Congratulations! You have made it past your interview with the recruiter. The corporate recruiter has given you a pass. You are now inline to interview with the hiring manager, and possibly your boss’s boss. Before we address preparing for the interview with your next boss, let’s consider what the company, or organizational recruiter’s job is.
The corporate recruiter’s job is to review resumes, and select the best. These are usually ones that show job stability, meet the job requirements in education, skills, and work experience. They may also make selections based on some skills that may not have been published in the job description. Remember sometimes, the recruiter may call candidates in to gather information around a new direction, or a new technology the organization is considering. Try not to take it personally if you are not called back to interview with a department member, or the hiring manager. It might be a situation where you have been called in to pick your brain, and to see what the market is for candidates. Once you make the cut in the resume’s, the candidate is called in for an interview with the corporate recruiter. There may be a rating grid that the interviewer works from. This grid can contain elements to look for in the interview such as giving concise answers, degree of discomfort when asked difficult or personal questions. The recruiter may also have a set of prepared questions that all candidates are asked. They will also be checking your responses to see if they are consistent with your resume, and/or job application. So make sure your resume is putting your best foot forward, but be honest. And be honest in your responses in the interview. Also, the recruiter will also be assessing your personality. Frankly put, they will be assessing if you have a stable personality, and/or considering how your personality will fit into the organization or team. If you have been called into meet with the hiring manager, you should feel good. You are most likely one of only two or three to be presented to the hiring manager.
As you prepare for the interview with your next boss, be prepared to discuss your successes. Be prepared to talk about the challenge you met, what action you took, and how the challenged was resolved by your action. Try to keep your answers short but be prepared to go into detail if you are asked to discuss your past in depth. Also be prepared to discuss times where things did not go well, and how you responded to those situations.
A couple days in advance of the interview, try on your best suit, or dress clothes – make sure they fit! (If not don’t panic – most suits can be taken in or out as need be.) The day of the interview get your best suit, or dress clothes ready. It is better to overdress than underdress. Make sure dress clothes, or suit, dress shirt, pants are clean and pressed.
Remember to take a couple copies of your resume with you. Don’t be surprised if your new boss has not read your resume. The manager may ask you to go over your work history. This can be a good thing as you can highlight your skills, experience, and successes.
Allow plenty of time to drive or commute to the interview. This might be in a part of the city that you rarely see, and traffic and road work can be unpredictable. Have your GPS, and/or maps ready. Have the phone number for your recruiter in case you get held up un-expectantly. If delayed, it is better to give a heads up to the recruiter who will pass it along to the manager.
When you greet the hiring manager, ask them how things are going. If things are not going well, this may give you information on how to conduct the interview. It will also tell you the mindset of the manager the day you interview. (Managers have bad days too.) Focus on listening to the manager. Listening tells people that you care about them, and their problems.
In preparing for your interview with the hiring manager, be prepared with meaningful questions. In the interview make sure the hiring manager has had time to ask all his or her questions. Then most likely they will ask if you have questions. Some good questions to ask include:
As you part thank the manager for their time. And tell them you are interested in pursuing the position. It is surprising how many candidates don’t end the interview by saying they want the job. Be diplomatic, but make it clear you want the job. (You can always say no later, if you decide not to take the job for whatever reason.)
The final interview with your next boss is your chance to ask questions. You are talking with the decision maker, so this is your chance to ask questions around specific duties, expectations, and how you can make your next boss’s job easier. Look the part, wear your best suit, or dress clothes. Be prepared to discuss the challenges you have met, what actions you took, and what the results were from your action. Allow extra time to get to the interview. Remember to take copies of your current resume. And as in any interview, focus on listening. This is a skill that your next boos will notice. Remember to understand what your next boss is really looking for, and what problems they are looking to fix, you need to understand the message. And the best way to do this is to actively hear the message, and ask questions.
