Preparing for the On-site Interview

By Sheryl Nance-Nash

If you think getting past round one – the campus interview with a corporate recruiter was tough, be ready for round two – the invite to the corporation. The bar is undoubtedly a bit higher. You’re a serious contender. Come out looking like you came to compete. Here’s what you need to know to not only successfully complete round two but to up the odds that you walk away with the job.

Jerome Reuben Talent Acquisition & Retention College and Intern Program Raytheon Corporation Grab my attention. If I invite you for a second round of interviews with us, I’m looking for competence, confidence and a commitment to excellence. I’m always impressed by candidates who have a strong understanding of what we do and how their skills fit into our organization and can communicate this information easily. Use caution when talking about goals. Many candidates are interested in continuing their education at the Master’s level, but set a bad tone when a technical candidate focuses on wanting to get an MBA as opposed to getting a Master’s in another technical program. Our company is technology-driven and our engineers love what they do. Technical candidates who want to do something non-technical as a goal within their first couple of years with the company, tend to kill the interview. Be prepared. The entire process is different coming from the perspective that you know what a company does and is all about, rather than having someone bring you up to speed on this during your interview. Remember too, that the interview goes both ways. You should be interviewing the company just as much as they are interviewing you. Interviewing is a skill. Mock interviews are a great practice tool. Don’t turn to close friends for this. You need someone, say, from your career services center that can be objective and is fairly familiar with both technical and behavioral-based interviews.

Seize the opportunity

The minute you get the good news that you’ve got a second opportunity to show your worth, get busy. One of the first things you want to settle is your travel arrangements. Companies will usually pay part or all of your travel and will often make the arrangements for you. This might be one of your first tests. “Be flexible if possible. Companies have a lot of candidates. You do not want to be known as the person that can’t fit us in,” says Joanna Clark, associate director, University Relations for AT&T.

Furthermore, if the corporation has a relationship with certain airlines, be mindful of their costs and go with the flow. You don’t want them to incur extra costs. “Don’t make the mistake of being a prima donna, of needing excessive TLC.It’s a turn off,” warns Jim Case, director of the Career Center at California State University, Fullerton.

If you think this is much ado about nothing, think again. Being professional should start with planning your trip. A lack of flexibility, even about travel, can taint a firm’s overall impression of you, adds Marie Artim, assistant vice president of recruiting for Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Ideally, you want to arrive in town the day or evening before the interview to give yourself a chance to do a dry run so you know exactly where you’re going. This will lessen nervousness on the big day. You’ll have a good estimate of how long it will take to reach your destination and preview any quirks if you will drive yourself rather than take a taxi.

Beat the competition with preparation

Quite simply, to prepare, find out everything you can about the company, advises Vivian Wrenn David (left), director, Career Counseling & Planning Center at Hampton University. The more details you have digested, the better. Be familiar with the company’s past, present and potential future. It helps if you’ve used their products or services. You’ll want to be able to talk intelligently about the overall industry as well as their competition. A company’s Web site is a good starting point for research, as you’ll find mission statements, annual reports, financials, and more. Even a simple Google search will yield useful information and links to articles.

Susan DiTullio, manager of college recruiting for VistaPrint, a graphic design and custom printing firm in Lexington, Mass., recalls one candidate’s winning strategy. “He reached out to alumni from his school prior to recruiting season to learn more about us. He was diligent in attending all our events on campus, each time asking detailed and thoughtful questions. As a result he was very prepared for his interviews and was known by his recruiter and many members of our technology team as a real go-getter.”

After receiving an invitation from VistaPrint, the candidate asked to come into the office during his Thanksgiving break to meet with his potential hiring manager and recruiting team. Again, he showed up with thoughtful questions. At the end of the visit he thanked everyone he had interacted with throughout the process. “Needless to say, we are thrilled to have such a driven, proactive, thoughtful person joining our company,” DiTullio says.

Know that you will be put on the spot. Renee Beaupre-White, director of career services at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt., recently asked a recruiter what one question he asks of candidates. His response, “Can you tell me how you prepared for your interview today?” If your answer isn’t impressive, you could take yourself out of the running right then.

