A job seeker decided to withdraw from a hiring process after being told she would need three more interviews, and social media users are thus talking about how many interview rounds are reasonable. The exchange comes from a video posted by TikTok creator @therealveronika, which was later shared on X. The video was posted last week and had drawn approximately 88,600 likes as of publication.
In the video, Veronika receives a call from “Christina from HR,” who tells her the company wants to move her to the next stage. To that, Veronika says that she has already interviewed twice. The HR rep then tells her she will interview again with the same panel and, if successful, there will be two additional interviews before a decision is made.
Veronika immediately withdraws her application.
“You should know right now today in this moment that I’m speaking to you, I’m not the right fit for your company,” she says.
@therealveronika_ Do not let these people play in your face! They are fishing for resources, information, and solutions to their company's problems by conducting multiple interviews. They ask questions that are supposedly made-up scenarios when in all reality, a lot of the time, the issues are very real & you just handed them a solution to their problem. 3-5 interviews is ridiculous. If you don't know by the second meeting whether or not I am a good fit, then I will decided I am not a good fit. They know people are desperate for work right now so they are taking advantage of that desperation. People show up to interviews and give their very best in hopes of being selected, whole time the company already knows who they want to hire. Just be vigilant ? #therealveronika #workplaceproblems #interview
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She said that repeated interviews allow companies to access candidates’ expertise and ideas without paying for consulting services. She specifically pointed to hypothetical scenarios that she suggested may reflect real problems the company was seeking to solve without paying for consulting.
In the accompanying caption, Veronika said companies that conduct three to five interviews could be “fishing for resources, information, and solutions.”
She asks candidates to be vigilant during the process.
On X, one user said her daughter had four interviews at each of three companies before finding an administrative job. Another commenter said they had 25 years of experience in their field and avoided interviews that were essays or scenario assessments because they did not want to provide their expertise for free.
One user wrote, "5 interviews? Ridiculous." Another said companies should not need that many interviews to make a hiring decision. A third said they had been asked by a video game company to create a test model for a roughly $7,000 job despite having extensive experience. They said there were 30 other applicants and the company could potentially receive dozens of unpaid models through the process.
This is how we do it folks.
— BMcArthur (@bmcarthur20) August 18, 2026
F**k employers who use sociopathic behavior towards prospective employees.
If life puts you in a desperate situation, DON'T surrender your principles and values. Fight harder!
WATCH:#GoodTrouble pic.twitter.com/197OA0ycRh
The job platform Indeed notes that lengthy recruitment processes can include screening interviews, skills assessments, panel interviews, and presentations, though the exact structure varies by company and role. A 2025 candidate poll by Pioneer Search found that respondents typically prefer one or two interview stages. But some employers are now conducting four-, five-, or six-stage processes.
Multiple interview rounds are common, particularly for senior or specialized roles. Indeed says employers use several rounds to make a more informed hiring decision.
