Is this unprofessional?

Eh? I don’t understand this, my interview was 2 hours!

How old is his son. Set up to see how you engage with kids or if older to observe demeanour/ patience of interviewees?

Sorry, haven’t got time to read the whole thread…… but wondered if the order people went into the interview room was by their boob size 😂😂 perhaps it’s a new, unknown prerequisite for a dental receptionist?

Is this to show what the patients experience and establish which candidates can get their points/skills across in the time of a GP/NHS dentist appointment??

A year or so ago I related the story of how a Year 10 pupil had turned up to school in the morning wearing a low slung pair of jeans and a cropped top to show of her belly piercing, she was going to her mock interview as a part of work experience programme later in the day. I told of how I had talked to her, in private, about dressing appropriately for certain events and the following day her mother phoned to complain about me. On this site a few said I had humiliated the girl, it was none of my business. Trying to give advice can be tricky it seems!

I would be interested which town this dental practice is in …

When you don't want the job.

Ive only ever done this once, but about 15 years ago I was waiting for an interview and they left me waiting for 40 minutes. There were two reception desks and I went to both repeatedly to check that I hadn’t got it wrong/ they hadn’t forgotten me or called me and I hadn’t heard. I tried to contact the recruiter too. But after 40 minutes I was so annoyed that I just decided I wanted to leave - and leave I did.
The recruiter was not happy with me and implied I didn’t turn up which was not the case at all. I decided in that 40 minutes that I didn’t want to work for or with these people.25 years customer service experience that I am bloody good at. Totally their loss 15 years ago and today, OP. Good luck with your job quest.

If people know that's the case then fine.

But for a standard interview the norm would be 2 or 3 for interview and maybe a one for a second interview.

Its certainly not normal to meet 13 people for interview, who in their normal day job has time to spend 2 full days interviewing people.

They obviously never even attempted to whittle it down based on the CVs. How else do you get people in and out in 15mins?

For teaching jobs it used to be an all day affair ... tour, meet the team, observations then interviews. We did let them go after their interview and asked them to keep their phones on ... nearly had a mutiny once when they were still all waiting for a decision at 6 pm

It's actually "an hour's". Or better, "within the time-frame of an hour".

Is it not "an hour"?

Agree, and being on the phone the whole time.

It's the way to keep the job centre happy. You go to interviews but don't try too hard.

I usually take a half day off work, but I can imagine that not everybody does.
I wouldn't wait much in this situation because it shows a lack of self-respect. Also, people who treat non-employees badly will treat their employees much worse.

Maybe the job centre sent them and they don’t even want the job???

do me a favour. He presumably has attended interviews in his life and understands how basic appointments and scheduling work

@Morepositivemum

are you for real? This is utterly abysmal to treat job hunters in this way

i work in recruitment and would expect a shit tonne of complaints if I handled my job like this. it’s totally abnormal

OP dodged a bullet. He sounds like he enjoys this hunger games style interview

How many jobs are available?

seeing 13 for one job is bad enough but not allocating individual time slots is abysmal

run, don’t walk

It sounds like they tried to interview everyone who applied!

Maybe the nine year old was the one actually making the decision? Seeing how you all reacted in a room full of people? Or if you offered to help him? I'd have got chatting to him anyway.

The dentist is looking for a love interest.

I worked for a vet in the 80's who interviewed staff to try and find a wife. It worked after a few goes.

Very unprofessional IMO - if they can't organise a simple thing like a schedule of appointments, how is the rest of the Company run?

A dentist hadn’t thought through how to run an interview session. Doesn’t necessarily make him a bad employer. Perhaps he needs you to get his office organized.

good luck today op

you dont want to work for a dentist theyre highly strung not good timing managment they overbook to get more money which leaves you stressed and trying to sort it all out

Good luck today.

TBH I'd expect most interviews to be an hour.
Unless it was a very basic job (cleaner, waitor type role) that doesn't need much experience. And really just a quick chance to meet someone, make sure the hours suit.