Catharine Jennings Senior recruiter Staples Use your school’s career services office. They can track down alumni who work at the company where you’ll interview. They can also likely provide insight on past trends in the company’s hiring, and generally tell you quite a bit about the company. What can kill an interview? If you can’t name a Staples Brand product or if you don’t know that we have our own brand, it shows you haven’t done research. If you have not been to one of our stores or haven’t visited our Web site, that would show a lack of preparedness. A lot of times we will do a behavioral interview, more than an interview for a specific role, since we are trying to ensure the person is a good candidate overall for Staples. If you can’t answer questions about how to lead a group or be an active member of a team, (or have no past experience in either role), you might not be ready for a large company atmosphere. Set expectations.  Ask what your on-site visit will entail. Show initiative. You want to know who you will meet and get their titles, so that you can have specific questions for each. Do get everyone’s business card so that you can write a note or an email afterward. I’m impressed if a candidate quickly follows up with all the managers, as well as with me to say the visit went well or just a quick thank you – that shows initiative. Stay in touch. In your follow-up contact, be sure to bring up a few key points to show that you were paying attention during the interviews.

While you want to be able to talk non-stop about them, know thyself too. “Have a one-minute spiel about yourself – you want to effectively communicate why you have the right skills and personality for the position, as well as where you would like to go in your field and in the company. Be specific about why you are passionate about the field and the company,” Wrenn David explains.

When thinking about your spiel, don’t forget to mention extracurricular activities, especially those that were leadership opportunities for you. It also will serve you well to have specific examples – what projects have you successfully completed during internships or other employment, what stories can you share about how you handled difficult people or situations? You don’t want to stumble in this area, because it is important to show you are a team player and can handle a leadership role.

Be sure your resume is up to date, that it’s polished and presentable to any set of eyes. Because interviewing is a skill, mock interviews will give you an edge. Look to counselors from your career center, mentors, faculty and others to help you hone your technique. You can practice talking in the mirror as well.

It also doesn’t hurt to immediately begin to think about what you will wear. Wardrobe matters. Assume tradition still holds in most places. Think dark colored, conservative suits. Neat hair and nails, subtle makeup, polished shoes – basically, look impeccable. The voicemail and email address that you use should be professional. A recruiter doesn’t want to hear that rap song on your voicemail or have to blush over your email address – hotthang@aol.com – have separate accounts if necessary.

Shine, shine, shine

Now that you have dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s, you’re ready for the big day. When it arrives, what should you expect? The process varies, depending on the company. Ask the recruiter what to expect. But know that your visit might include a tour of the office or facilities. You will likely have several interviews with a variety of people at different levels in the organization, from human resources, to your potential manager and senior management. You might be interviewed by a team, as well as individually. Your day could include a meal setting, such as a lunch or dinner, or if it’s a situation where several candidates have been invited, there could be a cocktail party or some similar social event. You’ll do well to remember that the observation starts the moment you hit the premises. Everything you do, don’t do and say or don’t say is subject to scrutiny. Non-verbal communication counts. Poor eye contact and poor posture and fidgeting can work against you. It’s a good idea, too, to bone up on current events. You want to be able to chit chat and show you are in touch with what’s going on.

Don’t be late. You want to be 10-15 minutes early. If you haven’t had the luxury of doing a dry run from your hotel to the company, then allow yourself more time than you will likely need. If all goes well, and you’re very early, then you can always sit in a nearby coffee shop and get your nerves together, says Roberta Cross, director of career services at Washington & Jefferson College, a private liberal arts college outside of Pittsburgh.

And, you never know what can crop up. Wrenn David had the unfortunate experience of having an interviewer unexpectedly ask her to drive them to lunch. Her car was really dirty and that didn’t make a good impression. “The unexpected can happen; anticipate everything,” she advises students.

Amy Van Kirk Director of U.S. Diversity Recruiting PricewaterhouseCoopers Think outside the box. A passing knowledge of a company won’t get you through the second round. You need to know the dynamics, challenges, priorities, financials, and have a sense of the firm’s strategy. And if you want to impress a recruiter, show that you’ve really done your homework. Tell me about the article you read in the Wall Street Journal or The New York Times about us. Have some questions or issues to raise about what you read. Tell me that you’ve talked to alumni or friends who have worked with us. I want to see that you’re working your peer network, that you’re proactive, seeking information about us from different places. Realize lunch or breakfast is no time to relax. I’ve seen candidates eliminate themselves during lunch. Just because they’re with an associate who perhaps has been with the firm for a year or so, they think it’s time to chit chat about women, or get into this “hey man, cool conversation.” You are still being evaluated; it’s not the time to get too casual. Be poised, always.

