I refused an 7th interview. Right call?

I applied for a Senior Analyst position 5 months ago. It started with a phone screen from HR (1). They then set me up with the hiring manager (2), followed by the senior manager (3). I then sat down in person with two different senior analysts (4). At this point I was getting annoyed. It had been a mix of technical , behavioral , and personal questions. Some repeating, some unique.

I asked HR if they would be moving forward and they said I had passed on to round 3. I couldn’t believe that was considered 2 rounds. This was a small company and it didn’t make sense to have this many. Especially because all these interviews were separate days, an hour long, and required me to step away from work.

I met with the associate director (5) thinking that was going to be it. It went well but nope I needed to meet with the director. At this point I asked HR if this was it and they said I was almost done. I mentioned how excessive this was and they just said they got that a lot. Met with the director (6) who honestly didn’t seem interested at all. I asked him directly when they would make a decision. He explains I would have to meet with a few more people and that’s when I said that I didn’t think this position was for me.

HR called later and asked if everything was ok. I told them the interview process was excessive and an extreme waste of time. The insisted I come back for what the promised was the final round. However, they needed to get a few people together so it might take a few weeks. I politely declined even though the benefits and pay sounded great.

Was I too harsh? I’m not in need of a job so I felt I had the flexibility to cut this off. Should I have stuck it out because it was a weed out tactic or is this as ridiculous as I think?

Jobadvisor:

It sounds like you made the right call for you. Here's why:

• Respecting Your Time: Seven interviews for a Senior Analyst position, spread over five months, is indeed excessive, especially for a smaller company. Your time is valuable, and repeatedly stepping away from your current work for such a prolonged process is a significant ask.
• Signals of Disorganization: Such a lengthy and multi-layered interview process can be a red flag about the company's internal organization and decision-making processes. If they can't streamline hiring, what else might be inefficient?
• Director's Disengagement: The fact that the director seemed uninterested is a significant data point. It suggests that even at a senior level, there might be a lack of enthusiasm or clarity around the role or the hiring process.
• "Almost Done" Deception: Being told you were "almost done" multiple times only to have more interviews added erodes trust in the hiring team's communication and transparency.
• Your Needs and Flexibility: Since you aren't in urgent need of a job, you have the leverage to prioritize your time and seek opportunities that demonstrate more respect for candidates.

Was it a weed-out tactic? While some companies have rigorous interview processes, seven interviews over five months lean more towards inefficiency than a strategic "weed out." A well-designed process can assess candidates effectively without such a significant time commitment.

Could the benefits and pay have been worth it? Possibly. However, a drawn-out and disorganized hiring process can sometimes be indicative of underlying issues within the company culture. You weighed the potential benefits against the tangible costs of your time and the negative signals you were receiving, and you made a decision that aligned with your priorities.

Should you have stuck it out? Given your situation and the information you shared, declining the seventh interview seems like a reasonable decision. You recognized a pattern of inefficiency and a lack of respect for your time.

Moving forward, trust your instincts. If a hiring process feels overly burdensome or disorganized, it's often a sign that the company culture might not be the right fit for you. You acted within your rights as a candidate to withdraw when you felt the process was no longer a good use of your time.