Final Interview Tips
You have interviewed once with a company, and you are asked to come back for a final interview. Now what? The job can still be lost at a final interview, but attention to detail and a positive attitude can help you nail down the job by the time the final interview is over.
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What Not to Do
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Avoid being over-confident and arrogant. An invitation to a final interview is not a guarantee that you have won the job. You still have another interview to go, and you should never assume that you are the only person coming in for a final interview.
If the talk in the final interview starts to move toward money, never be too greedy. Avoid telling the interviewer what your current or last salary was, and attempt to get them to reveal what they are willing to offer. Your position of strength lies in knowing what you are worth, and being able to compare that with what they are offering. Be reasonable with your counter-offer, and take your time in crafting your proposal. Never give a counter-offer right after the initial offer is made. Always ask for 24 hours to consider it. In the end, try to stay as close to their original offer as you can without feeling like you are giving your services away.
Do not seem too grateful for a final interview as this could be perceived as desperation by the employer and could affect how much they are willing to offer you.
What to Do
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Treat every person at the company with respect. Speak to the receptionist in the same tone as you would speak to the president of the company. Many companies take the input of everyone that came in contact with a candidate before they make their final decision, and you want everyone in the office on your side.
Bring a lot of copies of your resume in case you need to give one to each person to whom you speak. Many final interviews are a process that could find you in front of several people, and they may all need to have a copy of your resume, so be sure to have one.
Bring a pad of paper and a working pen, and take notes. A company will like to see you taking the interview process seriously enough to make note of what is going on.
Always remain confident. You may find yourself getting positive and negative feelings from the people you talk to throughout the final interview process, but because you are unsure who has the final say, it is best not to let any negative experiences get you down.
If the final interview gets down to the point where they say they would like to offer you the job, ask to clarify your duties so that you understand what will be expected of you and so that you know you want to take the job. Make sure the duties associated with the job and the salary offer are put into an offer letter, and never accept the job at the interview. Ask for time to review the offer, and unless the company has made an offer that exceeds your expectations, always come back with a counter-offer.
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