If you have reached a final-round interview, your odds of success have increased to about one in two or one in three. It is worth more investment of time in researching the firm and preparing new questions to ask during the interview. You can start by looking up articles on the firm listed in the company profiles or by visiting the firm's Web site. One person whom you can be sure likes you is your first-round interviewer. When he calls to tell you you're being invited back for a final round, be sure to ask for very specific feedback on your strengths and weaknesses. Ask if he has any advice for the final round, or if there's anyone else at the firm (i.e., peer-level employees) whom you would benefit from speaking with before the final round.
The final round is comprised of a series of four to ten interviews conducted on one day at the firm's office. Each interview lasts from forty-five minutes to one hour. The same critical skills mentioned earlier are being tested, except in more depth. In particular, think of your weaknesses; these are areas where the final-round interviewers are likely to probe.
Whom Should You Impress?
The firm will arrange for you to meet with people from several management levels. Many people assume that they should kiss up to the most senior people they can find, but those who dominate the decision process are professionals from one level above yours. If you're an associate candidate, you can expect to be interviewed mostly by managers, with a few associate peers and vice presidents thrown in. If you're an analyst candidate, you'll be interviewed mostly by associates, with a few analyst peers and managers rounding out the mix. This means that although the most senior people have the strongest veto power, they are not necessarily the ones that you need to kiss up to. Many very senior people don't even attend the post interview discussion because they're too busy-they just hand an evaluation form in to the group conducting the discussion. They may not take the time to "champion" your candidacy. Treat all the interviewers you meet with equal respect, but try to establish a strong rapport with one or two interviewers from one level above yours.
Don't let your guard down around alumni, even those whom you knew when they were at school. They may or may not be eager to help you.
Visiting the Office
The firm generally will pay for your travel expenses to get to the office, but confirm this with them first and save all your receipts. Spend money like it's your own; to do otherwise is extremely unprofessional. It is important to confirm hotel accommodations/reimbursements, the time you're supposed to arrive at the office, directions to the office and the hotel, and parking arrangements/validation.
In packing for your trip, put your suit in a suit bag so that it doesn't get wrinkled during transit. Bring some casual clothes to relax in after your interviews are over and workout clothes if you plan to use the hotel gym.
The firm might plan a social event for all candidates, and though you'll want to have fun and bond with the firm's employees, it's important to remember that you're still being evaluated. This isn't a school social event anymore, this is business. Stories about rowdy candidates make their way back to the head of recruiting.
Here are a few simple rules:
- When at a fancy restaurant, don't eat like a slob; you're still being judged.
- Act like yourself.
- Make an attempt to have conversations with others (not just the interviewer, but the other candidates).
- You can drink, but pace yourself and don't get drunk. You're there to get a job.
There is more opportunity to ask questions now than there was in the first round, because the firm now sees you more as a potential hire and will dedicate time to answering your questions. Also, you can ask a bit more about the job's rewards and compensation. Make your final-round questions more detailed and more tailored to the firm than your first-round questions, and do not use the same questions! Do not ask very basic questions, because the interviewers will wonder why you didn't ask them already during the first round. Continue to be careful not to sound as if you're presuming you'll get the job, and do not give the interviewer a hard time. MBA-level candidates have more latitude to ask challenging questions than undergraduate-level candidates. If you run out of questions to ask, think of asking questions about the interviewers themselves. Most people like to talk about themselves, and this strokes their egos.
After The Performance
The wait begins after you walk out the door. Chances are that if you are going to receive an offer, you'll hear back from the firm within the first few days after the interview. If you haven't heard anything from the firm, wait at least until the date they told you they'd notify you, and then contact them. Be patient! Calling the firm before that date is very annoying to recruiters, unless you have another job offer that you must respond to immediately.
Thank-you letters are unnecessary and are not recommended, unless you have something very special to say to an interviewer or you have interviewed outside the standard recruiting process. At best these letters get tossed, and at worst they'll draw attention to something negative-a major typo, for example, or form thank-you letters sent to all the interviewers you've seen at the firm.
Many firms have an official or unofficial wait list. If they tell you that it will take them a few weeks to decide on your case, assume that you're on a wait list. If you are actually told that you're on a wait list, ask how high up you are on the list and whether it's likely that the firm will get to the wait list based on current offer acceptance rates. Also, ask for the name of a person you can contact to get updates on your status. If you need to know their decision sooner because you have an "exploding" offer (one that expires at a certain deadline) at another firm, let the firm know. If you are on a wait list for several weeks or months, it's okay to follow up with the firm every few weeks to show them that you're still interested. In the meantime, assume you're not going to get the offer and pursue other jobs vigorously. If you receive an offer from another firm during your waiting period, call the company and let them know. Sometimes this can hasten a decision on your case.
