Importance of interview duration

The length or duration of a job interview can significantly impact a candidate’s experience with a company by influencing their perception of the company, their level of interest in the role and their decision to proceed in the hiring process.

Impact on candidate experience

For many job candidates, the interview process is their first interaction with your organization. A well-paced interview shows respect for their time and can leave a positive impression.

How many rounds of interviews you conduct can influence how prospective hires view your organization and whether they accept a job offer.

Effect on hiring decisions

An appropriately timed interview can help the interviewer evaluate candidates. The optimal interview duration generally provides enough time to gather adequate information on a candidate’s relevant skills and experience.

Ideal interview lengths by role

How long job interviews take typically depends on the open position. By considering the role’s requirements, such as the level of expertise and experience, you can determine the best interview duration.

Entry-level positions

For entry-level jobs, interviews may last between 30 and 45 minutes. During this time, you can assess candidates’ basic skills and how they might support your organization’s goals.

Employers typically conduct one or two rounds of interviews for entry-level positions. The first interview focuses on basic skills and cultural add. A second interview may involve more in-depth questions or a meeting with higher-level managers.

When filling entry-level roles, consider using a skills-first hiring approach to instead gauge the candidate’s potential and willingness to learn.

Mid-level positions

When filling mid-level management positions, you might spend between 45 minutes and an hour on an interview. These interviews generally require a more detailed discussion of the candidate’s work, industry experience, skills and problem-solving abilities. You may also ask more technical or scenario interview questions.

Mid-level positions often require multiple rounds of interviews. Companies typically conduct the first interview over the phone or through video conference. The second round may explore the candidate’s work experience and technical skills, while the final round may be a panel interview or a meeting with senior management.

Senior-level positions

Due to the role’s responsibilities, senior-level positions typically require the most in-depth interview process. Candidates may go through three to five rounds of interviews, each lasting 30 minutes to one hour. These interviews can cover leadership qualities, strategic thinking and their potential to add to the company.

At this level, the hiring team may explore the candidate’s past achievements, leadership style and goals. Conducting multiple interviews helps to ensure a well-rounded assessment.

Factors influencing interview duration

Several factors can influence how long an interview lasts, such as industry norms, company-specific standards and the candidate’s skill level. Understanding these variables can help you tailor your company’s interview process.

Industry standards and practices

Different industries and their required areas of expertise may affect how long an interview lasts. Consider adapting your interview process to industry norms to attract high-quality candidates.

Here are a few examples of why interviews may extend in duration due to industry norms:

• Complex or technical roles: In industries like engineering, software development or data science, interviews can be lengthy because they often include in-depth technical assessments, coding tests or problem-solving exercises to give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their technical expertise through problem-solving or completing tasks related to the job.
• Consulting or strategic roles: Consulting roles often have long interview processes due to case study interviews, where candidates are expected to solve complex business problems during the interview, which involves critical thinking, data analysis and presenting recommendations.
• Customer-facing roles: Interviews for teaching, sales or customer service positions may include role-playing or simulations in which candidates demonstrate how they’d perform specific tasks, such as giving a presentation or handling a difficult customer. Role-specific simulations can take a significant amount of time as candidates walk through different scenarios to showcase their skills.

Company-specific requirements

Your company’s unique values and goals may also influence interview length. For example, you may spend more time on behavioral questions to evaluate how a candidate might add to your organization. You might also prioritize scenario-based questions to evaluate applicants’ customer service skills.

Below are examples of longer interview processes:

• Panel interviews: Some companies conduct panel interviews, where several leadership team members from different departments or areas of the business assess the candidate at once. Panel interviews tend to be longer because multiple people need to ask questions to evaluate the candidate. This can be a common practice for creative or leadership roles.
• Behavioral and situational interviews: Using behavioral interviews to assess how candidates handle situations based on their past experiences is common in roles that require high levels of interpersonal skills, such as management, sales and customer service. Interviewers may ask multiple follow-up questions to assess a candidate’s decision-making, problem-solving and interpersonal skills.

While lengthy interviews may be necessary in some industries, it’s important for employers to balance thorough evaluation with respect for the candidate’s time. By continuously evaluating and improving how your organization conducts interviews, you can potentially enhance candidates’ experiences, streamline the hiring process and find a quality hire.