Interview Statistics: First Impressions, Dress Codes, and More

Going through CVs is an essential part of the hiring procedure. However, the latest interview statistics highlight the importance of interviewing suitable candidates.

Interviews can also sharpen your confidence as a newbie. The process can be nerve-wracking for first-timers, and many new interviewees mess up and end up failing the interview.

Even beyond the inexperienced, interviews can still cause a lot of stress. To these folks, a little knowledge about interviews might alleviate their fears. To that end, feast your eyes on these marvelous job interview statistics.

Let’s dive right in.

1. How Long Is the Average Job Interview?

Interviews last about 40 minutes on average.

All of these stats might be just short job interview facts, but the same can’t be said about interviews themselves. You see, the typical interview might prove excruciatingly long for many.

So how long do interviews last? The average interview time is around 40 minutes. Bear in mind that the time factor is dependent on the role. Some interviews are longer than that, while others are considerably shorter.

One thing to note is that no matter how long an interview takes—average length or not—33% of interviewers know if they’ll hire a candidate within 90 seconds. Here are some disqualifying factors that might cut your odds in the bud:

• Inability to make eye contact
• Lack of confidence
• Lack of knowledge about the company
• Trendy dressing code
• How an interviewee walks into an interview room

1.1. Companies have an average of nine interview stages.

Are you wondering how long an interview process takes? According to interview process time statistics, the majority of the companies that Lever surveyed had around 9 stages. Bear in mind that the number was just an average, meaning that there could be companies that had more stages or fewer.

This is clearly a lot for any interviewee to endure. That’s why experts recommend that you include no more than nine stages while aiming to have as few as possible.

1.2. Recruiters spend 5 to 7 seconds going through resumes.

Are you preparing your CV/resume? According to interview preparation statistics, it’s vital to make your CV appealing and concise because your recruiter could otherwise toss it aside. Get straight to the point and leave out any fluff to increase your chances of getting a callback.

2. When Is the Best Time For an Interview?

61% of CFOs believe that the best time to conduct an interview is between 9 am to 11 am. 

Have you been wondering what the best time to conduct an interview is? Well, mid-morning is the best time to schedule interviews, and the best time-to-interview statistics support this claim.

61% of the interviewed CFOs picked 9 am to 11 am because by late afternoon, fatigue has set in, and both interviewers and interviewees might not give the exercise their best shot.

Now, 9 am isn’t too early, as it gives the interviewer ample time to set up the interview. The interviewee also gets enough time to prepare and get to the venue in good time.

2.1 Is it better to be interviewed first or last?

Candidates get excited when an interviewer calls them into an interview room first. As an interviewee, going for an interview first could help you get a more objective evaluation. Going in last could be unfavorable for you, especially if good candidates went in before you.

2.2. What month do companies hire the most?

Are you wondering when the best time to apply for a full-time and long-term job is? According to Top Resume, January and February are the best months to start looking for a job.

If you’re looking for an urgent job in May, you might be lucky to get a job fast. This is the month that most companies are busy with product releases, so they don’t have time to nitpick on CVs.

3. How Many Interviews on Average Before Getting a Job?

The average number of interviews before getting a job is between two and three.

Of course, if the interviewers aren’t as sure about the candidates even after three interviews, this means that the process starts all over again. While this can be frustrating for interviewees, remember that interviewers aren’t happy wasting their time either, so it’s unlikely they would drag out the process for longer than necessary. 

But how many candidates make it to the final interview in the first place? Apparently, only 1–3 people get a chance to showcase their skills and qualification in the final rounds of job interviews.

3.1. The average time from an interview to a job offer is between 20 and 40 days.

The often-excruciating average response time after an interview seems like it goes on forever sometimes—evaluating candidates after interviews isn’t an easy task. Employers need to take their time to opt for the optimal candidate, though, and that can take a while.

So how long after an interview is a job offer made? According to the data at hand, the average job offer comes around 20 to 40 days following an interview.

3.2. 1 in every 12 informational job interviews results in a job offer.

According to statistics on interviews, when it comes to job offers, you have better chances of getting a job after an informational interview. If you compare the statistics to regular interviews, only one applicant in every interview is likely to get a job.

The data shows that this form of interviewing is very effective when it comes to finding the right applicant. Everybody knows someone who could be ideal for the job. So, why not consider a referral instead of sifting through a sea of people that might not have the right qualifications?

