I had my first interview for a management position in health care last week. I think it went really well, and I’m pretty sure they ran the background check and reference checks already. So I get a phone call from a woman at the corporate office yesterday. She wants to meet with me, we chat casually for awhile and she says she’ll figure out a place to meet so that neither one of us has to drive too far. Her title is Director of Human Resources. I am meeting her tomorrow (Th) at a Chili’s (late afternoon, thank Og do not have to eat and talk).
I haven’t applied for many management/supervisor jobs. And I don’t think I’ve ever had a second interview. I have no idea what to expect. I want to be prepared and not too rehearsed, but right now I am clueless as to what she might ask that wasn’t covered in the first interview.
Any HR people out there who might have something to say about this type of meeting? We already discussed salary and benefits at the first interview.
Why am I meeting the Director of HR at a Chili’s in the middle of the afternoon?
For the same reason you would normally have lunch with someone during an extended professional interview.
They want to see you a little bit outside of a tightly structured atmosphere, to see what you are like as a person. Especially since you are meeting with an HR professional, don’t mistake her casualness for lack of observation.
If I were you, I would pass on any drinking at all. Not because you can’t handle it, but because you will be judged on how well you represent yourself every second you are there, plus how well you would represent the company under similar circumstances. If pressed, you can always say you prefer to not drink when you will be driving during the day.
Surely the tab will be on her, but don’t take advantage, even if it is a only Chili’s. Don;t run up the tab on her hospitality, but don’t go ultra cheap either. If you just order appetizers, don’t order something too messy, and whatever you do, shake her hand firmly and properly when you arrive and when you leave. Make sure your hand is clean if you have been eating finger foods!
And don’t forget to play footsie and palm her thigh under the table.
Yeah, what not_alice said. Meeting you. Be prepared to chat about projects you might have worked on or hobbies that you enjoy. Family may or may not come up, though I’d wait for her to bring that one up unless they’re a big part of your leisure activities.