The corporate recruiter’s job is to review resumes, and select the best. These are usually ones that show job stability, meet the job requirements in education, skills, and work experience. They may also make selections based on some skills that may not have been published in the job description. Remember sometimes, the recruiter may call candidates in to gather information around a new direction, or a new technology the organization is considering. Try not to take it personally if you are not called back to interview with a department member, or the hiring manager. It might be a situation where you have been called in to pick your brain, and to see what the market is for candidates. Once you make the cut in the resume’s, the candidate is called in for an interview with the corporate recruiter. There may be a rating grid that the interviewer works from. This grid can contain elements to look for in the interview such as giving concise answers, degree of discomfort when asked difficult or personal questions. The recruiter may also have a set of prepared questions that all candidates are asked. They will also be checking your responses to see if they are consistent with your resume, and/or job application. So make sure your resume is putting your best foot forward, but be honest. And be honest in your responses in the interview. Also, the recruiter will also be assessing your personality. Frankly put, they will be assessing if you have a stable personality, and/or considering how your personality will fit into the organization or team. If you have been called into meet with the hiring manager, you should feel good. You are most likely one of only two or three to be presented to the hiring manager.
As you prepare for the interview with your next boss, be prepared to discuss your successes. Be prepared to talk about the challenge you met, what action you took, and how the challenged was resolved by your action. Try to keep your answers short but be prepared to go into detail if you are asked to discuss your past in depth. Also be prepared to discuss times where things did not go well, and how you responded to those situations.
A couple days in advance of the interview, try on your best suit, or dress clothes – make sure they fit! (If not don’t panic – most suits can be taken in or out as need be.) The day of the interview get your best suit, or dress clothes ready. It is better to overdress than underdress. Make sure dress clothes, or suit, dress shirt, pants are clean and pressed.
Remember to take a couple copies of your resume with you. Don’t be surprised if your new boss has not read your resume. The manager may ask you to go over your work history. This can be a good thing as you can highlight your skills, experience, and successes.
Allow plenty of time to drive or commute to the interview. This might be in a part of the city that you rarely see, and traffic and road work can be unpredictable. Have your GPS, and/or maps ready. Have the phone number for your recruiter in case you get held up un-expectantly. If delayed, it is better to give a heads up to the recruiter who will pass it along to the manager.
When you greet the hiring manager, ask them how things are going. If things are not going well, this may give you information on how to conduct the interview. It will also tell you the mindset of the manager the day you interview. (Managers have bad days too.) Focus on listening to the manager. Listening tells people that you care about them, and their problems.
In preparing for your interview with the hiring manager, be prepared with meaningful questions. In the interview make sure the hiring manager has had time to ask all his or her questions. Then most likely they will ask if you have questions. Some good questions to ask include:
- What is the department’s biggest challenge in the coming year?
- What intangibles are you looking for to fill the position?
- What is the five-year plan for the organization?
- How would you describe the company culture?
- How would you describe your ideal candidate for the job?
- What are your biggest concerns right now?
- What upgrades would you like to see in the department?
- How soon do you want someone in the positon?
- What are the next steps in the hiring process?
As you part thank the manager for their time. And tell them you are interested in pursuing the position. It is surprising how many candidates don’t end the interview by saying they want the job. Be diplomatic, but make it clear you want the job. (You can always say no later, if you decide not to take the job for whatever reason.)
The final interview with your next boss is your chance to ask questions. You are talking with the decision maker, so this is your chance to ask questions around specific duties, expectations, and how you can make your next boss’s job easier. Look the part, wear your best suit, or dress clothes. Be prepared to discuss the challenges you have met, what actions you took, and what the results were from your action. Allow extra time to get to the interview. Remember to take copies of your current resume. And as in any interview, focus on listening. This is a skill that your next boos will notice. Remember to understand what your next boss is really looking for, and what problems they are looking to fix, you need to understand the message. And the best way to do this is to actively hear the message, and ask questions.
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