Sign-off interview with senior management - what to expect?

[A.Wang]

I have been invited to a round of interviews one evening next week with a bunch of guys for an IT role. Google and LinkedIn have told me that they are very senior management within the side of the business I am hoping to join.

What can I expect? I have interviewed with the company for this role already, both technical/problem-solving and management/HR ones. Is this round likely to be a matter of formality, or should I sweat?

And, aside from asking specifically about what the job involves, what training would be available for proprietary systems etc. (which I have), what "killer" questions can I fire away at these very senior guys?

To pre-empt some usual PH answers:

• I won't ask if they enjoy being taken up the oxo tower
• I won't ask if I may have a go with their wives/daughters/mothers as long as I promise to be gentle
• I will not offer fallatio to any of them.

Edited by A.Wang on Tuesday 13th October 08:22

[RizzoTheRat]

Treat all interviews as a proper interview, regardless of how informal it is. I've heard of people getting through interviews ok then having a final "meet the boss" over lunch somewhere, letting thier guard down, and loosing out on the job.

If they're a long way up the food chain it's probably less likely to be a technical interview, and may well concentrate more on the whole "strategic vision" and "can we work with this bloke". Good luck

[A.Wang]

Thanks!

I intend to treat them as a "proper" interviews, and I probably ought to read up on their Big Plans so I can answer things like "so why do you think we are hiring hundreds of people when our competitors are making whole floors redundant?"...

Do they use those mind-twister type questions at this stage? And for that matter, those "how do you work in a team" and "tell me about a time when you worked on a project that went wrong" questions? Or, have I "passed" those at the management/HR interviews stage already?

Sorry for the dumb-sounding questions, I (very fortunately) haven't had to do this for the last 4 years, and before that I was at uni...so I'm a bit out of practice!

[Soovy]

It's to see whether you are a well rounded person who comes across well. I've seen many many candidates fall at this hurdle because they don't know how to behave (see below).

Some hints.


1. If they ask you if you want an alcoholic drink, ask them if they are having one. If they are not, then don't. If they are, have one. But not six....... After you've had one, switch to tonic water.

2. Clean shoes, clean suit, plain shirt, tie, cufflinks. No jewellery at all. Or aftershave. Have a haircut and shave.

3. There will be no techincal questions.

4.There may be food, to see if you can use a knife and fork (I kid you not). If there is food, eat a little but don't be a pig. If you are in a restaurant, don't order the most expensive thing on the menu, or the cheapest.

5. If they ask you to do them a presentation, nmake sure you ring the guy's PA to introduce yourself, and ask hw they like to have them done (paper, powerpoint etc and if they will provide a computer or whether you should bring your own). This will get back to the boss and will show forethought.


Good luck.

Edited by Soovy on Tuesday 13th October 09:45

[Podie]

I'd agree with Soov. In addition they may want to know:

• that you’re able and confident in handling a conversation with them
• what your interests are outside of the office
• if you intend to stay with them long term, so know if they’re going to get a return on their investment

Personally, I’d make sure you have an intelligent question that you can ask them, that has not been covered elsewhere.

[RizzoTheRat]

No idea, I've only had one interview in the last 8 years, but went on an interview techiques course a while back in anticipation of some future interviews. One thing that really got drummed in to us on that was preperation. Try and find out as much about the company and the interviewers as you can, try to anticipate the kind of questions that might ask and have stock answers ready, and know your CV inside out so you can tie bits of it to questions they ask.

We were even reccomended to write a massive detailed (10 pages or so) CV that you never show to the prospective employer, but use it to get your own story right in your head. The important thing is what you actually did. It's all very well saying we rolled out a new system to 5000 clients, but they actually want to know was what individual tasks you as an individual did within that, what problems did you encounter, how did you get around them, how did you deal with personality conflicts, etc etc.

[A.Wang]

Thanks guys, very helpful stuff here.

They haven't asked me to prepare any presentations. Nor will there be food or booze (that I know of) - the recession has put paid to those kind of interviews.

I do intend to stay with them for a good few years, as they're one of the best firms (in terms of stability and growth potential) in the industry. I've had feedback that at times I try to second-guess interviewers and "say or do whatever is necessary to please them" (no jokes please)...so how do I tell them that if made an offer I will commit long-term etc. without sounding desperate?

I've been told by a few friends in the industry to just "chill and enjoy it" - easy for them to say as they have jobs there. Is it really that simple, assuming I've done all the necessary background prep work?

[rescynic]

If you havent asked already, questions i ask at this point are:

- What directiona re you planning for the company?
- What do you see as the ongoing development of the role?

or questions along those lines, basically show youa re interested in the future of the company

[A.Wang]

Cheers Stephen. I've asked those questions to the guys I've seen so far, so probably best if I don't repeat myself.

Unfortunately there's very little more I can prep.

I'd like to get that confident feeling but somehow don't have it - and I can't put a finger on why. Senior management can't be all that scary, right?

[Puggit]

Make sure you use deodorant.

I got this job over someone else because he had bad BO at the final senior management interview.

I like to think it was my skills and expertise

[Soovy]

A.Wang said:

Cheers Stephen. I've asked those questions to the guys I've seen so far, so probably best if I don't repeat myself.

Unfortunately there's very little more I can prep.

I'd like to get that confident feeling but somehow don't have it - and I can't put a finger on why. Senior management can't be all that scary, right?

Be yourself. Be confident.

Treat it as if you're meeting a potential investor in you. That's what they are.

Good luck.

[A.Wang]

Soovy said:

A.Wang said:

Cheers Stephen. I've asked those questions to the guys I've seen so far, so probably best if I don't repeat myself.

Unfortunately there's very little more I can prep.

I'd like to get that confident feeling but somehow don't have it - and I can't put a finger on why. Senior management can't be all that scary, right?

Be yourself. Be confident.

Treat it as if you're meeting a potential investor in you. That's what they are.

Good luck.

Cheers Soovy. By the way, in your experience, is it normal for non-front office associate VP and VP candidates to jump through 3/4/5 rounds of interviews before they make an offer?

[Soovy]

A.Wang said:

Soovy said:

A.Wang said:

Cheers Stephen. I've asked those questions to the guys I've seen so far, so probably best if I don't repeat myself.

Unfortunately there's very little more I can prep.

I'd like to get that confident feeling but somehow don't have it - and I can't put a finger on why. Senior management can't be all that scary, right?

Be yourself. Be confident.

Treat it as if you're meeting a potential investor in you. That's what they are.

Good luck.

Cheers Soovy. By the way, in your experience, is it normal for non-front office associate VP and VP candidates to jump through 3/4/5 rounds of interviews before they make an offer?

Depends on the shop.

Goldmans tend to do anything between 10 and 20.

[A.Wang]

Soovy said:

A.Wang said:

Soovy said:

A.Wang said:

Cheers Stephen. I've asked those questions to the guys I've seen so far, so probably best if I don't repeat myself.

Unfortunately there's very little more I can prep.

I'd like to get that confident feeling but somehow don't have it - and I can't put a finger on why. Senior management can't be all that scary, right?

Be yourself. Be confident.

Treat it as if you're meeting a potential investor in you. That's what they are.

Good luck.

Cheers Soovy. By the way, in your experience, is it normal for non-front office associate VP and VP candidates to jump through 3/4/5 rounds of interviews before they make an offer?

Depends on the shop.

Goldmans tend to do anything between 10 and 20.

Nope, not them this time round...