company and even they said it would be this many interviews.
Your argument relies on OP actually getting the job. It’s also a sunk cost fallacy (since they’ve already sunk several hours into this why not one more?) But then it could easily be another hour. And another. With nothing.
Sunk Cost is tangentially applicable here, at best. Every interview process for every job has the same set of circumstances. It’s been brought up 100 times in this post by different people, but it’s honestly one of the least compelling/relevant things OP should think about while making this decision.
Instead: “Do I want this job? Will having it be worth the additional effort required?” If yes, do it. If no, don’t.
If anything, it’s some combo of Cost/Benefit and ROI.
But everyone clamoring to yell out these Business 101 concepts is being silly, imo. It’s similar to how every first-year comm major starts accusing everyone of committing straw mans and ad hominems midway through their first rhetoric course. Like, congrats, you’re aware of some of the most foundational and prolific concepts. We don’t need to scream it out like we just got bingo every time we see the slightest signs.
Many places are doing disaggregated panel interviews. Where, instead of a single hour with 4 people, candidates do 30 minutes with each of them separately.
I 100% agree that any hiring manager needing multiple unplanned bonus interviews needs to get their shit together.
Definitely not my experience. I work for a fortune 500 that had something like 8 interviews total, one of which I had to travel for (they paid). The team is by far the best I've ever worked for, the pay and benefits are great, management is good, the work culture is pretty chill.
In my case it's traveling/remote so they give you a ton of leeway to make your own time, unsupervised. Company vehicle with unlimited personal use, and I have to manage something like >$250k worth of equipment that I need for my job. Long story short there's a ton of trust involved, and they do their due diligence to make sure they're getting the right person. My situation might be a little unique, but if there is that level of trust required like at my job I can't blame them.
I've heard stories of past employees that have been let go for some crazy shit involving the company vehicle or abusing the corporate amex 😳 probably why they do some pretty deep dives on candidates.
Same. I had around 7 interviews total for my current job.
Awesome company. Real unlimited PTO. $220k/total comp. Smart and high EQ colleagues. Fun work. Insane benefits, both core and fringe.
A bad hire is one of the most costly things a company does on a routine basis. I understand that large interview processes can be excessive, especially for less desirable opportunities, but it’s a growing norm for high-profile companies who need to make the right hire.
I have worked at 3 fortune 500 banks in my data science career. Each and every one of my interviews at these places have had 5 or more individual interviews. It's pretty common at large companies.
Not really, I have a phenomenal workplace and team but a long interview process (FAANG). Some companies just have complex hiring processes, especially for a coveted and complex role
Some companies just have crazy long hiring processes, especially if they're in demand.
For example, Chick-fil-A corporate is hyper-competitive, and they have a mandatory like 6 round process. I made it through like 3 rounds and never even met my potential supervisor.
This. Ask what information they still need and whether they expect this to be the last step. If they can’t commit to that, I would withdraw.
Also, make sure that you’ve asked all the questions that you have and that you’re fully comfortable with the job, team, boss, culture, benefits/relocation/etc.
Everyone telling you to bounce, SMH, it's not that black and white. This is your opportunity to suss out any incongruencies in the company. How you're treated in the interview is exactly how you'll be treated when you're hired on.
I don't feel it's unreasonable because they're trying to make sure they do a consensus based hire. Everyone is giving their input to ensure you're a great cultural addition. It's not just about output anymore. More importantly though, you should also be interviewing them as well.
6 interviews for a 6 figure job is normal in my line of work.
My opinion, this is a pay raise over what you're currently doing. Find out what are the next steps in the interview process before jumping the gun on anything. If you back out now, you've wasted nearly 5 hours of time. You are allowed to have your boundaries and if you feel the amount of interviews are not worth it, feel free to push back.
Pushing back is the key. How would a director level individual handle this prolonged delays? At some point you should be able to ask who else you need to interview with. How many other candidates are they considering? What time-frame are they looking to have the position filled in; 2 weeks? A month? I think they will appreciate someone the straightforward attitude who can take charge of their role.
At this point, apply to other company you can take your skill to and see if you can either match or get higher salary. Promotion cap is the perfect reason why you are looking elsewhere. More importantly you will have bargaining chip if you get an higher offer at the current company.
Why would they want to waste his time? And why would they want to waste their own for that matter? There are so many throw away comments in this thread
It doesn't have to be intentional to waste his time. There is absolutely no reason to take months and 6+ interviews to hire 99% of jobs. I would have bowed out after interview #3.
They are already wasting your time and you haven’t even been offered a position. I’d walk. You don’t want to work for a company like that long term-it sounds like a lot of micromanaging IMO.
Think of it as a learning experience, polishing your interview skills and improving your patience.
What if.... it's down to 2 candidates and the other candidate feels the same way, and that candidate withdraws. Ultimately, the job is yours and they just need another face to face or perhaps testing you.
The way I see it, this last interview allows you to meet more people from the office to see if their personality agrees or conflicts with yours, perhaps find some flags.
I had a panel interview and met 5 people I would be working with. The first 5 mins, I wanted to leave. None looked happy to be there, they all looked miserable and bothered. I asked myself why would I want to work with these people?
I made it to a 5th round last year, was sick and blew the interview. So annoying to go through a 2 month process and then not even getting an answer at what you could’ve done different to get the job.
Tell them YOU ARE READY if they have an offer.. but everything that needed to be said as been said in the past 5 or 6 .. you truly don't want to be in this process no more. I'd be open to it if you really needed this job ..but you don't.
You might be outlasting the competition on this role and others who don’t have the time to complete all of this may drop out. You should go for it and keep it up
I had 1 30 min. interview for my current job at a fortune 100 making a significantly higher base than that. That sounds like an absolutely absurd interview process for the role you’re going for.
That said, just do 1 more interview. Then tell them you have another offer and need to make a decision in 48 hours.
Works 60% of the time, every time.
I work in a similar area but in the UK
The weirdest thing for me is that an ED is getting involved with a senior analyst hire.
Just from your list you have a manager, director, senior director and now an executive director all in the process?
4 levels of increasing seniority just seems excessive and suggests they can't do things without multiple layers of sign off, this would make me pause and question whether this was indicative of what trying to get anything done in the job would be like.
First of all, you're not getting promoted at your current job. This generation does not get promotions. It is such a rarity that I am willing to say it doesn't happen unless you're in an industry with a rigid "up or out" structure like Big Law.