3.3. The average job conversion rate is 30–40%.

Not everyone can get a job. A company needs to be careful regarding the quality of candidates it invites for interviews—that way, the most suitable candidates get the job.

This is why only a small percentage of all applicants make the cut. Somewhere around 30-40% of interviewees end up getting a job offer after the interview.

3.4. What percentage of applicants get an interview?

20% of people that apply for a job end up getting an interview. Bear in mind that the percentage is just an average. Depending on the type of job and its requirements, the percentage could be more or less.

3.5. How many candidates are usually interviewed for a position?

According to Forbes, the number of people that get interviews is 118 on average. If you’re a candidate, ensure that you tailor your CVs to suit the company’s requirements to increase your chances of a talent scout shortlisting you for an interview.

Another important thing to note is that unprofessional email addresses can increase the chances of a company failing to call you back. So, ditch that unprofessional email address, and get one that has your name.

3.6. Chances of getting a job after the second interview are one in four.

The 2nd interview success rate is not that discouraging—your chances stand at 25%, the latest numbers show.

Interestingly, statistics indicate that the chances of you being called for a second interview are also around 25%.

4. What Are Some Common Mistakes and First Impression Issues for the Interviewees?

4.1. 47% of interviewers don’t hire candidates with no knowledge about the company.

Are you getting ready for an interview? According to statistics on job interview preparation, the first thing that you need to do is research the company where you’re applying for a job.

Nearly half of hiring professionals recommend that applicants have some background knowledge about a company. That could earn them some serious points.

4.2. 33% of recruiters know if they’ll hire someone within the first 90 seconds. 

Minute and a half: that’s enough for an interviewer to decide if you’re a good match for the company or not. According to this statistic, job interviews either make or break within the first 90 seconds that you sit on that interview chair.

Interviews last longer than a couple of minutes but beware that your interviewer could be observing your every move, listening to the tone of your voice, observing if you’re smiling or not, all to conclude if you’re the right fit.

4.3. 65% of candidates that don’t make eye contact don’t get the job.

Are you looking for more first impression statistics regarding a job interview? Here’s one you might need more than any other:  eye contact exudes confidence, and it’s no wonder that nearly two-thirds of recruiters think it’s important.

Looking at the interviewer straight in the eye when answering questions shows that you’re confident about what you’re talking about. There’s also some degree of honesty demonstrated if you look at your recruiter rather than looking away or staring into empty space.

4.4. 33% of employers say that fidgeting too much is a common mistake an interviewee makes.

Do you want to ace your interview? Avoid fidgeting too much. An employer could find the habit off-putting, especially since you’re supposed to appear confident during an interview. 

Besides answering the obvious questions regarding the role, it’s vital to have some additional skills to keep you ahead of your competitors. According to the facts and statistics about interview skills, this is what you should and shouldn’t do:

• Don’t play with your hair. 
• Don’t dwell on why you lost your previous job. A brief explanation is enough. 
• Do not overemphasize what you want.
• Never try to “wing” an interview. Prepare ahead of the interview date to know exactly what to say. 
• Always research your employer
• Be enthusiastic and show interest

Some basic interview questions you should prepare for are:

• Tell us why you left your last job.
• What was your experience working for company XYZ?
• Why do you want to work for our company?
• Tell me what you know about this company.

4.5. 73% of people seeking jobs are stressed.

Looking for a new job can be an extremely stressful affair. Apparently, 73% of job seekers feel stressed throughout the process of trying to get a suitable job.

This can often influence a candidate’s performance in the meeting, so finding a method to stay calm throughout the process is always a good idea.

4.6. Recruiters discard 76% of resumes that have unprofessional email addresses.

It may come as a surprise, but unprofessional emails are common in applications.

Instead of using your nickname as your email address, try using your real name to avoid disqualification—[email protected] simply won’t cut it.

4.7. The rejection rate for resumes with photos is 88%.

Your CV photo might actually harm your odds of getting called for an interview.

Why’s that? It could have to do with the fact that photos take up valuable space in your CV, i.e., the space for something your potential employer actually wants to know. So don’t include a photo in your application.

4.8. 74% of HR managers prefer structured interviews. 

According to interview method statistics, nearly three-quarters of recruiters frequently use the structured interviewing technique. Why is the structured method so popular?

Here’s the thing:

Unlike unstructured interviews, the method is formal and uses a similar set of questions for all candidates. Interviewing using the same questions brings uniformity and fairness. 

