On to round two!
Hello all,
As promised, I am checking in with more interview tricks and tips as the recruitment process progresses for Fisher graduate students. I went over my top 5 tips for first round interviewing a few weeks ago. Assuming everyone followed my guidelines and aced their first interviews ;-), we will move on to the second round interview, or office visit.
There are several differences between the first and second round interviews for full-time employment. First, this interview is often conducted onsite, or at the company headquarters/corporate office. The duration of this interview is often much longer as well, often lasting several hours, in order to familiarize you with the office, allow time for multiple interview sessions, and meet with other employees. Additionally, the second round often entails a "pre-night" event, which is often a business dinner with other associates from the company, management, and possibly your interviewers. During the first round, you made a solid impression on the interviewer, but now is the chance to really sell yourself to upper management, and prove you would be an asset to their company among all other candidates who have passed the initial screening. So far so good? Now, let's get to the basic tips for success in the second round:
1.) Review your previous first round interviews. This allows you to avoid mistakes you may have made previously, brush up on your answers to relevant questions you may be asked, review items you want to discuss with your interviewer, etc.
2.) Dress for success: Often, second round interviews only require business casual attire. It is important to dress accordingly and avoid too casual, business casual. I feel it is especially hard for women to choose business casual clothing-there are so many options! Click here for some tips on business casual wear.
3.) Research, research, research: Now more than ever, it is important to have a solid knowledge base on the company you are interviewing with. This will help in potential interview questions, as well as determining if you are actually a good fit for the firm.
4.) Be prepared for potential case interviewing: Often, interviewers will conduct case study interviews (either individual or group) to test your logic, analytics, and creativity. Don't panic-just try your best and use your technical logic. There is often no right or wrong answer-they just want to see how you would break down a problem to arrive at a solution, using exemplary team skills or individual though.
5.) Ask questions and say thank you: The interview is not just for the firm to decide whether or not to hire you, it is for you to get to know the firm and staff for your benefit. Be sure to ask questions and send appropriate thank you responses.
While these tips are basic, I hope they have provided some insight and will be helpful as you progress through the second round interview. Until next time. Good luck everyone!