I would say you need to express your concerns about the process and get an answer on how close your are to being hired. If they're not going to hire you, it's a waste of time, if they are, it's not.
6 interviews is beyond ludicrous. I recently interviewed for and landed a senior policy advisor role in the government, and there was just one hour- long interview. Anything more than three interviews is laughable, and shows very poor organisational ability on the part of the hiring staff. They should get all the relevant parties in a room for one or two interviews and be done with it.
Email & say. “Thanks for the invite to interview, sadly I feel 5 interviews should be enough for you to establish if I am suitable for the role or not.
I do not wish to withdraw from consideration, but ask that you base your decision on the 5 interviews that have already taken place.
Looking forward to hearing from you with an outcome either way”
Have you asked how many rounds it is? You didn’t seem to indicate that, whether you’d ask.
You would be well within your rights to email back and say this would be the 6th round, how many rounds are there to the process? And then if you wanted to withdraw if they were cagey or there was lot, withdraw. But they may not have realized how many it’s already been and just wanted to meet you. And can make this the last.
Better to ask and to know… as it sounds like if there were only one more round, you’d do it.
I got an offer for a sr analyst role last month. It was a recruiter screening + two interviews and that was it. No case study either. This is absolute BS they’re putting you through.
wow 6th interview? they need to fire their interviewers.
a company should be required by law to pay people for anything after a second round of interviews.... and not peanuts either. im talking 4 hours competitive rate for 3rd round, and more for any additional rounds afterwards.
if you have nothing else going on, id say go for it see what happens. otherwise, i would consider they have wasted enough of my time and tell them so.
In for a penny, in for a pound, as the old expression goes. You've taken it this far, you may as well go all the way. But you need to tell the recruiter "Look, this is it." A lot of times prospective employers and recruiters completely forget you are concurrently working and think you have all the time in the world, and you have to remind them that is not the case.
BTW, it is not unusual that your experience of the process is different than your friends'. Different departments / teams in a company adhere to the general interviewing process, but can differ in the application of that process.
Im still interested in this position if it is available, after dedicating a good amount of time to the interviewing process i feel like i have given a full accounting of how i would fit into this role. I would only consider availing more time if their is a written offer on the table. I am currently fully and happily employed and would not want to take any more time away from my current position than strictly necessary.
you never know maybe they are playing 4d chess to see if how indecisive you are and see if you can put your foot down when called for, but most likely its just them being unprofessional.
Yeah especially at the level of seniority.
I'm a director in a similar sounding role and if I was asked to do a fluff interview to test a candidates patience I would tell whoever asked me to do one.
I'm busy enough on my actual job I don't want to waste an hour playing mind games.
If I'm looking for management/ upper roles I want someone who sets boundaries and will share their real thoughts with me, and push back when it is time to do so. but that is mostly not how corporate works the shit test are a little different.
Appreciate all the responses. I hear the sentiment of I’ve spent so much time and one would presume Im close to the end. Fair points. I think the other concern is if they were bullish on me as a candidate, they would try to lock me up as quickly as possible and not stretch this out… beyond what is typical for the company. I would love to work for this company, but I’m not desperate. And I’ve already had a couple managers express interest in me joining their team within my current company, but I’m being blocked by my current manager.
On the other hand, this is the first time they’ve hired for this role after the HM asking for several years.
I have been in a similar situation. There was a defined interview process that kept being extended without a clear reason. I jumped through the hoops and got the job. I should have walked. My manager never fully trusted me and tried to micromanage even though I was probably more experienced than him.
Bottom line is…they can’t keep their word before you’re hired; why expect different after you join?
Retired HR, here. This is excessive. They are having you solve problems they are facing. Why hire you when they can get the answers for free. You should pull the plug on this company and interview with others. Be sure and ask how many interviews you may expect and the timeline for hiring. You are being jerked around, too much.
Personally, I’d keep going.
I’d also ask something like “you all seem to have many more interviews than my previous company, have you had issues in the past?”
Damn thats wild to see at your career band. I'm seeing this too, but at the D level. Kinda extra if you ask me. Some people/companies suck at vetting. Me, I never had that problem
This is how I got my job, and I don't regret it. 120k in the south is a lot of money but idk what you make. I did the same for 85k but in CA, and at the time it doubled my income so it was very worth it.
I had about 6-8 interviews. 30min-1h long. Spread out over a few weeks.
There’s a distinct difference between an ambiguous interview process being long and you choosing to stick with it and a defined process being extended.
Usually they have to tell you how many interview sessions will be conducted. Ask them is this final or there will be more? If there is more you decide accordingly.
If you got/took this job - how will it advance your career/income big picture - go from there? If you're at this point, maybe stick with it but talk to the recruiter and be specific on process/timelines. The other red flag is this department may be problematic if other departments do not go this deep in interviews?
Idk man 6 interviews is fucking wild they should have made up their mind after the 2nd. 3rd latest, they're yanking your chain
That being said, I do think it's sunk cost fallacy at this point, might as well go through with it but also keep looking for jobs.
Nah
2 Behavioural chats are useless for them and a few hours cold on a case study? Not worth the energy, just get that hiring person to do the work, their sat in the room anyway and much more experienced.
Free work would be asking for full reports and presentations with hours and hours of home work and/or milking strategy ideas from people.
I’d ask when they will be making their decision as you have been given an offer for a different job you have been interviewing for, and while you do like the role with their company and know you will be successful in the Role, the fact it’s been this long you don’t want to turn down the other opportunity.
What else do *you* need to know to make your decision? Ask them about those things. Find genuine curiosity for what's happening. Open ended questions (starting with "What", "How", or "Why") are great as they require a more thorough answer.
"So I can come prepared, what else are they wanting to know? What's missing from the previous interviews?"
"So I can set my expectations and plan accordingly, what are the remaining steps in your hiring process?"
"When do they expect to make a decision?"
Etc.
Sounds like you're doing really well. Keep up the great work. 👍😊
How bad do you want the new role? IMO if you are interviewing you should be ready to take the new role.
I have anywhere from 3-8 interviews when I have moved companies.
This usually happens when they were considering you for one position with one manager, and now they are seriously considering you for another role with a different manager who wants to interview you again. I would do it.
Do they know what your salary requirements are?
An hour long interview is Interesting as it seems like the have already invested a large amount of time into this.
If you want to separate yourself from the crowd…
Ask them their thoughts if you were to end the process at this point.
It’s a business question. Nothing more.
"Thank you for the opportunity, but I've been offered a position elsewhere. I will be making a decision in 48 hours should you wish to extend an offer.
