A reader (we’ll call her “Kay,” since she’s job searching and needs to remain confidential) recently emailed me with an interesting question regarding the interview process at hospitals. At the time Kay contacted me, she was in the process of interviewing for a management role in a hospital. After three seemingly successful interviews, Kay had still not received an offer. Instead, she was asked to return to the hospital to interview yet again, a fourth time!

Even for an experienced person like Kay, who recognizes that most hospitals are not known for their highly efficient hiring practices, this request for a fourth interview was confusing. Kay was unsure what to think, and understandably so! She wondered: “Is this normal? Is a fourth interview a good thing? Does this mean there is interest in me as a candidate or not?” My reply and thoughts on this common interviewing scenario were as follows:

• Yes, the hospital is probably interested in hiring you at this time, or they wouldn’t continue to invest all this time in four interviews. However, you don’t have an offer yet, so nothing is certain.
• That being said, keep in mind that an interview process tells you a lot about a potential employer. This hospital management team is either (a) disorganized or (b) indecisive. Can you handle working in that type of unpredictable environment?
• Before you attend the next interview, ask the recruiter what is the purpose of the visit, who you will meet, and what their roles are.
• In my professional opinion, anything over three interviews is excessive for most jobs, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Additionally, although it was too late for Kay to do so, I recommend candidates always inquire up front for details about the interview process. If the recruiter or manager is unable to tell you how many visits are involved, or how many people you’ll need to meet before a decision is made, that is a sign that the potential employer may not know what they want, or they may be, again, disorganized. It turns out, the reader was interviewing for a newly created position, and there was some disagreement amongst the managers about the role and what type of qualifications a person would need to do the job. I’m still waiting to hear back as to the end result; I’ll keep you posted! But meanwhile, I thought this information could be helpful to those of you who are, or who are about to me, in the interview process.

What are your thoughts and interview experiences? Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation or interviewing predicament? Feel free to email me with questions, or comment here on the Health Careers site! Learn More:

• 7 Deadly Sins of Interviewing - How NOT to Get the Job
• Health Career Job Searching Tips