The Cost of Over-Interviewing: Why More Isn't Always Better When it Comes to Hiring Top Talent

The Consequences (& Risks) of Over-Interviewing...?

Have you heard of Interview Fatigue?

It's that feeling of exhaustion and burnout experienced by candidates who have gone through multiple rounds of job interviews, often with a number of companies, over a short period of time. It's the process of researching, preparing, travelling, and participating in job interviews, and it can be mentally and emotionally draining for candidates.

As a result, interview fatigue can negatively impact the candidate's performance and the quality of their responses.

But interview fatigue doesn't just affect candidates, it also affects hiring managers and recruiters, making it harder to evaluate candidates fairly and accurately, as they may become less alert and attentive by the repetitive nature of a series of back-to-back interviews.

Sound familiar? Have you been there? I know I have!

To make it even worse, candidates experiencing interview fatigue may become less motivated and enthusiastic about the job opportunity, making it harder to assess their fit and future potential, meaning the right candidate might not be offered the job!

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Interview fatigue doesn't just happen when a candidate is interviewing with multiple companies, it can also happen from over-interviewing with just one business.

Over-interviewing is when a company holds an excessive number of interviews or uses an overly elaborate hiring process. Of course, the optimal number of interviews is subjective and depends on the role and the level of responsibility, but be aware of the following risks of over-interviewing:

1. Interview fatigue: Candidates who go through multiple rounds of interviews or an overly complex hiring process can experience interview fatigue, which can negatively affect their performance and the quality of their responses
2. Decreased candidate engagement: Over-interviewing can lead to a decrease in candidate engagement, motivation, and the candidate's commitment to the organisation; as the process becomes more draining and less enjoyable for the candidate, they can start to disengage
3. Time and cost: An overly complex hiring process can be time-consuming and very expensive for both the business (think of all the time taken in interview panels) and the candidates, who may take time off work, possibly unpaid, incur travel costs and other expenses
4. Inaccurate evaluation: Over-interviewing can make it harder for recruiters and hiring managers to accurately and fairly evaluate candidates, as both parties may become less alert, attentive and subdued, due to the repetitive nature of the process
5. Reputational damage: An overly complex or lengthy hiring process can damage a company's reputation in the external candidate market, making it harder to attract top talent in the future!

How many interviews are typical?

I ran a LinkedIn poll to check how many interview stages are most common, the results so far are:

The results were not overly surprising... though I remain amazed that some, high-profile, huge organisations typically conduct just one interview!

So is there an optimal number of interviews?

Unfortunately, there is no 'one-size-fits-all' answer, as the ideal number of interviews will vary depending on the type of job, the level of role and responsibility and of course, the complexity of the organisation's hiring process.

But there are some general guidelines to help ensure your interview process is as effective and efficient as possible, while minimising the risk of interview fatigue:

1. Minimise the number of rounds: Best practice is to aim for a maximum of three rounds of interviews, generally, this would include a telephone pre-screen, but do really consider how many stages are essential; two rounds may be sufficient for less complex or less senior roles
2. Be mindful of the length of each interview: Each interview should be focused and efficient, with clear objectives and an agenda that is well-defined for all parties at the beginning
3. Provide clear and timely feedback between stages: Candidates should be given prompt, honest and constructive feedback after each interview, so they know where they need to focus their preparation for the next round
4. Consider alternative methods of assessment: In some cases, alternative methods of assessment such as skills tests or work samples may be better placed to supplement the interview process and reduce the number of face-to-face interviews.

In my opinion, it's more important to consider the optimal number of touchpoints, not just interviews, in a hiring process, to make sure you engage your candidate and gain their trust.

If two interviews are your standard, then five touchpoints are recommended.

• Pre-Interview Prep
• 1st Interview
• Post-interview Feedback and Prep for next stage
• 2nd Interview
• Final Interview Feedback, Decision & Overall Feedback

The goal here is to find the right balance between gathering a comprehensive understanding of the candidate and maintaining their engagement and motivation.

To engage candidates and gain their trust, businesses should provide clear and timely communication, be transparent about the hiring process, create a positive candidate experience, and provide constructive, meaningful feedback.

By being transparent, responsive, and respectful, companies can attract the right people to the organisation and increase their chances of securing the right candidate.

The topic of my next Linkedin live webinar is 'Building Trust Before Hiring: How Early Engagement Can Boost Your Recruitment Efforts', click here for more detail.

Does your candidate journey send the right message? Click here to check if your candidate funnel is a high-converting funnel: ?? Candidate Journey Scorecard