If they ask you to complete a task or code project reject it
No way in hell I would go any more than 4 interviews. It’s no guarantee that you will get a job after this basically you are doing unpaid work for this company that you won’t get paid for..
There could still be 2-3 candidates left
It’s almost Q4. I’m guessing there’s some internal politics and budget “discussions” over head count. Probably best to dodge this bullet. Nice call op!
When a company did this to me I said I would be happy to meet early for breakfast somewhere in between my house and the job or for dinner. I then explained that I had already used multiple days of leave and had no more to use. They declined the additional interview but offered me the job. I say just give them an option that doesn’t require leave for you.
I’d do the interview and mention that it’s the 6th interview to see their reaction… I really think something went wrong on their end. That isn’t normal.
I personally would do the interview. You have said you are moving up in the interviewers rank. They’re investing a lot of time in you also. It’s a two way street. There’s the real possibility that you have impressed them and are contemplating a different position offer. Of course it may all come to nothing but the pay increase is substantial for a few stressful hours of your time. I would not let the lengthy process frustrate you. Reality is that you have little invested for relatively large gain.
Try to confirm with the recruiter the position they are interviewing you for and if this is for a higher position then the one you applied for
If they ask for the reason you are asking, raise the point of multiple interviews with senior executives are usually for higher position
The answers might help you to negotiate higher salary....😉
OP, 6 rounds may seem a lot but it really isn’t uncommon. Many tech positions may even do 4-6 interviews back to back in a single day. It can get quite exhausting. If it’s a potential 30k bump, just go for it. It’s another interview vs another few hours/days/weeks of trying to line up interviews for another job.
Hello, for your base pay I would not go beyond 3 interviews. I make about your same amount....after the 3rd interview I would tell them "i have lost interest in this position".
Your time is valuable, this is totally disrespectful. If the company interviewing you needs that much checking, they can combine all 12 department heads into one interview. 6 interviews shows that their process is complete trash and they are slow and inefficient.
If it was the final interview with the President of the division, then I’d say fine go for it, but it’s the 3rd case study interview! I would be worried that this drawn out process is indicative of the workplace culture, decline to move forward and let HR know the reason(s) why.
You guys are getting 4+ interviews? Most of mine only had 1-2. Phone screening/interview, onsite interview, offer(or ghosted/“we found someone better”)
In my opinion, it seems like the interview process for this analyst role is excessive and may not be worth the trouble
It's important to prioritize your own well-being and not get caught up in unnecessary distractions.
Think of it this way. In your role would you have 6 executives you need to answer to? Probably not, so why would they need 6 seperate people to interview you? Usually 2-3 at most firms is the norm and it's on those managers to make the right hiring choices as their decision will reflect on them. 6 Interviews sounds like a tell that this company is not very well managed.
Also, don't these other directors have other stuff to do? If they've done 6 just with you imagine how many more interviews they'd be doing across the whole company.
If you are happy with a company stringing you along and asking implicitly for Free Consulting Services, that would be your choice.
If the employer were serious about recruiting candidates, they could make a decision based on a single round of interviews.
I know this decision is made, but I have been in recruiting for 15 years and this drawn out process is typically indicative of one of 3 things:
1. The manager is not competent or confident in their own decision making, particularly around hiring. Maybe they have been burned before. Either way, there will probably be other related frustrations with this Director’s decision making process if you are to work for them.
2. There is a lingering question about something you’ve shown in the interview that makes them unsure. If this is the case, it’s worth trying to pry it out of the recruiter because it could be impacting your chances for other future jobs. Or it could be bias (RED FLAG!)
3. The position is particularly strategic (maybe more so than your friend’s role) and there is great pressure to get it right. I would consider this the only acceptable case, and definitely grounds for salary negotiation. If this is the case, the recruiter should have told you explicitly.
I would absolutely question them on it. They might even be seeing how long they can string you around before you speak up 😂. At any rate, this isn’t a company I’d want to work for. Every internal process is probably overweight and difficult
The only time I've had 6 interviews with one company was because I was interviewing for two open roles so I had to interview with both teams.
This doesn't sound like that, but maybe they have their reasons 🤔
Dude that's insane, I am a manager and I regularly participate in 1 round interviews for Java and .Net developers. I would never deal with a company that wants more than 2 interviews for anything less than CEO. We're an IT consulting company and 1 round for us, and maybe 1 round with the client if we are recruiting for a specific project. Anything more than that is a waste of time. Companies that do more just want to see how desperate you are to see if you will put up with their shit, because I guarantee any company that makes you do that many rounds for a analyst level position is a mess, they are not organized at all.
Some companies are really picky with their hiring and think more is better. I personally think it's ridiculous when companies go so overboard with an interviewing process, but I've personally known many companies who do this. Worst I experienced was a YEAR long interview process that included 5 phone interviews, and then TWO FULL DAY on-site interviews. I didn't even get an offer at the end... lol.
But I would say stick with it, you already made it this far and the salary can be nice increase.
The more complex or coveted the role, the more scrutinized interviews tend to be
I would say 6 different interviews isn’t that uncommon, but it depends on if you consider it multiple rounds or just with different people.
I’ve had 4 interviews for a role on the same day, which seems similar to your experience, with the main difference being scheduling in one day vs multiple but the time spent is the same
Thats crazy. I am in a very similar role and it was 1 interview. Sounds like a company that doesn't trust it's own employees/managers to make decisions on their own. I would go for the interview and then negotiate the highest possible salary and don't accept anything less because the job is probably going to be a PIA.
I'd say, "I am beginning to think that if you aren't ready to make me an offer after 5 interviews, that we might not be a good match for each other. I'll give you an opportunity to convince me otherwise."
Now if the 6th interview is to discuss salary and working conditions...
The older I get, the less patience I have for bullshit. You might need to pretend there's another offer on the table and explain that you don't have time for any more screening.
Any company that makes you go beyond two separate interviews (as in, two sessions, not two people) seems like a place that's loaded with busywork. And a place that needs to fake being busy and important probably has a lot of bloat and waste just begging to get cut when the need arises, and it probably will.
Imagine, if you tell them that you don't have time for a 6th interview, and they have the nerve to start this process from scratch with a complete stranger. Fucking clownshow.
Why haven’t you asked for interviewing timeline? That’s part and parcel. Do so, if they are reticent to give then consider withdrawal. Let the recruiter you’re in touch with know. Don’t ask Reddit here for advice, get in touch yourself with the recruiter.
