Do I have a good shot at the job?

[TradeProposalDude]

My initial phone interview with this company was with an HR person and the hiring manager (3 way call). The 1 hr Or so interview did go well, as I was called in later that day to come in for an in person interview the following week.

The interesting thing is that for the in person interview, I will only be speaking with an HR manager not a hiring manager. Does that mean they have already made their decision?

Btw - this is a very professional job in the city (won't provide details for obvious reasons).. I've had real jobs before and have one now but this would be the best if I were hired

[Eja117]

Yeah, I'd say you have a decent shot at it, or maaayybee the hiring manager didn't think it would work, but the HR manager had some other ideas and wants to get to know you in regards to other stuff.  Just be positive and have an open mind.  They wouldn't waste their time.

[TradeProposalDude]

Yeah, I'd say you have a decent shot at it, or maaayybee the hiring manager didn't think it would work, but the HR manager had some other ideas and wants to get to know you in regards to other stuff.  Just be positive and have an open mind.  They wouldn't waste their time.

interesting take, hadn't looked at it that way. Anyone else have this happen?

[nickagneta]

Its so tough to tell. These HR and decision makers have so many resumes cross their desk for openings and sometimes they are just going through the motions of the appearance of hiring someone even though the have made their decision. Its also really hard to read these people and what they are really looking for in a hire.

You could be overqualified or underqualified or asking too much money(and let's face it money isn't usually discussed in initial interviews)or possibly just fulfilling a quota profile of people needed to be interviewed. Or a million other things. My wife is still looking for full time work down here in Florida after a year of living here and she was interviewed three times by local hospitals only to have the position go to an internal hire each time, something else you may have to overcome if you are applying in a large company.

Given the info you have provided, it really is impossible to say.

Good luck, though.

[Eja117]

Its so tough to tell. These HR and decision makers have so many resumes cross their desk for openings and sometimes they are just going through the motions of the appearance of hiring someone even though the have made their decision. Its also really hard to read these people and what they are really looking for in a hire.

You could be overqualified or underqualified or asking too much money(and let's face it money isn't usually discussed in initial interviews)or possibly just fulfilling a quota profile of people needed to be interviewed. Or a million other things. My wife is still looking for full time work down here in Florida after a year of living here and she was interviewed three times by local hospitals only to have the position go to an internal hire each time, something else you may have to overcome if you are applying in a large company.

Given the info you have provided, it really is impossible to say.

Good luck, though.

Like local hospitals interviewed her 3 times, or three different hospitals interviewed her?  People definitely get interviewed multiple times only to not get the job, but it at least means you made it through a preliminary round

[D.o.s.]

The way it reads makes it seem like three different hospitals.


Anyway, trade proposal dude, you certainly have a better chance of getting the job than if they hadn't called you in for an in-person interview.

[TradeProposalDude]

Its so tough to tell. These HR and decision makers have so many resumes cross their desk for openings and sometimes they are just going through the motions of the appearance of hiring someone even though the have made their decision. Its also really hard to read these people and what they are really looking for in a hire.

You could be overqualified or underqualified or asking too much money(and let's face it money isn't usually discussed in initial interviews)or possibly just fulfilling a quota profile of people needed to be interviewed. Or a million other things. My wife is still looking for full time work down here in Florida after a year of living here and she was interviewed three times by local hospitals only to have the position go to an internal hire each time, something else you may have to overcome if you are applying in a large company.

Given the info you have provided, it really is impossible to say.

Good luck, though.

Very true, although money was discussed in the 1st round. The 1st round lasted a long time, almost an hour, and I talked a lot, so I'm not sure if ill be doing the same thing again in person.

[nickagneta]

Its so tough to tell. These HR and decision makers have so many resumes cross their desk for openings and sometimes they are just going through the motions of the appearance of hiring someone even though the have made their decision. Its also really hard to read these people and what they are really looking for in a hire.

You could be overqualified or underqualified or asking too much money(and let's face it money isn't usually discussed in initial interviews)or possibly just fulfilling a quota profile of people needed to be interviewed. Or a million other things. My wife is still looking for full time work down here in Florida after a year of living here and she was interviewed three times by local hospitals only to have the position go to an internal hire each time, something else you may have to overcome if you are applying in a large company.

Given the info you have provided, it really is impossible to say.

Good luck, though.

Like local hospitals interviewed her 3 times, or three different hospitals interviewed her?  People definitely get interviewed multiple times only to not get the job, but it at least means you made it through a preliminary round

Sorry, offline there for a bit. It was two different hospitals but three different positions. Its good that she got to the interview portion but the health industry pays completely differently here in Florida than those hospitals in Boston did. She was asked in each interview what her salary was in Boston and even though she prefaced that she didn't expect that type of money working here in Florida, she never received a call back.

Her emails thanking her for the application and interview and telling her they would keep her application on file also stated that applicants that already work within the hospital system are given first opportunity in the hiring process and that they had hired from within for each position.

So her qualifications are there as she got interviews but.......who knows?

[oldmanspeaks]

Since I was in management for many years here is something that might help. Line managers and HR are often at odds with one another as HR wants a major say and the line managers think little of them. HR sends non-qualified resumes all the time and throw out ones that could be useful. This creates a ton of friction. If the hiring manager was on the line, you wouldn't be called in if he/she didn't think you were a possibility. Probably the HR manager has the task of figuring out if you are the real deal before setting up the final interview with the hiring manager. Unlike years ago, there are a TON of false resumes out there. It is shocking when you see a great resume and yet when you get to the detailed interview you find out the person can't answer even the simplest technical question. There are also a ton of skilled liars.

Simple example. I once interviewed a young candidate who greatly exaggerated his responsibility. What he didn't know is that I had done his job many years ago and knew there was no way in hell he would have been given the responsibility he claimed as a rookie engineer. It would have put the entire company at risk.

Anyhow the baseline is this. If the hiring manager had said no way, it wouldn't have gone further. The HR person needs to figure out if you are real deal.

[TradeProposalDude]

Since I was in management for many years here is something that might help. Line managers and HR are often at odds with one another as HR wants a major say and the line managers think little of them. HR sends non-qualified resumes all the time and throw out ones that could be useful. This creates a ton of friction. If the hiring manager was on the line, you wouldn't be called in if he/she didn't think you were a possibility. Probably the HR manager has the task of figuring out if you are the real deal before setting up the final interview with the hiring manager. Unlike years ago, there are a TON of false resumes out there. It is shocking when you see a great resume and yet when you get to the detailed interview you find out the person can't answer even the simplest technical question. There are also a ton of skilled liars.

Simple example. I once interviewed a young candidate who greatly exaggerated his responsibility. What he didn't know is that I had done his job many years ago and knew there was no way in hell he would have been given the responsibility he claimed as a rookie engineer. It would have put the entire company at risk.

Anyhow the baseline is this. If the hiring manager had said no way, it wouldn't have gone further. The HR person needs to figure out if you are real deal.

I hope this is the case, that its just confirmation of what they initially saw in me which was a qualified candidate.

I am prepared however that this will be an interview process like the initial one all over again. I also wonder if a third interview would occur here.

[oldmanspeaks]

There will almost certainly be another interview with the hiring manager and probably one or two of his reports. However in that case it will be your job to lose. Don't be over the top in that interview as they just want to make sure you are competent. The oversell is normally the problem in the final interview. You should hear quickly after that unless they are playing the salary game. I made a big salary then wanted to make sure I didn't hit them up for even more so they let me think there were multiple candidates. In fact I learned later, I was the only fully qualified candidate and it was strictly a salary negotiation ploy.