To HR Managers: A 2-Minute Interview Reflects a Disjointed Hiring Process, Not Applicant’s Incompetence

How would you feel if you showed up for an interview after days of preparation, only to be told, “We’ll call you,” just under 2 minutes, even before you had the chance to say your name? Would you walk away thinking you failed, or wondering if the process was even fair in the first place?

Recently, I attended an interview for a position that lasted barely 2 minutes before being told, “We’ll call you later.” Now, the same role has been reposted....

This is the story of Emmanuel Agbo (real name withheld), a job seeker who shared his experience on LinkedIn a few days ago. He had been shortlisted for a role and was invited to attend an interview. But the interview lasted less than two minutes. No proper conversation, no real evaluation, just a cold dismissal statement of 'We’ll call you', only for that same job to be reposted online days later.

This article isn’t just about one man’s experience. It’s about something more: the way hiring processes, when handled carelessly, can reveal deeper disorganizational issues within an organization. Emmanuel’s story should prompt reflection, not just sympathy. It is a call on hiring professionals to do their homework very well, before inviting a candidate for an interview.

So What Exactly Happened?

When Emmanuel got the interview invitation, it must have felt like a small victory. Getting shortlisted is often a sign that someone noticed your potential. So I can bet that he did what many of us would do; he prepared!

He likely rehearsed his responses, studied the company’s values, and maybe even prayed for favor. He got dressed, traveled through the heat, and showed up early. But the interview itself didn’t give him any space to prove himself.

It ended almost as soon as it began. No real engagement. No proper conversation. Just a quick goodbye and an empty promise that was never fulfilled. Even the fastest speaker in the whole world would be helpless in an interview of under 2 minutes.

Now imagine how that must have felt. Was it something he said, or didn’t get the chance to say? Was it something about his appearance? Maybe he dressed shabbily? Or was the decision already made before he even walked in?

And then came the most confusing part: the role was posted again. What conclusion is he or anyone supposed to draw from that?

What HR Managers Need to Understand About a 2-Minute Interview

To any HR professionals or hiring managers seeing this: If shortlisted candidates weren’t suitable, why were they called in the first place?…

Emmanuel didn’t just share his experience; he asked a direct question that deserves honest answers: If shortlisted candidates weren’t suitable, why were they invited in the first place?

So, let’s be honest; why would an interview end in two minutes? Is it because the candidate wasn’t good enough? Or is it because something is wrong in the process?

A two-minute interview doesn’t reveal much about a candidate’s ability. In fact, it reveals more about the organization conducting it.

Could it be that the recruiter didn’t take time to properly screen the candidate before inviting them? Or that the hiring team wasn’t aligned on who they were looking for in the first place? Maybe the job role had changed, and no one thought to update the candidates or cancel the interviews. Or perhaps the decision had already been made internally, and the rest of the process was just a formality.

Well, whatever the case, one thing is clear: when interviews are rushed, shallow, and followed by silence, or a reposting of the same job, the issue isn’t the applicant. It’s the system.

A 2-minute interview often reflects poor coordination, unclear expectations, or disorganization within the company. It suggests that the recruitment process isn’t structured, that hiring decisions are reactive rather than deliberate, and that candidates are being treated as numbers, not people.

And what does that say about the company culture? Think of it, if things are this disjointed at the hiring stage, how does the rest of the organization function? Is there clarity around decision-making? Is there respect for people’s time and effort? Are the decision makers responsible for their decisions?

These are the real concerns that short, unproductive interviews raise, not about the candidates, but about the hiring teams. It shows more of a disjointed organization rather than an incompetent applicant.

If someone makes it to the interview stage, it means something in their profile was worth exploring in the first place. Now, if that exploration never happens, the problem is not that the candidate didn’t perform; it’s that the process was never ready to receive them, so it becomes a call to begin looking inward structure, than reposting the job.

To Every Job Seeker: This Is Not the End of Your Story

If you’ve ever been in Emmanuel’s shoes, you probably know the kind of questions that follow. Was I not good enough? Did I fail somehow? Should I even keep applying?

But here’s what you need to hear: when you are not given the space to speak, when an interview is too short to assess anything meaningful, it is not your fault. You didn’t fail; the process failed!

What do you do with experiences like this? Do you give up? Do you start questioning your worth? Or do you take it for what it is? Yes, take it for what it truly is: a reminder that not all rejection is about you.

You can prepare well, show up on time, and still be dismissed because the people on the other side were not ready or organized. That doesn’t make you unqualified. It simply means you were dealing with a process that wasn’t built with care.

So instead of walking away feeling broken, remind yourself that some interviews are not about you at all. Sometimes, the job wasn’t yours, not because you lacked value, but because the environment couldn’t recognize it. And maybe that’s a sign you were never meant to be there in the first place.

Conclusion: Interviews Are Not Mere Meetings

Hiring is not just about filling a position. It’s about how you treat people along the way. It’s about how you manage their expectations, their time, and their dignity.

For hiring professionals, the question you should ask yourself is simple: are you truly ready to receive the people you invite for interviews? Or are you just going through the motions? Are you treating job seekers as human beings, or as names to be filtered out, just to fulfil and process?

And to every job seeker reading this: your journey is still unfolding. A short interview doesn’t cancel your ability. It doesn’t erase your preparation. It doesn’t take away your future. If anything, it only reveals a system; a 'dis'organization that is not ready for you; a reason to keep your head up; because the right opportunity will not dismiss you after two minutes. Until then, stay ready. Your time will come.

Source: LinkedIn