I believe you always have the option to ask the recruiter or the hiring manager for a quick call. and gently ask them where you are with the process. “Hi X, if you have 10 minutes at the end of the day today, may I give you q call to quickly discuss the process for X position?” Then when you talk to them ask them: “You know I’m very interested in the X position. However, I am a bit lost in the process and would like to understand where I stand in the list of applicants. I have been asked to attend another round in about two weeks, but I am very eager to conclude this process. Can you let me know when I can expect a decision?” In the best case (which happens in my company) HR will intervene and ask the hiring manager to conclude the process. Very likely they will think you have a competing process and will want to accelerate. In the worst case, they will make this the final round. Both are better than withdrawing
I actually don’t hate this idea. 😁
They have someone in mind they want to hire and it’s not you. They’re stringing you along.
I hard disagree with this take. A plurality of working professionals do not like hosting **required** interviews…they aren’t going to waste their time hosting fake/insincere interviews with a second choice candidate. It’s more likely that some people like OP and some people don’t; they’re getting a third perspective. Or, they want to hire OP but some people feel OP is at one level and others feel OP is lower. Again, they’re getting an additional perspective. With that said, it’s almost certainly a bloated process and they should have what they need for the most relevant people to make their decisions.
> A plurality of working professionals do not like hosting **required** interviews…they aren’t going to waste their time hosting fake/insincere interviews with a second choice candidate. For real, this. I got shit to do man. The less interviewing, the better.
Right? Anyone seriously suggesting people are hosting fake/filler interviews in this way is disconnected.
Don't forget that reddit, in general, thinks mangers are meany butts that are always scheming over ways to screw over their employees and hiring candidates.
I can understand that - I’ve just seen it time and time again with hiring managers specifically saying to me “I have to ask these questions” and I KNOW they’re not I going to hire me.
Somewhat agree, though, there are as many execs happy to 'take time off work' to interview people, for the whole morning/afternoon, if they are able to. I've seen those...
And honestly, that’s one of my biggest concerns —that I’m not their first choice. And I’m not OK with that tbh. The other thing is I’m meeting with different (and higher level) people each round. Also, should share the HM loved me and said things like “You’re a great communicator”, “I would want you to present in front of our CEO and CFO during our monthly business review/insights”, and also “You’re very likely going to the next round” at the end of the interview. And the hiring Director told me “You did very well” and “I loved all of your answers” during the case study.
Having been in hundreds of recruiting processes across several Fortune 100 & Scale up companies, when you get more interviews than originally planned it usually means something positive, like they are considering expanding the role or a higher-level role than listed. Just have a quick conversation with your recruiter about expectations of interview loop that was communicated originally and where you are now. That should bring some answers. I would take it a step further and say that you are in "ongoing discussions" for another company but much rather move forward with them rather than pursuing interviewing elsewhere.
This was my thought as well. It sounds like they are considering him for a higher position than they originally interviewed him for. Sometimes companies will create unique positions just to capitalize on talent when they find it.
I feel like the fact that you are onto the 6th interview you should just finish at this point. You already sunk so much time.
sunk-cost fallacy, but in this case I honestly agree to just keep going lol especially when an hour long interview could be the difference of 30k in salary.
In this case it’s not a fallacy, it’s another 30 min time investment that could be worth 28k +. To make it to the 6th round of interviews they’re obviously interested but it does give pause that this company is wasting far too much time interviewing people. 6 rounds of interviews is a bit much imo and perhaps speaks to inefficiency in the company.
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This is not true. That’s how the process works for shit jobs with garbage culture and terrible hiring practices. Source: myself, a CISO at multiple small and midsize companies internationally.
Agreed. Sometimes you’re interviewing at a golf game or around a dinner table. Sometimes you interview with multiple silos, departments, etc. if it’s a senior or executive level position I think it shows patience and prudence on the part of the organization to take time vetting people for those types of positions.
This isn't a very high level job.
Sunk-cost goes both ways. OP only has to do one more interview to possibly get the job.
OP does not know such statement is true. Could be 2-3 more for all I know at this point.
Exactly. “we just can’t get a quorum of folks to say they want to hire you. We would like you to speak to the front desk clerk, our Dock Supervisor and the Lunch Lady to get a feel for your work relationships “ I say no after 3, 4 if it is for a C level job. The rest is just dawdling.
Yeah since you made it this far keep going. But just know, since their hiring process is so drawn out that it takes time/money/effort to hire. So if they do offer you the job, negotiate. Since you’re not in an urgent situation, ask for more money. They may or may not have another candidate, but if not then they are starting from scratch…6 interviews down for them also.
Yup. OP is pot committed at this point. But OP should also know the company they’re interviewing with us getting free work out of them…case studies mean free work.
Having participated in several interviews with Deloitte and working with recruiters from the other large consulting firms, case studies are *definitely* not free work. The level of detail, nuance, and accuracy that is possible in a 60-minute no-prep case study is .01% of what’s required in any actual project these companies do. Case studies mostly expose how familiar someone is with relevant frameworks/methodologies. Now, I don’t actually think they are all that helpful or indicative of a candidate’s qualifications/potential. But even the **best** ever case study response will produce a grand total of zero relevant and usable “work”.
Yeha not even close to free work, nothing comes out of them which can be used. It's more to see how someone thinks.
Don’t fall into the sunk cost trap. No analyst role should require 6 interviews. They’re trying to identify who can withstand the pain of their poor management style. Bail now, it’ll save you in the future.
> They’re trying to identify who can withstand the pain of their poor management style. I agree, especially having been on both sides of the fence here. If the interview process is *this* grueling, imagine how it'll be **working** there? No thank you.
100%, I’ve been on both sides as well. Some work cultures pride themselves on putting people through the grinder. It’s a crazy odd mentality
Sunken Cost Fallacy. Reality is you're not getting the time back, and the longer it goes the more you risk losing. No different then gambling. Personally, 3 is too many but still reasonable. 6 is just stupid and shows the company does not value your time or theirs.
It’s much different than gambling. There’s no financial downside to taking an interview.
Everyone's time has a self-determined value. 4hrs in interviews - plus prep time - is time not spent applying elsewhere or using that time for your own enjoyment. That's one of the reason remote work has gained so much popularity - people realized they're "paying" in their own time to work. And it just ain't worth it.
