Women's Job List

The Three Stages of the Interview Process


This is an excerpt from "The Keys to Interview Success" (PDF) from the recruting firm LC Kirk & Co. Download the full document here.

The interview process can be long and arduous, but ultimately very rewarding. This is a process many people will go through multiple times during their career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person will change jobs ten to fifteen times before retiring.

Your career is possibly the most important investment you will ever make. The companies you decide to work for ultimately define your career and your finances. Making the decision to go to work for a specific company can change your life in more ways than one. The journey begins with the interview process.

The First Interview or Phone Interview

Most interviews start out with a phone interview. This is obviously a great way to begin to get to know the hiring manager and the company. The one accomplishment you are looking to achieve in the first interview is to begin to build a sense of empathy with the hiring manager. How do you do this? Ask good questions! The more the hiring managers talk about themselves or their company the more they will like you!

As the hiring manager begins to tell you how they run their business and how they have been successful, respond by sighting examples of how you operated in a similar manner, and give examples of how you have been successful. If the hiring manager tells you about a successful training program they used, maybe you already completed the same training program. Maybe you have a mutual friend in the industry. Try to draw a connection between your work experiences and that of the hiring manager. Avoid telling the hiring manager how “you are the best and you only work in a specific way.”

At this point in the interview you are trying to determine how the company operates and if you fit into their program. At this stage, the hiring manager is trying to determine if you can provide a solution to a problem they are having, or if you could ultimately be an asset that helps grow their business.

If this is an opportunity you are interested in pursuing, be sure to tell the hiring manager. Make your intentions clear, you should ask “is there anything in this interview that we have not covered that would prohibit me from moving forward in the process? If there is, lets cover that issue because I am very interested in this opportunity!”

Manage your expectations. When you reach the second interview (the face to face interview) you should really begin to take the opportunity seriously. The phone interview does not guarantee a face-to-face meeting.

The Face-to-Face Interview

The face-to-face meeting is your chance to showcase your talents and skills. Throughout the face-to-face interview you must accomplish two things. First, prove to the hiring manager you did your homework and came prepared. Next, dig deeper into the company’s objectives and illustrate how you can help them accomplish their goals based on your experience in similar situations. At this stage the interview you should still be focused on how you can solve a problem for the firm and how you can help them grow their business.

Remember, the hiring manager would not have brought you this far unless they have genuine interest in you as a viable candidate. At this point in the interview process you should continue to sell yourself.

Putting together a business plan, knowing something about the company they would not expect you to know, are little things you can do to show the hiring manager you are a serious candidate! Prior to the meeting, research the person or people with whom you are going to be interviewed. Research their background. Maybe you attended the same university or used to work for the same company. This is a great way to draw a connection between you and the hiring manager.

If you want this job let the hiring manager or managers know it. Don’t leave the second interview without telling the hiring manager that you are excited about the opportunity and you want to move forward!

Be sure to send the people you met with an email thanking them for their time. Don’t hesitate to get creative. We once had a candidate go in for his second interview but he was unable to meet with the head of the department. The head of the department was vacationing at Disney World and he was scheduled to do a phone interview with her the following week. Because the position he was interviewing for would have him based in Florida, he decided to have a Mickey Mouse figurine shipped to her in advance of the phone interview. He sent a note indicating that if he got the job he would be going to Disney World too. The head of the department loved this!

Post Interview Tactic:

After your first face-to-face interview, the hiring manager will often ask you to interview with one of their superiors. The hiring manager would not ask you to speak with his or her superior unless they wanted to see you get hired or be successful. This gives you a major advantage.

Now that the hiring manager wants to see you be successful ingratiate yourself to them. Call them prior to the interview with their superior and ask them for their advice. Ask them what they know about this individual and ask them how you might be successful in the interview. People love to give advice and talk about their experiences. Remember, the hiring manager would not put you in front of their boss unless they wanted you to be successful.

The Final Interview

The tables begin to turn in the final interview. No longer is the process all about the needs of the company, now it’s about you. At this point in the interview process there is no doubt the company has identified you as their candidate. This is your opportunity to ask questions and make sure this company is right for you.

What are the company’s expectations? We often see candidates go to work for a company only to leave six months later because the company was expecting the candidate to be able to accomplish specific goals in a very short period of time. The third interview is your opportunity to ask tough questions!

Do your homework! Research Linkedin and find people who used to work for the firm or hold the same position you are interviewing for. Ask them what their experience was like working for the firm. Ask them about the hiring manager that you would be reporting to. You would never buy a house without having a building inspection, but you would be surprised at how many people go to work for a company without doing any detective work.

Don’t leave the final interview without asking for the job! Employers love enthusiasm and want to hire a candidate who is excited about the opportunity.

Network…Network…Network!

We would love to tell you that your next job is going to be sourced through a headhunter, but this is not true. Your best odds of getting a new job lies within your own network of contacts. If you are actively searching for a new job you need to utilize your network! Seek out your old boss, clients, friends and colleagues and network with them. Take them out for coffee and ask them for career advice. Tap into their network! Getting referred to a company by a friend or colleague is an ideal way to land your next position.

Throughout your career we recommend you become friends with the company’s competition – specifically the boss. This is an important relationship to establish because you will most likely be working for them at some point in your career.

What To Do During My Job Search

Chances are you have been working very hard the last few years. Everyone needs time off! Take the time during your job search to do something you would not normally have time to do. Your professional life requires you to be goal oriented and show achievement. This applies to your personal life as well. If you sit around waiting for the phone to ring you will go nuts!

We once had a candidate take the time during her job search to train for a marathon. Another candidate we worked with wanted to be on TV. He auditioned for a reality TV show and got the part. He actually used his new found “fame” to get his next sales position. Going through a job search can be long and stressful. Staying active and doing something you would not normally have the time to do is key to securing your next position.