What to Expect in an Hour Long Interview
I've always considered myself a strong interviewer, but I'll acknowledge it: I was rocked by my showtime day-long interview (a.k.a., five and a half hours of back-to-dorsum meetings with multiple people in the company). Would information technology sound insincere to repeat my answers over and over to each person? Could I enquire how two members from one department worked with the iii I just interviewed with from another? Was there really no coffee involved?
That day was definitely a learning experience. (Translation: I didn't get the chore, but I did gain some important insight for anyone else going through an all-twenty-four hours interview.) Learn from my trial past fire, and utilise these tips to power through your interview.
one. Ask for a List of Who You'll be Meeting (and Ideally a Schedule)
When you have one hour-long interview, it's common practice to know whether you lot're coming together with a hiring director or the segmentation VP. But with multiple interviews, the details can get a little sketchy (e.thou., "We'd beloved to have yous encounter the squad, speak with a few other departments, and take an afternoon bout").
But don't be afraid to follow up and attempt to get the details of who you'll be meeting with alee of fourth dimension. The names are plainly helpful (for some Google and LinkedIn recon), but a schedule is even better, every bit you'll exist able to visualize the 24-hour interval in accelerate and know how to step yourself.
Try something like, "I'g really looking forward to meeting the team on Thursday. Would it be possible to get a schedule of the day and a list of who I'll be meeting with beforehand?" And so, piece of work with what yous're given—even if you get no names, learning that "the PR department" is one person, not seven, or seeing that the interview with the Marketing squad is twice as long every bit the meeting with the developers tin assistance narrow your prep.
Note: It'southward good to await until a few days earlier the interview to ask for specifics, as it may take the company that long to pin down anybody's schedules.
ii. Pay Extra Attending to the Start and Finish of Each Mini-Interview
While the day might feel like one long, massive interview to you, think that each 30- or 60-minute session is a stand up-lone for your interviewer. Pregnant, you demand to treat it that way, making sure each meeting has a strong beginning and stop. (This is something I know I had to remind myself of as the day went on.)
For case, you tin't just option up a new interview where yous left off with the last person—you'll want to take a few minutes for warm-up. Make sure you shake hands, greet your interviewer, and offer a re-create of your resume.
Forth like lines, you lot shouldn't wrap things up by just maxim "cheers," and then glancing at your schedule and starting to recollect about what's next. Make sure to end each interview reiterating your interest in the position, and shut with anything from "I await forward to hearing from you," to "Practiced luck with that event side by side weekend," as appropriate. Y'all want each interviewer to experience similar he or she has gotten your best, from beginning to end.
three. Give Consequent Answers (With Varied Emphasis)
Your interviewers will compare notes, which can make 24-hour interval-long interviews feel like a trap: If you tell the exact same story the exact aforementioned way 10 times, the team may question the breadth and depth of your feel ("She told all of united states of america the same story about her first workplace—did she learn nothing at her 2d?"). But if you overcompensate and give totally different answers to each person, no one will feel sure she spoke to the "real" you.
So what should yous do? The best strategy is to give consistent answers then there is no question who you are and what you lot bring to the table, but to add together in unlike details to show there's more to you than the same v scripted answers.
For instance, you could tell the same story about dealing with a team who didn't get forth twice, but with 1 interviewer focus on your management style, and with some other depict your problem solving skills. Or, use the same story about your public speaking experience—once as an case of how you overcame your shyness and some other time to talk over how you connect with a room full of people. You lot'll get all the correct points across while showing off the many facets of your experience.
iv. Step Up Your Emergency Kit
My greatest weakness is caffeine—typically, I potable at least 2 cups of coffee during the workday. Merely on interview day, while they offered me a lovely salad, a canteen of h2o, and some peace and placidity in the interview room for lunch, in that location was no caffeine. At all. My concluding interview of the day was with the highest-ranking interviewer, the one who could truly sway the determination, and what I call back most vividly is how much my head was pounding. It was difficult to focus.
A solar day similar this will test your stamina, so add a hugger-mugger weapon to your emergency kit. Does your blood sugar (and focus) slow later on dejeuner? Bring a fun-sized pack of candy or an energy bar to down between meetings. Are you lot caffeine-obsessed like me? Pack a Starbucks VIA, because even if there's no coffee machine, at that place's likely a water cooler with a hot tab, and yous tin accept a cup with lunch. Whatever pick-me-ups yous rely on day in and out are even more important on a 24-hour interval similar this, so make sure you have what y'all demand.
The twenty-four hours-long interview is a great opportunity for a company to go a moving-picture show of who y'all are, just also for you lot to see the many moving parts of an organization. So while these days can be exhausting, try to see them in a positive light. Just exist prepared, and y'all'll do bang-up.
Photo of woman interviewing courtesy of Shutterstock.
Sara McCord is a freelance writer and editor, who nearly ofttimes covers the career trounce. For nearly three years, she was an editor at The Muse, and she'south regularly contributed career advice to Mashable. Her communication has been published beyond the spider web (Forbes, Newsweek, Fast Company,Time, Inc., Business Insider, CNBC and more than). Sara has feel managing programs; recruiting, interviewing, and referring task applicants; building strategic partnerships; advising executive directors; and supporting a national network of volunteers. Learn more than and send her a annotation through her website, or follow her on Twitter @sarajmccord.
More than from Sara McCordSource: https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-survival-tips-for-an-allday-interview
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