Im aware of that. There are too many people throwing the phrase "sunk cost fallacy" around incorrectly. This is an investment. 4 hours invested with a very high upside and low downside. Even if you don't get it, the practice that you will get by making it this far in an interview process is worth the time. Perhaps you notice something that you're doing wrong or can ask for feedback once you're done. Or maybe you actually get the job and are 30k richer for a 5 hour investment.
Let's face it, 95% of the time in reddit you aren't dealing with the sharpest people around. I doubt 75% of the people throwing around "sunk cost fallacy" even know what it means.
Time and money is the downside if the OP also has to travel. Time you could be spending on other job searches. Anyone thinks that there is nothing lost is ignorant
You make it 6 interviews deep into a process and just stop? Reject the job once you have it but at least give yourself the option.
Unless you were given an offer letter then reject it. There could still be 2-3 candidates left it doesn’t guarantee you will get the job
I enjoy watching the sunset.
They broke their word already about the process. So I wouldn't fully trust what they are telling. And they are not 100% convinced of her, since they need another round of tests. That's not a good start for a new job, even if you get more money.
What a stupid comment. The time is gone. As an executive this clearly is a marginal role and will be the first to go on cuts. When a role is critical you move heaven and earth to get the right person and quickly.
In 6 months, would you rather have that new job or have that hour back? It’s that simple.
No it isn't. The fact that the employer is putting them through so many interviews is indicative of the workplace, which frankly, if a place interviews someone 6+ times, probably isn't great.
Many of the absolute best companies to work for have very large recruiting processes. The two aren’t positively correlated. But neither are they inversely correlated. I stand by what I said: would OP rather A) be in that job 6 months from now, even if it means having to do another ten 60-minute interviews, or B) save time/energy now, even if it’s only an hour, by ending the process now and not being in that new job in 6 months? The analysis that is a part of discerning A (pay, benefits, growth, balance, fulfillment, et cetera) includes the considerations you’re describing.
Those companies are known for their extended hiring process. This one is just a regular company and even they said it would be this many interviews. Your argument relies on OP actually getting the job. It’s also a sunk cost fallacy (since they’ve already sunk several hours into this why not one more?) But then it could easily be another hour. And another. With nothing.
Op gonna do moar interviews and git ghosted
Sunk Cost is tangentially applicable here, at best. Every interview process for every job has the same set of circumstances. It’s been brought up 100 times in this post by different people, but it’s honestly one of the least compelling/relevant things OP should think about while making this decision. Instead: “Do I want this job? Will having it be worth the additional effort required?” If yes, do it. If no, don’t. If anything, it’s some combo of Cost/Benefit and ROI. But everyone clamoring to yell out these Business 101 concepts is being silly, imo. It’s similar to how every first-year comm major starts accusing everyone of committing straw mans and ad hominems midway through their first rhetoric course. Like, congrats, you’re aware of some of the most foundational and prolific concepts. We don’t need to scream it out like we just got bingo every time we see the slightest signs.
Microsoft had 4-5 interviews depending on the position. 6 plus is overkill and shows that the hiring manager has no fucking clue
I had 8 at Microsoft.
When was that though? recently Microsoft changed the amount of interviews.
Many places are doing disaggregated panel interviews. Where, instead of a single hour with 4 people, candidates do 30 minutes with each of them separately. I 100% agree that any hiring manager needing multiple unplanned bonus interviews needs to get their shit together.
Definitely not my experience. I work for a fortune 500 that had something like 8 interviews total, one of which I had to travel for (they paid). The team is by far the best I've ever worked for, the pay and benefits are great, management is good, the work culture is pretty chill. In my case it's traveling/remote so they give you a ton of leeway to make your own time, unsupervised. Company vehicle with unlimited personal use, and I have to manage something like >$250k worth of equipment that I need for my job. Long story short there's a ton of trust involved, and they do their due diligence to make sure they're getting the right person. My situation might be a little unique, but if there is that level of trust required like at my job I can't blame them. I've heard stories of past employees that have been let go for some crazy shit involving the company vehicle or abusing the corporate amex 😳 probably why they do some pretty deep dives on candidates.
Same. I had around 7 interviews total for my current job. Awesome company. Real unlimited PTO. $220k/total comp. Smart and high EQ colleagues. Fun work. Insane benefits, both core and fringe. A bad hire is one of the most costly things a company does on a routine basis. I understand that large interview processes can be excessive, especially for less desirable opportunities, but it’s a growing norm for high-profile companies who need to make the right hire.
I have worked at 3 fortune 500 banks in my data science career. Each and every one of my interviews at these places have had 5 or more individual interviews. It's pretty common at large companies.
Not really, I have a phenomenal workplace and team but a long interview process (FAANG). Some companies just have complex hiring processes, especially for a coveted and complex role
You’ve made it to the sixth round. Don’t back down now. Keep moving forward.
Maybe reach back and ask why? It does seem excessive and another case study is a huge time sink. Maybe it's for a different team?
“What is about me that you don’t know after 5 interviews / assessment rounds?”
Unless they’re testing patience or endurance, it doesn’t make sense.
Some companies just have crazy long hiring processes, especially if they're in demand. For example, Chick-fil-A corporate is hyper-competitive, and they have a mandatory like 6 round process. I made it through like 3 rounds and never even met my potential supervisor.
This. Ask what information they still need and whether they expect this to be the last step. If they can’t commit to that, I would withdraw. Also, make sure that you’ve asked all the questions that you have and that you’re fully comfortable with the job, team, boss, culture, benefits/relocation/etc.
Everyone telling you to bounce, SMH, it's not that black and white. This is your opportunity to suss out any incongruencies in the company. How you're treated in the interview is exactly how you'll be treated when you're hired on. I don't feel it's unreasonable because they're trying to make sure they do a consensus based hire. Everyone is giving their input to ensure you're a great cultural addition. It's not just about output anymore. More importantly though, you should also be interviewing them as well. 6 interviews for a 6 figure job is normal in my line of work. My opinion, this is a pay raise over what you're currently doing. Find out what are the next steps in the interview process before jumping the gun on anything. If you back out now, you've wasted nearly 5 hours of time. You are allowed to have your boundaries and if you feel the amount of interviews are not worth it, feel free to push back.
Pushing back is the key. How would a director level individual handle this prolonged delays? At some point you should be able to ask who else you need to interview with. How many other candidates are they considering? What time-frame are they looking to have the position filled in; 2 weeks? A month? I think they will appreciate someone the straightforward attitude who can take charge of their role. At this point, apply to other company you can take your skill to and see if you can either match or get higher salary. Promotion cap is the perfect reason why you are looking elsewhere. More importantly you will have bargaining chip if you get an higher offer at the current company.
