Second Interview...HR Dopers, What Can I Expect?

[yanceylebeef]

So, I have a second interview this Friday with a company that shall remain nameless, just in case they are searching for my name online or anything like that.

The first interview was with two people on the phone from Virginia, and one in the office with me. Mostly generic job interview questions, what are you most proud of, explain a situation where you worked under considerable pressure, that sort of thing.

This interview will be with the same three people, but all of them will be in the office.

Any HR dopers want to fill me in on what to expect? I'll be bringing samples of my writing as well as my video production and narration reel, but I'm not sure what they could be asking me that didn't get talked about in the first 2 1/2 hour interview.

Any thoughts?

[ivylass]

I'm not in HR, but I have interviewed my share of applicants. The second interview will go more in depth in your experience, and give you an opportunity to find out more about the company. The phone interview was probably a screening process, although 2 1/2 hours does seem a bit long. They probably want to get a look at you in the flesh, so to speak...you may have a great phone voice, but are you well-kempt? Clean? Know how to use a brush and deodorant?

Bring in your samples, and good luck!

[Mrs. Cake]

What ivylass said, plus the most important thing - did you show up on time for the interview. I't also a good time to find out how you mix personally with your boss, especially if you will be doing a lot of team work.

[Napier]

Ditto ivy and cake. I'm not in HR either, but I interview people. I think it'd be common to get interviewed by not-HR types. After all, the only kind of employee that HR people would be fully competent to interview exclusively would be HR employees.

So you're on a shorter list because you did pretty well in the initial interviews. Before they were trying to figure out in an efficient manner whether you'd probably be satisfactory. Now they're trying to figure out whether to make you the one, or make you one of the few. This is their time to explore the things that seem to differentiate the various candidates. It is also your time to explore whether this employer would be a good one for you. Picture yourself working there and consider what the biggest issues are concerning your satisfaction there. Learn more about this employer, so that you can spend less time in this interview just finding out about them and more time homing in on those biggest issues.

[ivylass]

Well? How did it go?

[yanceylebeef]

It went really well. Most of the questions revolved around hypothetical situations. it's a PR position, so mostly "If this happend, what would you do" sort of thing. I think I killed, but I haven't heard anything yet. Its a government position, so I know the wheels turn very slowly, but it's been about three weeks and I'm going nuts.

Onee of the questions was "what would your bosses say about you if we called them today?"

I told them it would sound alot like y fourth grade reprot card...Yancey is an excellent student, but tends to visit too much.