Q&A: How Long Do Interviews Last?

The length of your job interview will depend on several factors, including the industry, type of role, number of interviewers, and how many applicants there are. The format of the interview plays a role as well. The interview lengths tend to vary for in-person, phone, and video interviews. 

Average Duration of In-Person Interviews

Most in-person job interviews last thirty to sixty minutes, but this can vary depending on how many people are being interviewed and how much time hiring managers can dedicate to each applicant.

It’s not uncommon for an interviewer to run late, so don’t be too discouraged if you feel like things are dragging out a bit more than they should. 

If it feels as though things aren’t going well enough to continue, you may want to end your interview before time runs out. You can always ask when would be the best time to reach out if you’re interested in returning at another point.

How Long Do Phone Interviews Last?

Initial phone interviews typically last about 15-20 minutes and are a good way to screen candidates before bringing them in for an in-person interview.

If the interviewer is interested, they will usually schedule you for an opportunity to meet with several members of their team.

It’s important that your background noise is minimal, so it doesn’t distract from your professionalism and responses on the phone. You’ll want to ensure there aren’t any significant distractions. Stay clear of noisy environments that have music playing on your end or other people talking nearby.

How Long Do Video Interviews Last?

Video interviews (often held over Zoom or Google Meet) tend to last between half an hour to one hour. It can sometimes be stressful when you’re trying to look your best and sound professional at the same time. Practice setting up the video call in advance to avoid any technical glitches with video and sound!

How to Ask How Long an Interview Will Last

Knowing how long interviews generally take also helps job seekers choose between multiple opportunities. This means understanding what type of questions might come up during your particular meeting and how long they are expected to take.

You can always directly ask HR or the recruiter how long your interview is going to last.

You could say something like this: 

“Would you mind giving me an idea of how long our interview will take?” or “How long do you expect the interview to last?”

These questions are completely appropriate and will make no one feel as though you are uninterested in the role or position. They should give a ballpark of how much time is expected so that you can plan accordingly based on your own schedule if need be!

How Do You Know if the Interview Went Well?

Asking how long the interview is going to last may also help you determine how well your meeting went.

It’s generally easy to tell when an interviewer isn’t interested in bringing you back after your initial conversation due to how little information about upcoming steps they provide. Also, if your 1-hour interview was cut short to 15 minutes, it’s likely that the interviewer didn’t feel as though you were a good fit for their team.

It could feel as though things didn’t go quite if little interest was shown towards scheduling another appointment.

If the employer is interested in moving forward with your candidacy, then they should give an estimate about when additional steps may take place. (ex. This provides job seekers with reassurance that their efforts and skills set are being recognized!

Final Thoughts

The length of an interview should never determine how well someone performs or how interested they are in a particular role. It’s important not only to ensure that you prepare adequately before each interview, but that you also know how long interviews generally last beforehand as well! 

This will help ease any extra stressors associated with this process and allow you more freedom to showcase your skills, strengths, and experience. 

So how long do job interviews last? The time an interview will take varies depending on what kind of role you are applying for, the number of applicants, and time constraints. 

What’s the best way to determine how long your next interview should last? Ask! 

You can also use this as an opportunity to inquire about the dress code, what kind of information the employer wants from you beforehand (if any), which could come in handy later when preparing for the interview. 

Knowing this type of information will help you plan your time well and prepare for the job interview!