Career Handbook
9th Edition
On-site Interviews
An on-site interview may be either an initial interview or a second interview.
If the on-site interview is a second interview the questions are likely to be more job-specific and technical than those asked in the initial interview.
In an on-site interview, you typically meet with many individuals. Each individual with whom you meet may not have heard your interactions with the others, so you may be asked to answer the same questions more than once.
Usually a tour of the facility is conducted and you meet potential supervisors, managers, and/or co-workers.
Meals are often part of on-site interviews. Your dining etiquette will be observed and could be a factor in whether or not you get an offer.
As the interviewee, you have the opportunity to observe the organization's environment, ask questions, and evaluate the community.
Format
- Interview length varies from organization to organization. Some interviews may last an hour while others may be as long as two days.
- The interview may consist of an individual interview, multiple individual interviews, panel interviews with multiple interviewers and/or group interviews with multiple interviewees.
- You may be asked to complete testing such as aptitude and/or psychological assessments and/or drug screening.
- You may be expected to have meals or attend receptions with employees, some of whom may be alumni from your school.
Logistics
- Request an interview agenda or itinerary.
- Inquire whether you need to bring any materials such as writing samples, course projects, transcripts, company application, examples of research, and/or other documentation of your experience and skills.
- Ask whether you should make travel and hotel arrangements or whether the organization will provide that service.
Expenses
- Reimbursement policies for travel expenses for on-site interviews may vary dramatically. It is important for you to be aware of the employer's policy before committing to a visit.
- In most cases, the employer's letter inviting you for an on-site interview will advise you if and what expenses will be covered. If no reference is made to travel expenses, it is appropriate to inquire about the employer's policy before you accept an invitation for an on-site interview.
- If the employer pays your expenses, you can expect reimbursement for:
- Airline tickets and expenses for airport limousine or bus, taxi or bus from hotel to place of interview, and baggage service tip at the airport and hotel
- Automobile mileage if you drive (the amount is normally determined by the policy of the employer) and expenses for baggage handling at the hotel, and automobile parking
- Lodging (the night before or after the interview if necessary)
- Meals and tips
- If you plan to visit more than one employer on your trip, prorate the expenses among the employers. If you are visiting two or more employers on the trip and only one employer is willing to pay expenses, the employer should be charged only the share of the cost in proportion to the number of employers visited.
- Not only do employer policies vary on payment of travel expenses, but the manner in which the expenses are paid also varies. In some cases, when airplane travel is necessary, the ticket may be forwarded to you in advance. In some cases, when overnight lodging is required, you may only have to sign the bill at the hotel, charging your room and meals directly to the employer. In cases where your expenses are to be paid, you may still need available funds to pay for your transportation, lodging, meals and any gratuities. Obtain receipts whenever possible. Employers will expect receipts for reimbursement. You may be reimbursed before leaving the employer; other employers will wait for you to turn in all receipts at the conclusion of your trip. It is important to set aside some funds for travel expenses because reimbursement could take as long as four weeks.
- Be prudent in the expenses you submit for reimbursement. Do not put yourself in the position of being rejected as an applicant because your expenses were unreasonable.
Preparation
- Take enough copies of your up-to-date resume for each individual involved in your interview process, plus a few extras. Some of the people with whom you meet may not have seen your resume and it is helpful to be able to provide them with copies.
- Review dining etiquette tips.
- Consider the clothing you will need to take and wear when traveling. Are there dinners, receptions, or presentations involved? Pack light so you can carry your luggage with you; this should help avoid embarrassment in case your luggage is delayed or lost. You'll need interview attire, and perhaps business casual attire. If you are unsure of appropriate attire, ask your contact person at the organization.
- If this is a follow-up to your on-campus interview, you will have already researched the organization. If this is an initial interview, be sure to do your basic pre-interview research.
- Review basic interview tips.
- Prepare a list of questions you would like to have answered. Construct questions such that your knowledge of the company and the field will be apparent.
During and After
- Collect business cards from everyone with whom you meet during the interview process. If you are unable to get a business card, make sure you verify, in writing, the person’s name, correct spelling and title.
- Make notes of pertinent information — before details slip your mind.
- Send thank-you letters to the individuals with whom you met during the process. For panel interviews you may send one letter to the entire panel, addressed to the chair, or send individual letters to each panel member, but each letter must be different and point out something significant to each panelist.
- Maintain detailed records related to your on-site visit. Keep track of names and titles of persons with whom you met, copies of everything you sent, dates of interviews and follow-up correspondence, date of intended employment decisions, on their part and your part.
