What is the theory behind very long interviews?

Question

I just spent 6 hours interviewing for level 2 tech support! 6 different people interviewed me, asking me completely non-technical questions, mostly the same questions worded differently. (I had a more technical phone interview leading up to this.) I get that they're trying to make sure I'm not lying about past work experiences, but beyond that, I'm clueless. It left a sour taste in my mouth. I'm astonished, because it's otherwise a wonderful company that many people would kill to work for. There has to be more to this!

Answer 1

They could be poor interviewers.  I don't suppose interviewing is the main job skill they are required to have?  At our company we have a policy that the pepole you might work with get to interview you.  Although I don't think we have ever put anyone through what you went through.

Answer 2

I have to say I'm baffled about why they had to stick to a list of questions. Usually when you have a multi-person interview, you'll get a lot of repeated questions because people want to know the same things.

The first interview established that you have the skills to do the job. The second one was to test how you'll fit with the people in the company and how you'll handle things on the job. They call this a behavioral interview, although some technical stuff may be in there, too.

Long interviews like these are pretty common now, especially in IT/ technology. You interface with a variety of people, so they want someone representing each role to check you out.  Then they want to compare answers and feelings about you in order to make a decision. Companies are convinced that this helps them make better hiring decisions. I haven't seen this to be all that true.

Basically, you keep smiling, you stay alert, you stay calm, and you don't get impatient when you hear the same question for the fourth time.

Answer 3

If you think it is worthwhile, you can choose to stay. Let yourselff to seek a new opportunity if you don't that that company is not the one that you would like to join in. Here, I would like to recommend Jobirn.com to you, which is  a networking jobsite. Besides finding jobs, you can establish your network for career there. Moreover, you can chat with HR mangers and recruiters directly, which will enlarge your chance to get hired. Good luck!

Answer 4

You are both right and wrong!  

It is 100% true that many companies have hiring practices that no one knows how they work.  Ideally hiring practices would lead to the selection of a qualified individial.  Instead, many basically choose to use strange formulas.  A six hours interview clearly is one of those dubious methods.

But, if you want to get hired, you must go through their system.  They feel positivelly about it, dumb as it really seems,  and will not hire anyone who expresses the contrary.  

By the way, most employers employ these dumb techniques.  It is a miracle some of these companies are still running today.

Answer 5

Because there is a lot of potential liability in hiring people.  Think about it.  If you do something that royally messes something up and that impacts customer service, customers can be lost and your employer can even be sued, depending on the nature of the transgression.

Alcoholics often get in positions where jobs require them to drive.  Drug addicts often steal money from employers to support their habits.  This is why employers do drug screening.

And all of this is even before we get to the issue of whether or not you are technically qualified for the position.  And in some states, if they fire you and don't do it right, they have to pay higher unemployment taxes to the state.

Hiring and firing people is expensive and there is a lot of potential downside for the employer.  In your case, you say this is an employer for whom many want to work.  I would think that in addition to all of the above, this would also mean they can perhaps be a little more selective than other employers.