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SINGAPORE: Two Singaporeans appear to have reached breaking point over the number of job interview rounds they\u2019ve had to go through in recent weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n On July 2, the first individual posted on the r\/singaporejobs forum, writing that he was going through an \u201cinsane number of rounds just to get an offer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He also remarked that it\u2019s \u201cgetting harder and harder to land a job\u201d nowadays.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m currently employed but looking for new opportunities, and it really sucks having to go through three interview rounds, plus a technical interview, just for a S$4k job. Is it really worth it?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n He added that the entire process had been \u201cmentally exhausting,\u201d especially as he had to take time off work for interviews without even knowing whether it would lead anywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you like me, then hire me. If you don\u2019t, just reject me. Don\u2019t waste my time leh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A week later, another Singaporean raised a similar concern on the r\/asksg forum, asking, \u201cWhy do companies in Singapore like having online assessments and multiple rounds of interviews?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In her post, she said she felt \u201ca bit angry\u201d and even \u201cjealous\u201d of the hiring practices back in her parents\u2019 day, when securing a job seemed far more straightforward.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI was talking to my parents about them finding jobs in the past. Just showing up at the location, having one interview and starting work on the same day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She contrasted that experience with her own, saying she had just completed an online assessment consisting of five different sections, including verbal reasoning and pattern recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n According to her, passing the assessment was only the beginning of the recruitment process.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWith a \u2018pass\u2019 on this assessment, I will then need to go through at least three rounds of interviews.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Questioning why companies make applicants jump through so many hoops, she added, \u201cWhy do companies like making jobseekers\u2019 lives tough?!! I just want some money to live my life\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Their experiences are, unfortunately, far from unique.<\/span><\/p>\n Online forums and social media platforms are inundated with complaints about recruitment processes that seem to drag on for weeks or even months, leaving jobseekers physically and mentally drained.<\/span><\/p>\n What\u2019s worse, many say that after enduring a gauntlet-like hiring process, they\u2019re rewarded with\u2026 nothing. Some receive rejection emails after multiple rounds, others are suddenly told the company has \u201cfrozen hiring,\u201d while some are simply ghosted without any explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Coursera, candidates typically go through three to five interviews on average before receiving a job offer.<\/span><\/p>\n Over on the subreddit r\/recruitinghell, users have shared some of the most gruelling hiring processes they\u2019ve experienced.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While many said they\u2019d been through \u201cfive or six\u201d rounds of interviews, others recalled much lengthier ordeals.<\/span><\/p>\n One user said he went through 11 rounds of interviews in 2020 for an IT Director role at an academic institution.<\/span><\/p>\n He recalled, \u201cThis was 3 or 4 months long. No more than 1 interview per day. 8 of those were onsite interviews at multiple facilities. I didn\u2019t get the job with my 20 years experience in multiple progressing roles. An internal candidate with prior academic experience got it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Another user shared that he endured 13 interview rounds, including a four-person panel interview that required him to travel across the country for a director-level role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This happened around eight years ago, he added.<\/span><\/p>\n Companies often conduct multiple interviews to assess a candidate\u2019s qualifications, technical abilities, personality and cultural fit before making a hiring decision. The aim is to identify the person most likely to succeed in the role and remain with the company over the long term.<\/span><\/p>\n Given the time and money invested in recruiting and training new hires, it\u2019s understandable that employers want to make the right choice.<\/span><\/p>\n However, experts say there\u2019s a point at which additional interviews offer little extra value and may even drive strong candidates away.<\/span><\/p>\n Career expert Jenny Ho told the BBC that the number of interview rounds should reflect the seniority of the role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In her view, employers should generally limit the hiring process to no more than three or four interviews.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For positions below director level, she said two rounds are ideal, while three should be the absolute maximum.<\/span><\/p>\n Her recommendation aligns with Google\u2019s own hiring research. After analysing years of interview data, the company concluded that four interviews were sufficient to make a hiring decision with 86% confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Ms Ho, the key people involved in the interview process should include the candidate\u2019s future line manager, that manager\u2019s supervisor and someone from the human resources team.<\/span><\/p>\n For C-suite or executive roles, other senior leaders and, in some cases, long-serving employees may also take part in the interviews.<\/span><\/p>\n Read also: <\/span>\u2018This is very unfair\u2019: Foreign worker says boss fired them five hours after hospital discharge<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\nHow many interview rounds have job seekers gone through before receiving an offer?<\/span><\/h2>\n
How many interviews should a company hold?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Who should be involved in the interviews?<\/span><\/h2>\n