Q. I’m getting frustrated because I’ve gone back to the same company 12 separate times, yet I have no idea if I’m a serious candidate. I didn’t hear anything for the past three weeks so I called the HR recruiter today and she said I’m still a finalist, but they want me to return to meet others. Is this normal or should I move on? -LM
A. Over the past few years, most organizations have increased the number of individuals involved in the interview process. Some companies require candidates to meet the entire team with whom they will be working–both supervisors and subordinates. As a result, multiple interview sessions are fairly typical. But a dozen trips back for interviews is ridiculous. This is a case of too much democracy and indecision in the hiring process.
Since you have been told you are a finalist, you need to make your 13th trek back to the firm. But you should ask if there are any other individuals you’ll need to meet before they are able to make a final decision. If so, ask it is possible to schedule a date and time that allows you to meet everyone. Some companies feel that locally based individuals don’t have a problem slipping away for one-off interviews, but they need to consider the stress it places on the applicant and their own human resources function. Note to employers: Put yourself in the applicant’s shoes. Confine applicant revisits to two or three. Create a proxy system where individuals can defer the decision to others.
Good luck with the interview. Perhaps 13 will be your lucky number.