Avoid costly mistakes

You’ve come so far, you don’t want to blow it now. Be conscious of land mines everywhere. One that is often overlooked is meal time. Dining skills and etiquette can make or break you. “Know how to eat. With your utensils you start from the outside in. You don’t season your food before you taste it. Chew with your mouth closed, no slurping, don’t butter your entire bread at once. Don’t wave your napkin or your silverware. Don’t pick your teeth; don’t leave the table while dining, unless it’s an emergency,” suggests Wrenn David.

If you’re not sure whether your dining skills would impress Martha Stewart, check to see if your career services office offers workshops and coaching on dining.

“Even though it’s lunch, it’s not about the food. It’s still interview time. You might want to avoid messy French Onion soup or spaghetti. Don’t order the most expensive item. Don’t order a cocktail at lunch, or if you’re at dinner and everyone else at the table has ordered a cocktail, it may be okay to follow them, but limit yourself to a glass of wine,” Cross says.

Remember though, alcohol and making a good impression don’t go hand in hand. By all means, avoid drinking because you will want to stay in full control.

Sure you’re smart, but recruiters say arrogance is the kiss of death. “You don’t want to come off as a know-it-all who will come in and change this and that. Be confident, not arrogant,” says Wrenn David.

On the one hand, it’s great to be flexible, but too much flexibility can make you look indecisive. “You don’t want people to mistakenly think you don’t know what you want, that anything and everything is acceptable. And, certainly don’t say you want to be president in five years,” Cross says.

Seal the deal

Marie Artim Assistant Vice President, Recruiting Enterprise Rent-A-Car Know that impressions are made early. Even something like how flexible you are about travel arrangements weighs in on our overall impression of you. Don’t view anyone you meet along the way as unimportant. I will ask the receptionist for input. Did the candidate treat you nicely? Was the candidate waiting impatiently or talking on a cell phone? We’re watching you from the minute you plan your trip until you give the last handshake on the day of your visit. Don’t be shy about asking the recruiter questions. There’s nothing like being prepared, and in many areas, your recruiter can be of much help. You can ask recruiters for contacts of people who are in roles similar to the one you want. You can speak to them about what they do, how long they’ve been with the company, their career paths and more. If you’re unsure about a company’s dress code, you can ask the recruiter. It’s OK to ask what’s appropriate for an interview. Even many places that are “business casual” expect to see you in professional attire for the interview. Tap the recruiter and anyone else from the company you might get to meet in advance. Getting information from a website is one thing, but hearing employees tell their stories is more personal. It’s another level of insight.

Remember, you will be competing with numerous students for your position. If you don’t stand out you’ll get lost in crowd. Knowledge is your secret weapon. Cal State Fullerton’s Jim Case recalls a strategy that worked for a student pursuing a sales-oriented position with a major consumer products company.

“I told him since he had a notion of the job, that he should visit the retail organization that was a customer of the company he hoped to work for. I told him to visit the managers, ask what they thought about the company’s products and services, to learn about the customer’s needs and wants,” Case recalls.

The student was then able to use the information when he interviewed. He was able to raise good issues because he had met with store managers. “This kind of initiative and motivation shows real enthusiasm and will put you in the driver’s seat,” he adds.

It comes down to a few simple things – professionalism, how the students carry themselves and adapt to peers, recruiters and interviewers; personality, passion for the company/industry, determination and drive, says Meredith McGough, director of campus recruiting strategy for Wachovia Corporation.

Close the deal. Ask for the position. Ask if there is anything else the company would like to know about your skills or experience. Be clear about what the next step in the process is and find out what the time frame is for making the decision, advises Wendy Morosoff, director, Purchase College, Career Development Center, in Purchase, New York.

Lastly, Reuben says, “Be yourself, be positive, appreciative, prepared. If we’ve asked you for a second look, we are really trying to fill a need within the company and it is our hope that you will be able to fill one of those needs. It’s an accomplishment to be invited to a second round of interviews.” You’ve got their attention, the rest is on you.