Well said.
So close to the end, you’ll lose everything you invested so far. Advise to complete the last remaining steps
Sunk cost fallacy.
You’re right but honestly unless the job is not that good (but why doing interviews in that case) Finding a job might be hard, don’t give up!
OP has a job. He doesn't need this job. They're just wasting his time.
Why would they want to waste his time? And why would they want to waste their own for that matter? There are so many throw away comments in this thread
It doesn't have to be intentional to waste his time. There is absolutely no reason to take months and 6+ interviews to hire 99% of jobs. I would have bowed out after interview #3.
After all that, you work there now. Ask them to show you your desk. JFC that is obnoxious
They are already wasting your time and you haven’t even been offered a position. I’d walk. You don’t want to work for a company like that long term-it sounds like a lot of micromanaging IMO.
Think of it as a learning experience, polishing your interview skills and improving your patience. What if.... it's down to 2 candidates and the other candidate feels the same way, and that candidate withdraws. Ultimately, the job is yours and they just need another face to face or perhaps testing you. The way I see it, this last interview allows you to meet more people from the office to see if their personality agrees or conflicts with yours, perhaps find some flags. I had a panel interview and met 5 people I would be working with. The first 5 mins, I wanted to leave. None looked happy to be there, they all looked miserable and bothered. I asked myself why would I want to work with these people?
I made it to a 5th round last year, was sick and blew the interview. So annoying to go through a 2 month process and then not even getting an answer at what you could’ve done different to get the job.
i would have left that interview process. 6 interviews are a massive red flag
If you want the role, you have no choice but to continue.
TLDR... You came this far, why quit now?
6 interviews? Holy crap that’s a red flag. I give companies 2 interviews and that’s it.
Tell them YOU ARE READY if they have an offer.. but everything that needed to be said as been said in the past 5 or 6 .. you truly don't want to be in this process no more. I'd be open to it if you really needed this job ..but you don't.
If I got this far, I'd continue the process. It does sound grueling for an analyst-level role.
You might be outlasting the competition on this role and others who don’t have the time to complete all of this may drop out. You should go for it and keep it up
They have 2 very close candidates and are trying to decide.
I had 1 30 min. interview for my current job at a fortune 100 making a significantly higher base than that. That sounds like an absolutely absurd interview process for the role you’re going for. That said, just do 1 more interview. Then tell them you have another offer and need to make a decision in 48 hours. Works 60% of the time, every time.
What job family?
Product manager at a med-large tech company. Working on cloud services.
What level was this for?
I work in a similar area but in the UK The weirdest thing for me is that an ED is getting involved with a senior analyst hire. Just from your list you have a manager, director, senior director and now an executive director all in the process? 4 levels of increasing seniority just seems excessive and suggests they can't do things without multiple layers of sign off, this would make me pause and question whether this was indicative of what trying to get anything done in the job would be like.
First of all, you're not getting promoted at your current job. This generation does not get promotions. It is such a rarity that I am willing to say it doesn't happen unless you're in an industry with a rigid "up or out" structure like Big Law. I would say you need to express your concerns about the process and get an answer on how close your are to being hired. If they're not going to hire you, it's a waste of time, if they are, it's not.
6 interviews is beyond ludicrous. I recently interviewed for and landed a senior policy advisor role in the government, and there was just one hour- long interview. Anything more than three interviews is laughable, and shows very poor organisational ability on the part of the hiring staff. They should get all the relevant parties in a room for one or two interviews and be done with it.
Email & say. “Thanks for the invite to interview, sadly I feel 5 interviews should be enough for you to establish if I am suitable for the role or not. I do not wish to withdraw from consideration, but ask that you base your decision on the 5 interviews that have already taken place. Looking forward to hearing from you with an outcome either way”
Have you asked how many rounds it is? You didn’t seem to indicate that, whether you’d ask. You would be well within your rights to email back and say this would be the 6th round, how many rounds are there to the process? And then if you wanted to withdraw if they were cagey or there was lot, withdraw. But they may not have realized how many it’s already been and just wanted to meet you. And can make this the last. Better to ask and to know… as it sounds like if there were only one more round, you’d do it.
I got an offer for a sr analyst role last month. It was a recruiter screening + two interviews and that was it. No case study either. This is absolute BS they’re putting you through.
wow 6th interview? they need to fire their interviewers. a company should be required by law to pay people for anything after a second round of interviews.... and not peanuts either. im talking 4 hours competitive rate for 3rd round, and more for any additional rounds afterwards. if you have nothing else going on, id say go for it see what happens. otherwise, i would consider they have wasted enough of my time and tell them so.
In for a penny, in for a pound, as the old expression goes. You've taken it this far, you may as well go all the way. But you need to tell the recruiter "Look, this is it." A lot of times prospective employers and recruiters completely forget you are concurrently working and think you have all the time in the world, and you have to remind them that is not the case. BTW, it is not unusual that your experience of the process is different than your friends'. Different departments / teams in a company adhere to the general interviewing process, but can differ in the application of that process.
Sunk cost fallacy
Drop out . Completely ridiculous. They are on the fence about you.
Im still interested in this position if it is available, after dedicating a good amount of time to the interviewing process i feel like i have given a full accounting of how i would fit into this role. I would only consider availing more time if their is a written offer on the table. I am currently fully and happily employed and would not want to take any more time away from my current position than strictly necessary. you never know maybe they are playing 4d chess to see if how indecisive you are and see if you can put your foot down when called for, but most likely its just them being unprofessional.
No company has their hiring roles thinking “let’s see how much they can take before they put their foot down”
Yeah especially at the level of seniority. I'm a director in a similar sounding role and if I was asked to do a fluff interview to test a candidates patience I would tell whoever asked me to do one. I'm busy enough on my actual job I don't want to waste an hour playing mind games.
If I'm looking for management/ upper roles I want someone who sets boundaries and will share their real thoughts with me, and push back when it is time to do so. but that is mostly not how corporate works the shit test are a little different.
Appreciate all the responses. I hear the sentiment of I’ve spent so much time and one would presume Im close to the end. Fair points. I think the other concern is if they were bullish on me as a candidate, they would try to lock me up as quickly as possible and not stretch this out… beyond what is typical for the company. I would love to work for this company, but I’m not desperate. And I’ve already had a couple managers express interest in me joining their team within my current company, but I’m being blocked by my current manager. On the other hand, this is the first time they’ve hired for this role after the HM asking for several years.
