How Many Interviews Are Too Many?

As a hiring manager, HR professional, or team lead, you’ve likely asked yourself the age-old question: How many interviews should I hold before making a hire? With the current saturated hiring market, especially with the acceleration of remote interviewing and digital candidate assessments, the answer isn’t always clear-cut.

Is one interview enough to really decide if the candidate is a great fit for your team? How many interviews is too many before you need to make a real decision? Below, we’ll break down the modern interview landscape, share interview tips for determining the right number of interviews, and help you avoid unnecessary steps that slow down great hiring decisions.

Understanding the Interview Landscape Today

The Rise of Remote Interviewing Has Streamlined Hiring

The shift to virtual and remote interviewing has fundamentally changed the speed and structure of hiring. Companies can now screen candidates faster than ever before, often reducing time-to-hire significantly. This also means hiring managers have more flexibility to conduct multiple interviews across days without losing time or productivity to scheduling conflicts or travel. Candidates also have great ability to join a wider range of interview times when all they have to do is log onto a videoconference.

Behavioral Interviewing and Skill Assessments Expand Pre-Hire Insight

Advancements in virtual interviewing tools and online skill assessments allow employers to evaluate both hard and soft skills before a candidate ever steps foot in the office. Behavioral interview questions have become an essential tool for identifying how candidates might act in real-world scenarios—something that was once considered only possible in person. And with the new monitoring software for online testing, skills assessments can be submitted without a proctor to be present.

The Value of Multiple Stakeholder Opinions

While speed is important, many organizations still prefer having several stakeholders or team members involved in the interview process to provide diverse perspectives. This is especially true for roles that impact multiple departments or require close team collaboration. However, it’s essential to balance thoroughness with efficiency to avoid losing strong candidates to faster-moving competitors.

How Many Interviews Should You Conduct?

Start by Researching Industry Standards

The number of interviews required often depends on the role and industry. For example, a high-level financial services executive might expect three or more interviews, while a retail associate candidate may be ready to onboard after one. Before you begin the hiring process, consider what’s typical for your market and your specific job function.

Roles That Typically Require a Longer Interview Process

Certain roles demand a more in-depth approach to hiring due to complexity, responsibility, or cross-functional requirements:

• Leadership or management positions: If the candidate will oversee multiple direct reports or departments, more interviews may be necessary to evaluate leadership style and alignment with company culture. Bringing in a leader to a pre-established team requires more vetting in order to make sure personalities and work styles align.

• Highly technical or specialized roles: Positions that require niche skillsets (e.g., software developers, legal professionals, financial analysts) may benefit from multiple conversations, including technical assessments and problem-solving scenarios.

• Roles involving real-time performance observation: If it’s critical to see the candidate in action—through mock presentations, sample work tasks, or scenario responses—this could warrant a third round with multiple team members or stake holders present.

• Collaborative positions working across departments: When a role will report to or coordinate with several higher-ups, it’s reasonable to allow each stakeholder a chance to evaluate the candidate.

Roles That Don’t Require Extensive Follow-Up Interviews

Some positions are more straightforward and don’t need multiple layers of assessment:

• Entry-level jobs: Many early-career candidates can be effectively evaluated in one or two interviews, especially if the role includes introductory training or on the job explanation.

• Minimum wage or hourly roles: These positions often have standardized onboarding and clear responsibilities, making a single interview sufficient for the basic requirements to perform the tasks at hand.

• Jobs with comprehensive training programs: If the bulk of the necessary knowledge will be provided during training, assessing personality fit and basic competencies may be enough.

• Positions where on-the-job learning is expected: When skills can reasonably be learned over time, it’s more efficient to prioritize work ethic, reliability, and cultural fit in fewer interviews.

 

A Practical Breakdown of the Interview Process

Understanding how to structure your interviews by job level can eliminate unnecessary steps and speed up the decision-making process.

First Interview: Basic Fit and Immediate Needs

The first interview should confirm that the candidate meets the baseline requirements:

• Can they fulfill the immediate skill needs for your team?

• Do they meet the job description’s core qualifications?

• Do they hold similar values similar to those of your company and could they potentially fit the team culture?

Entry-level roles often require just this one conversation before proceeding to an offer.

Second Interview: Deep Dive into Performance and Soft Skills

The second round should focus on evaluating:

• Past performance and relevant accomplishments

• Soft skills such as communication, adaptability, and teamwork

• Alignment with company values and mission

Mid-level positions typically conclude after this stage, unless the role has unique complexities.

Third Interview: Final Evaluation of Team Fit and Long-Term Value

The third interview is best reserved for senior or strategic hires. This is the opportunity to:

• Introduce the candidate to future team members or executive leadership

• Discuss long-term growth potential

• Evaluate how they might contribute to company direction or innovation

For senior-level hires, this interview ensures that all decision-makers are aligned and confident in the choice.

Interview Tips: Where to Lessen the Load

While it’s important to be thorough, excessive interviewing can backfire. Below are interview tips to help you keep the process focused and efficient.

Reconsider the Necessity of Panel Interviews

Panel interviews can offer valuable perspectives but may not always be necessary—especially in early rounds. Consider using them selectively, such as for final-round cultural assessments or when buy-in from multiple leaders is essential. An entry level candidate may not need the added approval of the organization’s stakeholders.

Be Fully Informed About the Role Before Starting Interviews

The best way to run an efficient hiring process is to start strong. Know the job requirements, reporting structure, daily tasks, and success metrics inside and out. This enables clearer questions, faster evaluation, and more meaningful discussions. This way everybody is prepared for the meeting and no one’s time is wasted.

Identify Non-Negotiables Upfront

What’s absolutely required, and what can be learned on the job? Being crystal clear on non-negotiables helps you screen out misaligned candidates early and avoid prolonging interviews with candidates who aren’t a fit. This also saves candidates from believing they have a better chance of landing a role they aren’t qualified for.

Let’s Simplify Your Hiring Process

At the end of the day, how many interviews you should hold depends on the complexity of the role, the stakes of the hire, and how well you’ve structured the process. The goal is to find the right person—not necessarily the most-interviewed one. If you’re looking to fill a high-impact role, build a new team, or restructure your current hiring process, Professional Alternatives is here to help.

Our expert recruiters work closely with employers to identify top talent, streamline interview strategies, and minimize hiring friction. Let us guide you through a smarter, more efficient hiring process—without compromising on quality. Connect with one of our recruiters today to start your search with confidence. Start hiring today!