By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
EP 3100 One of the most frustrating things about job hunting today is the number of interviews.
The Executive Job Search Goldmine
Okay, so if you’ve ever been on the job hunt, you absolutely know this feeling. You spend hours polishing your resume, you totally nail the first interview, then you get through a second, and just when you’re thinking, okay, this is it, you get that email, you know the one, asking for another round. Ah, it’s gotta be one of the most frustrating parts of looking for a job today.
And this is the thought, right? It just pops into your head, you’re staring at the screen thinking, are you kidding me? Really? Really? After all the hours we’ve already talked? It feels like you’re just being strung along, and honestly, it’s completely understandable to feel that way. And just like that, you find yourself trapped in what feels like an endless interview loop. It’s this exhausting cycle where you just keep investing more of your time, more of your energy, and frankly, more of your hope with every single new conversation.
So that brings us to the big question here. Why on earth do companies do this? Is it just, you know, total disorganization? Are they trying to drive candidates crazy? What is actually going on behind the curtain that leads to these interview marathons? Well, to really get to the bottom of this, we’ve got to look at it from a totally different angle. And that angle comes from a pretty provocative question our recruiter once asked.
And there it is. Do you propose marriage on the first date? Just let that sink in for a second. That one question, it completely flips the script, doesn’t it? All of a sudden, this isn’t just some frustrating process.
You realize, oh, this is a really high stakes decision for them. See, that one question just unpacks the whole thing. It reveals this core idea that recruiters live by.
Hiring is a lot like dating. Because from the company’s point of view, a job offer isn’t just a simple transaction. It’s a huge commitment.
Don’t Act Desperate!
So let’s really walk through this comparison, because it’s pretty powerful. That first phone screen or initial interview, that’s the first date. It’s all about making a good first impression, checking for those basic sparks of compatibility.
Then you have all those follow-up rounds. Well, that’s when things are getting serious. It’s like going on more dates, maybe meeting each other’s friends, or in this case, the team lead and your potential coworkers.
And the job offer itself, that’s the proposal. That is the big commitment. And here’s the kicker.
The thing you have to remember, the company is almost never dating just one person. They’re usually in a situation where they have multiple good choices. They could be talking to you and two other absolutely fantastic candidates.
And the honest truth is, they just aren’t sure who’s going to be the best long-term fit. Okay, so why all the hesitation? Why drag things out with all this dating? It all boils down to one single powerful emotion. The fear of a bad hire.
When you get right down to it, it’s about these three little words. Mistakes are expensive. From a business standpoint, hiring the wrong person isn’t just a minor oops.
It has real tangible costs that can wrinkle through the entire company. So a bad hire is so much more than just someone who isn’t a perfect fit. We’re talking about a costly mistake that can seriously drain a company’s bank account, completely tank team morale, and bring productivity to a grinding halt.
When you start thinking about it in those terms, their caution starts to make a whole lot more sense, right? And that fear, that’s what creates this whole logic of taking their time. It’s the why behind their cautious approach before they’re willing to commit to anyone. So let’s get inside their head for a second.
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Here’s their logic. Step 1. They aren’t 100% sure which candidate is the absolute best choice. Step 2. They’re terrified of making a really expensive mistake.
So that leads to step 3. They keep dating. They add another interview round to gather more information and feel more confident in their decision. And it’s only then, at step 4, that they’re ready to commit.
They only propose when they feel absolutely certain. So what does this all mean for you? Well, understanding this perspective kind of changes the whole game. If you start seeing the interview process as a series of dates, and the job offer as a marriage proposal, it completely reframes your goal.
And that leaves us with one final big question to think about. If all of this is true, how do you use every single one of those dates to prove to that company that you are without a shadow of a doubt, the one?
The 24-Hour Rule
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers easier. Those things can involve job search, hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues.
He is the producer and former host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3000 episodes. 
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