Third Interview - What to expect (your experiences welcome) (sample, references, job)

[StrangeAsAngels]

I have been invited for a third interview with a company. The first was via telephone with a senior person in the company, the second was in person with the hiring manager and the third is another in person only this time with another senior person. I haven't spoke to anyone in their HR department. Everyone I've interviewed with has been departmental. The job title is actually more junior than my previous role only it's with a global company so I don't see it as a step back at all but rather a step in the right direction.

Generally, what happens with these types of interviews? Please post your experience with third interviews and any advice or words of wisdom you'd like to share.

[7G9C4J2]

In general, an initial phone interview is done to establish that you have the bare-bones basic requirements for the job and can communicate comprehensibly. The second interview is usually a more in-depth exploration of your technical knowledge, background and qualifications for the position. And typically the final interview is all about "fit" - how they think you will mesh with the company's culture and often with the department's culture.

Since you mention that the company is a global one, I am sure they must have an extensive web presence. I'd suggest that you spend some time exploring that resource in considerable detail, gleaning all that you can about their corporate philosophy. Use the opportunity to plan some specific questions ahead of time, like "I saw on your website that you are projecting growth in the so-and-so division, will this position be involved in doing any of the development work for that area?" Or "I noticed that your website mentions that the company supports the XYZ Charitable Trust. Can you tell me a little more about what you do with the Trust?" Even a simple question like "what is it about this company that you most love about working here" will both allow you to assess how well you'd fit in there and demonstrate to the interviewer that you are thinking ahead about more than just getting the job.

[groar]

i agree with midwesternbookworm - if they're organized at all, this interview should be about how you'll fit in, whether you'll work well with your coworkers, mesh with the corporate culture, mission, vision, etc. your questions and answers should have a similar focus. i'll expand a little bit on the questions, because that is one of my strengths - ask questions that allow YOU to assess how you'll fit in. remember, this is a 2 way street and you are not just trying to get the job, you are trying to decide if you want it. most interviewers like this kind of mindset - they don't want someone who's trying to cram themselves into a mold they don't fit into. these kinds of questions also allow you to expand on your suitability for the role and the company. for instance you can ask what personality/work styles fit in well and briefly address how you have that style. or you can ask the interviewer to recall someone who previously held the role who was great at it, and what qualities they had that made them not just good, but great. then you can talk about how you have those qualities! you can also ask about management style, company culture, etc. your goal is to find out what they want in an employee, and what it's really like to work there. the latter is tough, but do what you can. if you have the luxury of being choosy, you should do everything you can to figure this stuff out. pay attention to how you're treated and also to the atmosphere in the office.

i had 3 interviews at my current job and they pretty much followed the same pattern mwbw describes:

1. 30 minutes phone interview with my manager.
2. hour long interview with 3 out of 5 members of my department including my manager.
3. hour long interview with one of the 2 head people of the organization (who is also the big boss of my department), someone from another department, and my manager.

after that i was asked to do a short work sample - writing a slightly complex e-mail and making a list of the things i thought i'd have to learn in my first 6 months on the job. then my references were very thoroughly checked. within a couple of hours of my last reference being checked, i was offered the job.

i got some of the same questions between interviews, but they definitely each had a theme.