Second Interview Tips
Congratulations! You've made it past the first step in the selection process
and are now ready for the second interview trip (company visit, plant trip,
etc.). There are two important factors that the company will use in evaluating
you: your ability to fit in with the company's culture, and the quality
and depth of the questions you ask. Just as the prospective employer wants
to learn a great deal about you during the interview trip, you should also
gain as much information as possible during this short time period. Try
to develop the right level of questions for each specific person you interview
with that day (HR, top management, etc.) It's a good idea to always have
some questions prepared while remaining open to questions that come up spontaneously
during your interviews. The following list should get you started with ideas.
NUTS AND BOLTS
- What do you consider the five most important day-to-day responsibilities
of this job?
- Will I be working with a team or on my own?
- How does the performance appraisal system work?
- How often and how many people have been promoted from this position
and to where?
JOB AND DEPARTMENT GROWTH
- What does the department hope to achieve in the next two to three
years? How will that help the company? How will it be recognized by
the company?
- What do you see as the strengths of the department? What do you see
as weaknesses that you are looking to turn into strengths?
- What is the official corporate policy on internal promotion?
- How do you determine when a person is ready for promotion?
- What training and professional development programs are available
to help me grow professionally? Does the company encourage outside professional
development training?
- What are my potential career paths within the company?
CORPORATE CULTURE
- What is the company's mission? What are the company's goals?
- What is unique about the way this company operates?
- How does the reporting structure work? What are the accepted channels
of communication and how do they work?
- What approach does this company take to its marketplace?
COMPANY GROWTH AND DIRECTION
- What expansion is planned for this department, division, or facility?
- What markets does the company anticipate developing?
- Currently, what new product/service/client is the company actively
pursuing?
- How do market trends affect company growth and progress?
Make sure you are clear on the following areas:
- Arrangements: fly, drive, hotel, taxi, parking, meals, credit cards,
reimbursement (before or after), alternative dates, car pooling with
other ISU students, office location, maps if needed.
- Agenda: how long: starting/ending times how many interviews: simultaneous
panel interviews vs. consecutive interviews, required tests or presentation,
titles or departments involved in the interview, any ISU alums, tours...
- Materials: folder, extra resumes, reference sheets, transcripts, copies
of application forms, calendar for scheduling additional interviews,
company literature/research notes, etc. (if needed, portfolio, calculator,
publications)
- Personal Preparation: Appropriate clothes for the trip with backup
essentials (carry-on luggage), alarm, phone numbers of company contact,
newspaper of the city (for brushing up on current events)
FOLLOW UP
An offer of employment is rarely given at the time of the second interview.
Each person you interviewed with should receive a thank-you letter within
twenty-four hours of your visit. Be specific, but brief in expressing
your thanks and continued interest in the organization. Before you leave
the office, find out what the next step is and their timetable for making
a decision.
Office
of Career Services
351 Carrie Chapman Catt Hall
Phone: (515) 294-4841
lascs@iastate.edu |
