Four interviews in one week, then rejection: Job seeker questions lengthy hiring process

Four interviews in one week, with updates within 48 hours after each round, seemed like a good sign for one job seeker. But the process ended with a rejection email.

The job seeker shared the experience on Reddit’s r/recruitinghell, writing: “Never been so dejected. I thought I was a perfect fit. This job market sucks.”

‘They already knew who they wanted’

The most commonly cited explanation was the internal candidate hypothesis: “They already knew who they wanted. Probably someone internal. They needed to make it look fair.”

Another offered a different explanation, suggesting employers may keep looking even when they find someone who meets the requirements.

“It’s like no one is good enough. Even if you are a good fit, at the moment, companies are always holding out for someone better.”

How many interviews are too many?

For one commenter, three interviews should be enough: an initial screening with the recruiter, followed by up to two rounds with the team.

“I think three interviews is my max. One with the recruiter for a quick screen and up to two with the team to ensure fit. Anything beyond that indicates a broken interview process to me.”

Others shared their own job-hunting frustrations. “I’m in the same boat this week too!” one commenter wrote.

Another said they had attended 15 interviews in the second week of October, but had heard little since beyond recruiter calls.

“I had 15 different interviews in the second week of October. All silent now. Only recruiter calls.”

Read also: ‘Good luck getting them to answer’: Job seekers share recruiter ghosting stories