The 5-Hour Corporate
Interview: Survival Tips
(by
Hallie Crawford)
Imagine your surprise when a
prospective employer asks you to come in and interview
for not one, not two, but FIVE hours of interviewing.
Five hours... can they really do that? Yes, and some
companies who want to be particularly selective will
have you in for as long as TEN hours in a single day.
Interviews which last for several hours are typically
conducted by Fortune 500 and other progressive
companies. For busy executives with packed schedules, it
often makes the best sense to select a single day of
interviewing and involve all parties. The company
schedules blocks of time where each interviewer can ask
the job candidate a series of questions pertaining to
their particular role at the company. If this happens to
you, know that the amount of time that your interview
will be conducted for of course depends on the company.
Here are some career tips for surviving the 5-hour
interview, and landing that job:
Be on the lookout for email updates leading up to the
interview.
These days, email plays a huge part in most everything
we do. That includes keeping in touch with the hiring
manager who will be your temporary contact during the
prospecting phase. First, be sure that this person's
email address has been saved to your address book (and
doesn't go into your spam folder) so you won't miss a
correspondence. Second, make a mental note of their
email address (it may come from a hiring company outside
of the one you're applying with). Third, keep a watchful
eye on your email inbox in case you are sent
instructions, dates and times, schedules, driving
directions, and other important information that may
need your immediate attention. When the interview day
finally comes, you want to make sure that nothing was
overlooked in error.
Get your paperwork in order.
The same corporations which conduct such "marathon"
interviews are also the ones which do meticulous
background checks on their potential employees. Not only
will you be asked for a resume, but you will likely be
given a short stack of papers to fill out. You will be
expected to reveal proof of identity and educational
degrees/certification, background information, complete
work history, and other pertinent details. Some
companies prefer to assign you this task prior to the
actual day of the interview, so you will have ample time
to gather any necessary identification or documentation.
While you're at it, double-check your resume for typos,
and print several copies to hand out on the day of your
interview. Bring along more than you think you need,
just in case.
Do your career homework.
Extended job interviews with multiple people can be
rigorous. On the plus side, if you feel nervous during
the first interview, you've still got lots more people
to speak to. That means several more chances to pull it
together and make a great impression. For this reason,
you should be asking yourself the "big picture"
questions. Consider where you're headed in your career.
What's important to you? How does your past experience
fit with the current position you're applying for? What
career path do you want to be on?
If it's the type of job where you'll be sharing
portfolio samples, take some time to polish your
presentation and update your files to reflect your best
work. Do you have letters of recommendation or
testimonials to share? If so, print them out on good
quality paper and place those in your briefcase or
portfolio as well. If you're certified in some areas of
specialization, carry the proof along with you even if
you were asked to fax or mail documentation ahead of
time.
Brush up on your skills.
Many companies will ask you to take a test or work on a
"sample" job as a means of gauging your abilities. Some
even give you homework assignments to work out on your
own time and mail back to them. It's a good idea to go
back to the source and double-check your proficiencies.
If you are certified in a certain skill, search online
for a few proficiency tests you can take in advance. If
you have reference books handy that are related to your
trade or field of expertise, you may want to catch up on
old material just to be on the safe side. Sometimes we
get so "comfortable" in our jobs that we forget some of
the less-used skills that we used to know!
Do a dress rehearsal.
When the day arrives, you'll want to look and come
across as your most polished and most professional.
You're going to be doing a lot of talking on the big
day, so give the interview a test-run. Go online and
research typical questions that employers in your field
frequently ask. Print them out and have a friend or
family member grill you on the material. Or, take turns
playing Interviewer and Job Candidate. You can even take
notes during your rehearsal interview, so that you can
go back over the material later and know exactly what
you plan to say. Remember - interview questions are
often vague. If you're on your game, you'll find a way
to work your best responses right into the framework of
whatever they ask you. So do plan ahead!
Eat well on the big day.
When the morning of your long-awaited five-hour
interview arrives, you'll probably be a bit frantic.
However, don't forget to eat a hearty breakfast that
includes a balance of protein and carbohydrates, to make
sure your brain is functioning at peak performance. If
you're the type who needs a little snack to keep going,
bring along something nutritious, like trail mix, in
your purse or briefcase with you. This way, you can
refuel during breaks and be mentally prepared for
whatever unexpected questions the interviewers may toss
your way.
Plan for a little socializing!
Many corporations which arrange long interviews will
invite you to have lunch with members of the team,
compliments of the company. If your interviews are all
scheduled for the morning, you may be feeling a bit
spent by the time noon rolls around. But save up some
energy to chat with people who already work there. This
is a great opportunity to get the inside perspective
(and while you're there, sample the cafeteria food).
Don't forget to brush up on your current events so
you'll have something to talk about with your lunch
mates.
The best part about the five-hour corporate interview...
the moment that Human Resources tells you it's over.
Whew! You're in the clear. Don't forget to get the names
of each person whom you spoke to during your interviews,
so you can follow up with a personal, hand-written
thank-you note. You'll be glad you made the extra
effort... and it can't hurt your chances for landing the
job, either. Good luck!
Copyright 2007 Hallie Crawford and Authentically
Speaking. All rights reserved.
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