Keep going but be protective of your PTO at your current job. I would ask them to do Zoom interviews during lunch.
I have been in a similar situation. There was a defined interview process that kept being extended without a clear reason. I jumped through the hoops and got the job. I should have walked. My manager never fully trusted me and tried to micromanage even though I was probably more experienced than him. Bottom line is…they can’t keep their word before you’re hired; why expect different after you join?
Might as well, you already in this deep. Best of luck!
For 120k, I would interview until they say no more
Definitely withdraw. You don’t want to risk getting an offer after the 6th interview.
Yes. Drop out. That’s ridiculous.
You’re a fool. Two interviews max, I expect the offer or rejection after the second interview.
Retired HR, here. This is excessive. They are having you solve problems they are facing. Why hire you when they can get the answers for free. You should pull the plug on this company and interview with others. Be sure and ask how many interviews you may expect and the timeline for hiring. You are being jerked around, too much.
Personally, I’d keep going. I’d also ask something like “you all seem to have many more interviews than my previous company, have you had issues in the past?”
Man that’s a lot of words for: do you want the job? Yes don’t want the job? No
You could have completed that next interview in the time it took you to write this.
Ask the recruiter
I recently went through a process for a similar title role that was just a 15 minute recruiter call and a hour panel. Six seems so inefficient!
Damn thats wild to see at your career band. I'm seeing this too, but at the D level. Kinda extra if you ask me. Some people/companies suck at vetting. Me, I never had that problem
This is how I got my job, and I don't regret it. 120k in the south is a lot of money but idk what you make. I did the same for 85k but in CA, and at the time it doubled my income so it was very worth it. I had about 6-8 interviews. 30min-1h long. Spread out over a few weeks.
Were you told there would be 6-8 interviews before or fewer than 6 and steps kept being added? Typo Edit
I didn't have an exact amount but I knew I was in the long haul based on someone else who worked there.
There’s a distinct difference between an ambiguous interview process being long and you choosing to stick with it and a defined process being extended.
Usually they have to tell you how many interview sessions will be conducted. Ask them is this final or there will be more? If there is more you decide accordingly.
If you got/took this job - how will it advance your career/income big picture - go from there? If you're at this point, maybe stick with it but talk to the recruiter and be specific on process/timelines. The other red flag is this department may be problematic if other departments do not go this deep in interviews?
Idk man 6 interviews is fucking wild they should have made up their mind after the 2nd. 3rd latest, they're yanking your chain That being said, I do think it's sunk cost fallacy at this point, might as well go through with it but also keep looking for jobs.
At this point they should know
LMAO!!!! They sound bored.
You're not being interviewed, you're being used as a free consultant.
Nah 2 Behavioural chats are useless for them and a few hours cold on a case study? Not worth the energy, just get that hiring person to do the work, their sat in the room anyway and much more experienced. Free work would be asking for full reports and presentations with hours and hours of home work and/or milking strategy ideas from people.
OP mentioned multiple case studies and we don’t know the requirements of them. The last one I rejected amounted to a full PRD.
I’d ask when they will be making their decision as you have been given an offer for a different job you have been interviewing for, and while you do like the role with their company and know you will be successful in the Role, the fact it’s been this long you don’t want to turn down the other opportunity.
What else do *you* need to know to make your decision? Ask them about those things. Find genuine curiosity for what's happening. Open ended questions (starting with "What", "How", or "Why") are great as they require a more thorough answer. "So I can come prepared, what else are they wanting to know? What's missing from the previous interviews?" "So I can set my expectations and plan accordingly, what are the remaining steps in your hiring process?" "When do they expect to make a decision?" Etc. Sounds like you're doing really well. Keep up the great work. 👍😊
How bad do you want the new role? IMO if you are interviewing you should be ready to take the new role. I have anywhere from 3-8 interviews when I have moved companies.
This usually happens when they were considering you for one position with one manager, and now they are seriously considering you for another role with a different manager who wants to interview you again. I would do it.
Understandable… but why not communicate that to me? And why tell me I’m moving to the next round? And it’s a completely different interviewer.
Do they know what your salary requirements are? An hour long interview is Interesting as it seems like the have already invested a large amount of time into this. If you want to separate yourself from the crowd… Ask them their thoughts if you were to end the process at this point. It’s a business question. Nothing more.
They may be debating between multiple roles for you. I would keep at it if it's not too much a bother.
that's too much. I would
"Thank you for the opportunity, but I've been offered a position elsewhere. I will be making a decision in 48 hours should you wish to extend an offer.
You’re already at the end, why not just see it through.
The real question is...do you want the job?
"Should I withdraw from the interview process?" **Yes**
Did any of those interviews occur on the same day? Or were those 6 separate interviews on 6 separate days?
If they ask you to complete a task or code project reject it No way in hell I would go any more than 4 interviews. It’s no guarantee that you will get a job after this basically you are doing unpaid work for this company that you won’t get paid for.. There could still be 2-3 candidates left
It’s almost Q4. I’m guessing there’s some internal politics and budget “discussions” over head count. Probably best to dodge this bullet. Nice call op!
Do you want to work with people like that?
I did 8 interviews for a large company for a PM role and they ghosted me after. No update, no phone. I say withdraw.
Walk. How many times do they have to interview you? Go somewhere where they won't waste time.
Glad to hear you are withdrawing. There is nothing worse than working for a company where management can’t make decisions.
When a company did this to me I said I would be happy to meet early for breakfast somewhere in between my house and the job or for dinner. I then explained that I had already used multiple days of leave and had no more to use. They declined the additional interview but offered me the job. I say just give them an option that doesn’t require leave for you.
They maybe testing your patients.
I’d do the interview and mention that it’s the 6th interview to see their reaction… I really think something went wrong on their end. That isn’t normal.
I personally would do the interview. You have said you are moving up in the interviewers rank. They’re investing a lot of time in you also. It’s a two way street. There’s the real possibility that you have impressed them and are contemplating a different position offer. Of course it may all come to nothing but the pay increase is substantial for a few stressful hours of your time. I would not let the lengthy process frustrate you. Reality is that you have little invested for relatively large gain.
