3rd and final interview - any advice welcome

Laura721

Hi all, would appreciate any advice at all on this. I have my 3rd and final interview for a job I really want on Monday as Reservations Executive at a company that rents top, luxury homes/apartments in London and New York. I previously worked in a similar company in Madrid before I decided to come back to London last month, so in that sense I do know what I am talking about, I hope!

I had the first interview with the CEO at a coffee shop near the office, then yesterday I had a trial day and short interview with the Reservations Manager. Today he told me I have been invited back to have the final interview on Monday with previous Reservations Manager turned Home Services Manager. He is some sort of entrepreneur from what I gather, started a business when he was in high school etc - so I have wondered, they must be getting him to interview me for a reason because he isn't on the reservations team any more so I can't think why else it would be that he is to conduct the final interview? There are 2 other founders in addition to the CEO I first met on day one so I am thinking why isn't it one or all of them, instead of this guy...

Interesting! Any tips or thoughts anyone? Thank you!

getmore4less

Perhaps this is the first time this guy is available.

Does the rest of the job pass the smell tests.

Who will you report to?

Whats the structure of the renumeration package?

What background research have you done?

Laura721

Thanks.

I will report to the reservations manager who I was with on the trial day, not to this guy.

I have no information on the remuneration package at all, regarding salary etc it doesnt mention any of this on the job ad - should I ask or wait until they give me this information?

As for background research - I have been studying their website, press releases etc, not sure what else I can look into?

Any other advice please?

colino

I'd definitely be putting in the hours doing more research on the company. Either too small and unstable to take decisions corporately (THREE interviews?) or at the whim of a fickle one-man-band boss.

Laura721

Thank you but please advise me how I can research further the company? They are 60 employees but constantly growing, I understand lengthy recruitment processes are common. With the trial day it was more a formal chat than interview so this could be considered the 2nd and last one perhaps.

Any other advice please? I'm desperate here and have never had to do more than one interview.

tactful

How do you know how many employees there are?

Google the company start reading about them. Find out the main office address if you don't already know it. Go and visit it.

Trust your gut instincts. Tell friends / family when you are meeting with them and where (I don't mean to scare you or be negative, but it sounds dodgy to me from what you said so far).

Was your trial day in a propper office? Is the business real? If it was then I don't think you have too much to worry about.

Don't let people pray you on your desire to be in work, but I really hope it's all bona-fide and you get a great job! Definately check out their building(s) before any more interviews though if I was you!

Laura721

Ok, the CEO told me there were 60 employees, it was one of my questions at the first interview.

At the trial day I was at their office, they only have one, so I know where it is, and I know I isn't dodgy, after all I did the job basically for a day.

Of course, I've googled the company and gone through its website. They have been listed in the press thousands of times in the past couple of years, ie. guardian, ny times, financial times, telegraph, Msnbc news channel so I've got no idea why people may think this is dodgy at all.

What I am looking for is advice for my interview, not checking up on the company's dodgy ness if that makes sense.

tactful

Fact you met in a coffee shop for first interview, the recruitment process wasn't made clear at first interview and you were wondering why the next interviewer is involved made me think along those lines. Nice to hear I caught the wrong end of the stick ;-)

Most important thing with interviews is rapport, you're obviously doing something right to get to the 3rd interview.

Research the company, know it inside out. What markets is it moving into ? You mentioned it's a property company, do they focus on any one country more than any other? If so I'd do my research around that country / challenges / pitfalls of the property letting market there.

You mentioned your previous experience. Pick two projects / tasks you accomplished there, remind yourself of them, plan them out - what behaviours did you use to make sure it was a success. Have these rehearsed in your head so you can slot them into the interview if it seems worthwhile.

What can you bring to this role that however many other people couldn't bring that they are interviewing? Why are you right? What is your Unique Selling Point(s) ?

Who are the main competitors for this company? What do you think you could do if you had the job to make sure this company went ahead of its competition?

Why was you so successfull in your previous lettings job?

Think of a good reason for leaving your previous job if you didn't already have one.

Also what do you think the impact of the stamp duty changes will be to the lettings market? Just an idea for something topical

good luck!

cassie55

colino wrote: »

I'd definitely be putting in the hours doing more research on the company. Either too small and unstable to take decisions corporately (THREE interviews?) or at the whim of a fickle one-man-band boss.

I disagree.

I had 3 interviews for my current role. It's a major international airline so neither of these reasons apply.

To the OP: Good luck - getting to the 3rd stage definitely means you're doing something right.

getmore4less

If you still have no idea what the money is that would worry me a bit,

Do you know the market rates and renumeration structure for these job in the UK.

Wyndham

Hmmm... so you did a days work for them for no pay, and the first meeting was in a coffee shop. Could be fine, of course, but I can see why others have reached the 'dodgy' conclusion!

Good luck, let us know how you get on.