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How to Handle a Post Interview Meeting

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If you achieved a favorable outcome on your first interview, the company might invite you back for a post-interview meeting. This might be your final opportunity to meet with the hiring manager or other company representatives prior to the company's selection of the new employee. It's essential, therefore, to repeat or improve on your performance at your first interview to best ensure that you receive a job offer.

Request Meeting Agenda

The post-interview meeting might consist of multiple phases, each of which might involve a number of different people. When the company representative contacts you to schedule this meeting, ask if she might email you a copy of the day's events if one is available. The agenda will likely be a sequenced list of the one-on-one or group meetings that will occur including the times at which they will occur, the participants, as well as their roles within the company. The agenda will also include any plant or office tours the company planned for you.

Analyze First Interview and Agenda

Whether or not you receive a meeting agenda, you'll want to review any notes you took during your first meeting with the company to identify the areas of focus. Whoever you meet with during the second meeting might dig deeper into these topics or address entirely different subjects to understand the specific contributions you might make to the company. Prepare for both contingencies. Be aware that the roles of the people you will meet during the post-interview meeting will influence whether they will focus on your skills, experience or education. For example, a hiring manager might focus on your skills and experience, while the company's owner, who is going to make the final decision on your hiring, might focus on how you fit into the company's culture, which includes its mission, values and vision. Also, consider any information in your notes or in your original research that you may need to review or supplement with additional research to best prepare for more in-depth questions.

Prepare Questions and Responses

As you prepare for your post-interview meeting, review the information you gathered during your first meeting to create questions that you might ask during the upcoming meeting that are more in-depth than questions you asked in your first interview. Do more research regarding the company if necessary. Those who interview you will be trying to determine if you are the best applicant for the position so be sure your questions are relevant to position and to the company as a whole.

Reiterate Your Interest in the Position

As your host concludes the interview, remember that your evaluation continues as long as you are on the company's site. If you remain interested in the position and company following the day's activities, state this fact at the conclusion of the meeting. As you extend your thanks for being considered for the opportunity, relate your skills and experience to the primary points that your host made during the interview. Keep in mind that the company may consider you for more than one position. Therefore, be sure to express your interest in the company and its current projects. Also, ask your host when he will make the hiring decision and if you might provide any additional information or documentation to support your application.

References
Writer

Billie Nordmeyer works as a consultant advising small businesses and Fortune 500 companies on performance improvement initiatives, as well as SAP software selection and implementation. During her career, she has published business and technology-based articles and texts. Nordmeyer holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting, a Master of Arts in international management and a Master of Business Administration in finance.

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