3rd interview = job?
Mar 31, 2008 at 9:58 PM Post #2 of 33
Yup, they rarely bring you back the third time just to explain why you are not getting the job.

Or to ask you something else after ambiguous results on a urine test, criminal record, etc. etc.......
biggrin.gif


You have met your potential co-workers already, haven't you?
 
Mar 31, 2008 at 9:59 PM Post #3 of 33
I'd say it probably means that they are serious about possibly offering you a job, but there's more than one suitable candidate and they need to decide. 3 interviews does seem a bit much, but if they are ramping up in stringency, then it makes sense I suppose.
 
Mar 31, 2008 at 10:21 PM Post #6 of 33
Quote:

Originally Posted by Pepsione1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
What does 3rd interview (after a phone and a in person meet with manager) mean usually? Job offer?

It's for a serious job not a high school part time. lol


It typically means they like you and you are a serious candidate for the position, but either someone is unsure, they have other candidates, or someone (could be more than one person) wasn't able to meet with you last time and needs to do so before any decisions would be made.

One thing to keep in mind: at this stage, you can assume they like you, and they know that you can either do the work, or learn to do the work. Therefore qualifications and work experience are no longer a primary focus. In early interviews, the goal (of the potential employer) is typically to find reasons to disqualify/reject you. But at the later stages of interviewing, the goal is to confirm first impressions and to make sure you will be a good fit with the culture of the company.

Consequently, you now need to shift your focus a little: the most important thing to do at this stage is to simply not give them any reason to think you wouldn't fit in with the work culture, whatever it may be. If you don't already know it, find out about the company culture, and make sure you sell yourself on those attributes considered important by the company. This round is often more about who you are versus what you can do.

Best of luck!
 
Mar 31, 2008 at 10:48 PM Post #7 of 33
I've been lucky. I've never had more than one interview and most of them have been formalities since they were already familiar with my work. I'll probably never go on another because 8 years ago, my wife said stop being a consultant or get a divorce. Easy choice.

The most interesting interview I ever had was essentially 2 back to back interviews. First, I was interviewed for over an hour by the project manager, who talked about nothing technical or involving the project, just general conversation. He was determining whether or not I would fit on the team. Then he turned me over to the technical people to make sure I could do the job.

It was the most interesting group of people I've ever worked with. And the only group I've worked with that had a lot of outside of work socializing.
 
Mar 31, 2008 at 11:14 PM Post #8 of 33
Last year I sent a resume to a firm in response to a fresh post on the web for a role that seemed to be a great fit for me. The HR rep there called me and asked how I knew the job was open, and when I replied that it was from her post on a engineering jobs site, she said "What post?" First bad sign.....turned out someone in corporate posted it for her, and the job wasn't being vacated by the incumbent for another three to four months.

I dropped emails from time to time, letting her know I was still interested. Got a call from her three months later, asking me when I would be available for a phone interview. About three weeks later, the hiring manager finally called me. He said the process was taking so long time because their policy was that he couldn't start face-to-face interviews until he had at least "several" viable candidates, no matter how long that took! Second bad sign......

The HR rep called the next Monday, and invited me for the face-to-face, but not for another 4 weeks. Third bad sign......

I showed up....at the same time as two other guys who were also getting the face-to-face interview! We were told that we'd go through a round-robin process with the same group of interviewers, each of whom was assigned a single category of questions to ask of each candidate.

But first, the site manager took the three of us on a tour of the plant. Within a few minutes, one of the other two candidates and I realize that the third candidate was lagging behind--because he was shaking hands with all of the plant employees that he already knew. Now that was a really bad sign!

From the look on the other guy's face, it was as if the light went on in our heads at exactly the same time.....the laggard must have had the job in the bag, and we were only there so the site manager could satisfy the requirement that he interview three viable candidates.

Nothing at all surprises me any more with the interview process.
 
Mar 31, 2008 at 11:22 PM Post #9 of 33
three stories.

1. i had 4 interviews for a job once. was told by various people that i would be made an offer. was not.

2. one of my friends had 3 interviews at a place. was told they were very interested in him and would contact him with an offer after working out some details. through email and phone, kept him in limbo for 2 1/2 months about the position, always saying that the offer was coming, then ceased contact w/o explanation.

3. my current job, had 1 interview. less than an hour. was made an offer that day.

the whole interview process to me seems rather random and arbitrary.
 
Mar 31, 2008 at 11:40 PM Post #10 of 33
Well then wish me luck guys. Like I said, I have already had the phone interview with the HR person. Then another one with the manager (about 30mins plus a 30min test).

My next one will be with the head of HR and his assistant.

I have been emailing this hr person back and forth, do you think its inappropriate to ask what the nature of this interview is and if there is anything I should bring/prepare?
 
Mar 31, 2008 at 11:42 PM Post #11 of 33
I had 3 rounds of interviews for a mere internship (telephone, group, one to one). For another one I would have had 3 if they hadn't kicked me out after round 1.

Good luck for the 3rd interview.
 
Mar 31, 2008 at 11:42 PM Post #12 of 33
It depends. Did they ask you to bring a urine sample (preferably of your own) with you?
 
Apr 1, 2008 at 12:25 AM Post #13 of 33
Depends on the company. I'm interviewing with a company now that does a psychological test to figure out where you would fit, then they fly all the prospects down for a group interview, then finally interview individuals. You're not really guaranteed a job at any point until you get an offer, but your odds do improve with each elimination.
 
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