There is a logical order to a job search. Step by step, from the strong lead to the acceptance of an offer, the job search is sequential and time-consuming. The seven steps should proceed in this order:
- Lead
- Cover letter and resume
- Reference request
- First Interview
- Second Interview
- Offer
- Acceptance
- Make a good impression.
- Learn as much as you can.
- Get the second interview.
- Make a good impression.
- Clarify as much as you can.
- Involve your spouse.
- Get the offer.
When you make it to the second interview, you are in the homestretch to obtaining an offer. From the starting pool of applicants that may have numbered in the hundreds, you have made it to the select few from which the employer chooses a finalist. Some people tend to relax and let down their guard at this point. Having gotten so close to their goal, they now feel that there is very little that they can do to influence the final decision and they are content to "let fate take its course." Do not place yourself in their number. In actuality, there is a great deal that you can do at this point to influence the decision-making process to your advantage. Your preparation for the second interview is critical to your success, so let's look at the areas that you need to cover in the second interview.
Questions generated in the first interview may remain unanswered. Perhaps you asked the same question on the first interview of several people and received inconsistent answers. Maybe you came up with additional questions when you were reviewing the first interview in your head. Regardless of their origin, you need to list all your questions in writing so that you can raise them in the second interview. It is really important to make sure that you have all your questions answered to avoid misunderstanding. As long as the list of questions is reasonable, you won't risk offending the hiring manager; limit yourself to no more than twenty questions. Likely areas of interest to you are benefits, the reporting structure and scope of authority, real estate issues, and spousal issues.
Questions about Benefits
You may have questions concerning benefits. In the first interview, you may have refrained from asking too many questions on this subject to avoid seeming money grubbing or security conscious. Because benefits vary greatly from organization to organization, you need the facts about benefits before you can weigh the job offer. Ask for the benefits handbook or any written form of the organization's benefits policy. Do not rely on the CEO or the hiring manager to have a complete and accurate grasp of the current benefits program. What is written in the benefits handbook takes precedence over anything that the hiring manager may promise in good faith. If there is any ambiguity, ask to meet with the appropriate human resources representative to get a more detailed explanation.
Questions about Reporting Structure and Scope of Authority
You may have discussed the reporting structure and scope of authority at length during the first interview. If so, just confirm what was said since it is possible that things may have changed and no one has updated you. If you did not discuss these questions at all in the first interview, then find out about the organizational structure and authority issues in depth during the second interview. If a current job description is available, go over it with the hiring manager. I know of one case where things got really screwed up. In 1993, the editor of a prestigious business journal thought he was hiring an individual to work under him as a senior editor. When contacted by another business publication, the new senior editor at the journal insisted that he was in charge and would be running the publication. This situation was an embarrassment to all concerned. It demonstrates the need to thoroughly cover the areas of reporting structure and authority.
Real Estate Issues
In preparation for the second interview, you should do your homework on your current house. Invite several real estate agents to come see your house and talk with you about the current real estate market. How hard will it be to sell it? What costs might you incur?
Has your contact at the hiring organization mentioned relocation costs? Will your prospective employer help out? Think about all these questions because you may be offered the job on the spot. If you are, you need to be ready to discuss these important real estate issues, which may bear directly on whether the offer is an attractive one.
Spousal Issues
Normally, when you are interviewing at the senior level, your spouse accompanies you on the second interview so that the prospective employer can get to know your spouse. In some organizations, the spouse is an integral part of the equation and is expected to interact with other spouses and executives in the company. In other firms, the spouse does not play a big role, and the firm only wants to know if he or she can interact comfortably with other executives and their spouses when called to do so. You may have already received a clue as to how important the spouse is in the organization, which will help prepare you and your spouse for the second interview. From the spouse's perspective, this opportunity is all important. Most likely, this will be the first time that he or she has a chance to meet the people with whom you might be working and to visit the new city. In addition, you may have questions relating to employment opportunities for your spouse or schools for your children. In fact, these issues are so crucial that they may require some work prior to the interview. If employment opportunities are important, arrange for your spouse to meet with someone who is knowledgeable in his or her field during the second interview period.
Ask for the Itinerary
Request the itinerary for the visit in advance, with the names, titles, and employers of the people whom you will be meeting. Even when applying for lower-level jobs, you typically will meet people within the organization. Interviewing at the senior level generally involves meeting with board members and, in some cases, prominent members of the community. Besides getting the word on whom you will meet on the second interview, having the itinerary ahead of time gives you the chance to plan some time to find out about housing and schools or to see people who are not at the interview.
The Social Side of the Second Interview
In most cases, second interviews include more social activities, so be ready to shift from business-related conversation to social conversation. Avoid the topics of religion, controversial current events, and politics. Ask lots of questions and listen attentively. One other tip: Find out about the social events ahead of time and the appropriate dress, and let your spouse know so you are both prepared.
Because the interview is so important to your success, you need to watch out for the little things that may make all the difference in the outcome. A bad haircut, an inappropriate remark, a misplaced fork, or a bad joke-any of these could take you out of the running for the position. Do not let your guard down. You have gotten so close to where you want to be. Don't blow it by doing something that you consider insignificant but that others might consider a real gaffe. At this part of the process, it is not your qualifications that are being scrutinized, but rather your personality. That may sound unfair, but your prospective employers want to be assured that your character and judgment suit their organization
