Job hiring or hunger games? Candidates push back against lengthy, unfair interview processes

The original poster (OP) detailed their experience of being approached for a senior role that seemed promising in terms of pay and benefits. However, after submitting their CV, they were informed of an extensive three-stage interview process. The first round included a video call with the hiring manager and HR to discuss past experience—something the OP found reasonable. The second round required an in-person panel interview with engineers, where they would be expected to answer technical questions on the spot and present on a topic of their choice. Finally, the third round demanded participation in a group project with other candidates, technical aptitude tests, and another round of interviews with senior management and HR.

At that point, the OP withdrew their application, stating, «I’m sorry, I’m not participating in normalizing this ridiculous HR-driven process for positions all the way up the ladder.» They later found another role with a much simpler hiring process—a single in-person interview with technical questions—which turned out to be «the best job I’ve ever had, on more money than the initial role.»

A Trend of Overcomplicated Hiring

The post resonated with many professionals who feel that some companies are implementing excessive interview processes without considering their impact. One commenter bluntly stated, «Jesus, no way I’m doing a group project (or frankly any kind of project) before being hired. That’s legitimately insane.» Another pointed out, «I think this is just a way for companies to get