Page 57 Informal social event/interview: Whether it's the night before or the evening afterwards, an informal social event designed for casual conversation is almost always part of the company visit agenda. Employers see this as a time to see how well you seem to fit with their current mix of employees -- and you should use it as a time to see how this group fits with you. Some employers put a high degree of importance on this issue, so don't ever forget for even a second that this event is a series of interviews. Don't talk about controversial topics, don't get into arguments, and avoid all other bad habits/manners. Meals and drinks: There will usually be one or more meals during your on-site visit. A time to relax and pig out? Hardly. These "breaks" from interviewing should be seen as just another interview, in which your manners, poise, conversation skills, and judgment may be evaluated. Make sure you know proper dining etiquette and order a light meal that is not messy (no pasta with cream sauces), not spicy (forget the onions), and is not the most expensive item on the menu -- kind of like when you are on a date! Our personal advice regarding alcoholic beverages: don't do it. Some career experts say it's okay to have a glass or two of wine (nothing stronger) with a meal, but anything that dulls your senses cannot help you stay sharp -- and believe me, people will be talking about what you said and did at the meal. Multiple interviews in a day: Make sure you get a good night's rest before the big day of interviews. You will often meet with multiple groups of people, from potential coworkers, to managers and executives. Be prepared for different types of interviews and different style of interviewers. You need to stay focused and excel at each interview session -- repeating your USP at each interview. You will find yourself answering the same questions to different groups throughout the day, and while it may seem strange and monotonous, be sure to treat each meeting as a separate interview, even if that means repeating answers you gave in previous interviews. Stay fresh! Salary: Salary is certainly likely to come up -- just make sure you are not the one to raise the salary issue. But you need to be prepared with a response when the issue is raised in one or more of the interviews. Try to stay as flexible as possible in any salary discussion. Knowledge is power, so hopefully you've done your homework and know the salary range of the position. If so, use this knowledge to give a desired range, if pinned down for a figure. Testing: You may be requested to take one or more aptitude or personality tests. The aptitude tests are similar to standardized tests you probably took to get into college -- and are designed to analyze whether you really have the skills you claim to have. The personality tests are designed to see whether your personality is a fit for whatever personality types of the company is looking for. Previous Page Next Page Back to Job-Interview-Preparation Index Page