Would you go to this / these interview(s)

[Krystall]

I recently applied for a job that I thought looked interesting. Actually it is the company that looks interesting to me, the job itself is something that I have done before and have a lot of experience in.

I have already had a panel interview with six people. The company now want me to interview with a further twenty people, in groups of 3-5. Does this seem over the top to anyone else? Or is this normal in some sectors and maybe just something I have not come across before.

i dont know but what have you got to lose?

Sounds OTT but I imagine my curiousity would make me go.

I wouldn't go in very optimistic, but yeah, very curious what they're like & expecting!! Go in head high & face them down at first whiff of unreasonableness.

I guess it depends how much you want the job.

Personally I'd want to know their rationale for their interview approach and if they couldn't give me one, I'd probably tell them I was no longer interested in pursuing.

They want to interview would with 20 candidates, or have 20 people interview you?
If it's the latter, thats bonkers. There will never be consensus

Is it a high paying, senior level job?

What sector? I’ve never came across something like this.

It may be a red flag as to how much hoop-jumping you may need to do any time you need a decision.

It seems like an employer who will always look for faults in employees then blame them.

Seems normal if those are different project teams you might end up working with or be selected to work on. Some places have an initial hiring process and then teams select their own members.

@Whichcatthatcat

They want to interview would with 20 candidates, or have 20 people interview you? If it's the latter, thats bonkers. There will never be consensus

The latter! Have a further twenty people interview me.

I understand there are other candidates, but I don’t know how many.

@MrsFin

Is it a high paying, senior level job?

It is a role with some responsibility but middle management might be the best description for level of seniority. A well above average salary but not highly paid.

If it's a step up for you and you want the job then yes I'd go, but I've never heard of something quite that intense

@DriftingBlue

Seems normal if those are different project teams you might end up working with or be selected to work on. Some places have an initial hiring process and then teams select their own members.

No that is definitely not the case, it isn’t that kind of role. The interviewers include future colleagues, people this role will come into contact with.

@custardbear

If it's a step up for you and you want the job then yes I'd go, but I've never heard of something quite that intense

It isn’t a step up for me. I applied as it as an interesting company (to me), but I am well qualified and experienced for the role.

Is it a teaching job by any chance? I attended an interview in a school (as a TA) many moons ago where after being interviewed by the usual suspects, I was then asked to attend interviews with teachers and children asking me questions in small groups. Was absolutely bizarre, I spent the day jumping through various flaming hoops and turned down the job offer based on this.

I think in your position curiosity would get the better of me and I would attend the interview, not sure I’d accept the job though, it’s just massively OTT isn’t it. When it happened to me with the above job, I just felt like a performing monkey for the head teacher all day.

I once had 6 rounds of interviews and met about 20 people across the company. Didn't get the job, because I wasn't the right fit according to the German based office head . This was for a 6 figure role, senior manager (not Board), about 10 years ago, so it does happen. By the end of it all, I was glad of the rejection as it did seem a bit excessive.

Interviews I have these days tend to be 3 or 4 stages, meeting 5-8 people across the process, which feels about right, given the sector I am in.

Could it be a filtering strategy, plenty of people wouldn't be happy with that scenario so would drop out. If you don't have anything to lose you might as well give it a go and report back here afterwards. It seems an odd process though taking up alot of other people / company time.

How much effort are you having to put in to prep and attend these interviews? Are they face to face or via zoom? Are you currently working?

I wouldn't bother unless I received detailed feedback from the first panel and an understanding of why 20 more people are necessary.

I find it very strange that you have to be interviewed by so many people these day even for junior roles. I interview people and we only do one round unless in doubt. We are usually 2 or 3 people interviewing. We are experienced and know what we are look by for. Occasionally we will do a second round but that’s rare.

I'm not sure about OP's sector, however in a number of regulated sectors/roles (banking, finance, accounting) that I am aware of, they have to tick a load of boxes around interviews and who people meet (even if they end up employing their golf buddy of 8 years, as has happened to me in the past!), particularly for senior roles. Junior roles less so, though they could still meet 4 people across two rounds of interviews.

I am in banking and only doing one round usually. Not very junior positions either.

@PandoraP

I am in banking and only doing one round usually. Not very junior positions either.

Ooh, I'd love to interview for a job with your workplace; one round of interviews sounds amazing

I recently interviewed for a job where there was a round of stakeholder interviews as part of an assessment centre. But only 2 stakeholder panels - 1 being the team I'd be leading, the other people I'd be in contact with regularly. Then the usual interview with the appointing officer + 1 other.
5-6 panels seems bonkers and OTT

This sounds ridiculous.

I’ve done multistage interviews- but 20+ people (effectively 5+ more stages) absolutely not.

I’ve worked in pharma and engineering- interviewed in energy and hospitality too. I’ve never experienced this.

Look at this from another perspective - they want everyone to be on board with your hire - you get to meet the people you will be working for before you accept the job - so less chance of a nasty surprise - see it as a way of checking them out but either way - people who only want one interview are taking a bit of a risk.