4.9. 88% of HR managers rate both behavioral and structured interviewing methods as the most effective.

When it comes to statistics about interview questions, it might help to incorporate these two methods, the vast majority of hiring professionals agree. Interview questions from both techniques are most likely to get employers the results they want.

5. What to Wear to a Job Interview?

5.1. 55% of interviewers say that interviewees respecting dress codes make great first impressions.

Interview day stats show that it’s best to dress in formal attire as it can help make a good first impression. While some companies allow casual dressing, you should check out the company’s culture to help you determine what to wear on your big day.

Over half of hiring managers will disqualify a candidate if they don’t dress appropriately for the interview.

5.2. 65% of hiring managers say that a dress code can be a deciding factor between two similar candidates.

Do you like to dress for the occasion? Here are some fun interview facts about dressing up for an interview that you’ll love. Dressing in business attire when attending an interview is likely to get you the job if your competitor doesn’t put in as much effort as you, according to around two-thirds of recruiters.

5.3. 70% of employers don’t like bright colors.

Try to tone it down color-wise on your interview day. Some interesting facts about a job interview show that seven out of ten recruiters are against bright colors. Only about three in ten don’t seem to mind, whereas the majority say your garish colors could sour their impression of you.

6. Top Video Interview Statistics

6.1. 60% of hiring managers use video interviews. 

Companies are now realizing they can save time through video interviews when evaluating candidates who are not within their geographic location. Stats for interviews show that six in ten recruiters find video interviews to be a convenient way to conduct interviews for both the applicant and the company.

6.2. 47% of companies that use video interviews do it to save time and money.

According to job interview facts, nearly half of all managers conduct video interviews to save on expenses and valuable time.

Think about it:

An interviewee can attend an interview from the comfort of their home using video software; hence no commute time and travel expenses. An interviewer also doesn’t have to prepare a venue to conduct an interview, hence saving time.

7. General Job Openings, Process, and Interview Statistics

7.1. Job openings remain unfilled for an average of 28.1 days.

According to statistics on the job interview process, positions remain open for close to a month on average. Between 2003 to 2004, the number of days that positions remained vacant was just 19.3 days.

The steep increase in this number could mean that the recruiters were more thorough in their recruitment process back then. Another possibility would be that there was an over-supply of available positions at the time.

7.2. There were 11.4 million job openings in the US as of April 2022.

According to interview facts and figures, there were 11.4 million job openings in the US by the end of April 2022. The number slightly declined from the previous month when the number of job openings was 11.86 million.

The number of job openings changed moderately over the year. Decreases can be observed in several industries, with accommodation and food services having the largest decline.

7.3. A 10% more challenging job interview process leads to 2.6% higher employee satisfaction.

The job market is oversaturated with overqualified graduates. So, it helps when interviewers innovate challenging and creative ways to hire not only the smartest but also candidates that will fit into the organization culturally.

This interview stat translates into the following:

The more difficult the interview questions are, the easier it is for a company to bag the best candidate.

7.4. 75% of employers are keen on the availability of key skills.

According to statistics in interviews, CEOs want candidates that possess key skills in the role that needs filling. According to these statistics, 72% of CEOs want to ensure that the right person gets the job.

7.5. 35% of applicants qualify for the jobs they apply for.

Statistics on job interviews show that only one-third of applicants qualify for the jobs that they apply for. The reason could be that there’s a shortage of jobs on the market which makes applicants decide to try making it in other areas.

7.6. Applicant tracking software eliminates about 75% of job applicants.

Surprising interview statistics show that robots could automatically disqualify you from the race. Make sure that you tailor your resume or CV to suit the company’s requirements to avoid instant elimination.

7.7. 88% of employers acquire superior candidates from referrals.

You might think that HR departments would never ask for referrals from an employee, right? Well, you’re wrong, and here’s why:

Interesting facts about interviews show that employees can provide quality referrals. In fact, referrals are the primary source of superior candidates for 88% of employers.

Interview Statistics: Key Takeaways

The above interview statistics can help you put your search for the best candidate or job into perspective. It’s beneficial for HR professionals, recruiters, hiring managers, and job applicants to know that there’s a lot that goes into the planning and execution of interview processes.

Bottom line:

Hiring expectations are evolving as the older generations retire and young people are joining the workforce. Since both of these groups have different needs, the companies need to pay attention to what needs tweaking and keep up with the times.

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