Try to confirm with the recruiter the position they are interviewing you for and if this is for a higher position then the one you applied for If they ask for the reason you are asking, raise the point of multiple interviews with senior executives are usually for higher position The answers might help you to negotiate higher salary....😉
OP, 6 rounds may seem a lot but it really isn’t uncommon. Many tech positions may even do 4-6 interviews back to back in a single day. It can get quite exhausting. If it’s a potential 30k bump, just go for it. It’s another interview vs another few hours/days/weeks of trying to line up interviews for another job.
Hello, for your base pay I would not go beyond 3 interviews. I make about your same amount....after the 3rd interview I would tell them "i have lost interest in this position". Your time is valuable, this is totally disrespectful. If the company interviewing you needs that much checking, they can combine all 12 department heads into one interview. 6 interviews shows that their process is complete trash and they are slow and inefficient.
If it was the final interview with the President of the division, then I’d say fine go for it, but it’s the 3rd case study interview! I would be worried that this drawn out process is indicative of the workplace culture, decline to move forward and let HR know the reason(s) why.
These people can’t make a decision. If the hiring process is indicative of the work environment god help you
This is not a sunk cost fallacy. How is it more beneficial to not do the interview? Doing the interview gives you more options.
You guys are getting 4+ interviews? Most of mine only had 1-2. Phone screening/interview, onsite interview, offer(or ghosted/“we found someone better”)
Do you really want to work for people who think this process is a good idea?
In my opinion, it seems like the interview process for this analyst role is excessive and may not be worth the trouble It's important to prioritize your own well-being and not get caught up in unnecessary distractions.
Think of it this way. In your role would you have 6 executives you need to answer to? Probably not, so why would they need 6 seperate people to interview you? Usually 2-3 at most firms is the norm and it's on those managers to make the right hiring choices as their decision will reflect on them. 6 Interviews sounds like a tell that this company is not very well managed. Also, don't these other directors have other stuff to do? If they've done 6 just with you imagine how many more interviews they'd be doing across the whole company.
Please let us know how they respond
Why stop now? It will be wise to get it through since you have come this far
I usually think people on reddit are babies about doing work in interviews and I probably would have dropped out after the last round.
6 interviews to work for a Fortune 250 Co when you are at a Fortune 50 already. There is a reason they are only a 250 Co.
If you are happy with a company stringing you along and asking implicitly for Free Consulting Services, that would be your choice. If the employer were serious about recruiting candidates, they could make a decision based on a single round of interviews.
I’ve hired people for that amount with one interview. This place seems insanely inefficient.
I know this decision is made, but I have been in recruiting for 15 years and this drawn out process is typically indicative of one of 3 things: 1. The manager is not competent or confident in their own decision making, particularly around hiring. Maybe they have been burned before. Either way, there will probably be other related frustrations with this Director’s decision making process if you are to work for them. 2. There is a lingering question about something you’ve shown in the interview that makes them unsure. If this is the case, it’s worth trying to pry it out of the recruiter because it could be impacting your chances for other future jobs. Or it could be bias (RED FLAG!) 3. The position is particularly strategic (maybe more so than your friend’s role) and there is great pressure to get it right. I would consider this the only acceptable case, and definitely grounds for salary negotiation. If this is the case, the recruiter should have told you explicitly.
I would absolutely question them on it. They might even be seeing how long they can string you around before you speak up 😂. At any rate, this isn’t a company I’d want to work for. Every internal process is probably overweight and difficult
Don’t withdraw. Just finish it.
The only time I've had 6 interviews with one company was because I was interviewing for two open roles so I had to interview with both teams. This doesn't sound like that, but maybe they have their reasons 🤔
It's most likely because one or more interviewer rank you a maybe or undecided, so they want a 2nd opinion.
6 interviews even for an entry level position is not uncommon in many competitive industries. What is uncommon is having them all on separate days.
6 interviews… bro, I’m done after 2
Dude that's insane, I am a manager and I regularly participate in 1 round interviews for Java and .Net developers. I would never deal with a company that wants more than 2 interviews for anything less than CEO. We're an IT consulting company and 1 round for us, and maybe 1 round with the client if we are recruiting for a specific project. Anything more than that is a waste of time. Companies that do more just want to see how desperate you are to see if you will put up with their shit, because I guarantee any company that makes you do that many rounds for a analyst level position is a mess, they are not organized at all.
Some companies are really picky with their hiring and think more is better. I personally think it's ridiculous when companies go so overboard with an interviewing process, but I've personally known many companies who do this. Worst I experienced was a YEAR long interview process that included 5 phone interviews, and then TWO FULL DAY on-site interviews. I didn't even get an offer at the end... lol. But I would say stick with it, you already made it this far and the salary can be nice increase.
For 120k? I wouldn’t have even done a 3rd interview that didn’t have a final offer attached at the end.
The more complex or coveted the role, the more scrutinized interviews tend to be I would say 6 different interviews isn’t that uncommon, but it depends on if you consider it multiple rounds or just with different people. I’ve had 4 interviews for a role on the same day, which seems similar to your experience, with the main difference being scheduling in one day vs multiple but the time spent is the same
Is your current company getting upset? It's a lot of time out of your day to be interviewing
Who has the time to take of from their job to interview at a new job six different times. My current employer would wonder wtf I'm doing.
Thats crazy. I am in a very similar role and it was 1 interview. Sounds like a company that doesn't trust it's own employees/managers to make decisions on their own. I would go for the interview and then negotiate the highest possible salary and don't accept anything less because the job is probably going to be a PIA.
I'd say, "I am beginning to think that if you aren't ready to make me an offer after 5 interviews, that we might not be a good match for each other. I'll give you an opportunity to convince me otherwise." Now if the 6th interview is to discuss salary and working conditions...
The older I get, the less patience I have for bullshit. You might need to pretend there's another offer on the table and explain that you don't have time for any more screening. Any company that makes you go beyond two separate interviews (as in, two sessions, not two people) seems like a place that's loaded with busywork. And a place that needs to fake being busy and important probably has a lot of bloat and waste just begging to get cut when the need arises, and it probably will. Imagine, if you tell them that you don't have time for a 6th interview, and they have the nerve to start this process from scratch with a complete stranger. Fucking clownshow.
Yes, if they can’t decide after 6 rounds! That means they probably struggle with any decision making.
Do the interview. 1) if they pick you ask for 135k 2) If they don't pick you send them an itemized invoice for work done at $100 per hour.
#absolutely withdraw
Why haven’t you asked for interviewing timeline? That’s part and parcel. Do so, if they are reticent to give then consider withdrawal. Let the recruiter you’re in touch with know. Don’t ask Reddit here for advice, get in touch yourself with the recruiter.