You’ve put in the work, garnered the attention of hiring managers, set yourself apart from other candidates, and made it to the final round of interviews. Just one more conversation stands between you and the job you’ve worked so hard for. How can you make the final push and succeed in your final interview?
At this point, every remaining candidate is qualified for the role, so you’ll need to find ways to stand out. Don’t let the pressure overcome you—by being prepared, perfecting your previous answers, and showing confidence in your abilities, you can emerge victorious in the final battle.
Do your homework
The final interview is the chance to play all of your remaining cards. You need to stand out from the rest of the final applicants, and it starts with preparation. Even if you’ve done research for your early rounds, revisit past topics so that everything is fresh in your mind. You likely have new context based on your previous conversations.
Don’t stop there. As we’ll discuss later, spend a good amount of time looking up the company’s culture and salary data for this and similar positions. If you really want to stand out, Ramped’s Benjamin Grant says try to pick up on common phrases and language used by the company and adapt them into your own speech.
Continue to ask questions
But you won’t be expected to know everything. In fact, continuing to ask questions in the final round is a good thing. It shows that you’re actively engaged, curious, and genuinely excited about the role. Asking the right questions this late can help you stand out even further, especially if your answers are based on previous research.
At this stage, you’re interviewing the company as much as they’re interviewing you. You don’t want to get chosen for a role and regret it later because you didn’t ask questions in advance. Make the most of this chance so both parties get the most out of this partnership.
Smooth previous answers
In the final round, you might interview with people you’ve never met with previously, including company executives or department heads. You might be asked questions you’ve previously covered, or someone may want to revisit your previous answers. This is a great opportunity to smooth over previous answers and reiterate the problems you can solve.
If your previous answers didn’t feel right in hindsight, this is the chance to take the lessons you’ve learned since and put them into action. Be specific, don’t be afraid to brag a bit, and try mastering a framework like STAR or CAR.
“The final interview is not to make apologies—it’s to note where previous answers could have been stronger and find ways to weave those into the conversation.” –LHH
Expect to discuss culture
If you’ve made it this far, it’s because your qualifications and experience are right for the role, and it’s all about narrowing down those final candidates with similar qualifications. Ultimately, your interviewers are curious about who is the best overall fit with the organization, so expect a healthy amount of discussion about the company’s culture.
Ideally, you got a good picture of life with this company from your previous research, but this is an excellent topic to ask questions about. Coaching Actuaries says that by having a healthy back and forth about the culture and values, both parties can walk away with an understanding of whether working together is the right move.
Be ready to talk about salary
Logistics are a big part of final round interviews. You aren’t just a theoretical option for the organization at this point—you could be working for the company shortly. Expect more nitty gritty topics like salary, benefits, and a timetable to come up.
Salary negotiations are often a final holdup for job seekers. This is where your previous research comes in handy. Enter your interview ready to discuss specifics based on what the company has said and what similar positions are offering. Indeed suggests having a range rather than one specific number, with the lowest end being a number you’re comfortable with.
“As you discuss salary, emphasize your enthusiasm for the position. You can say, “I am really excited about the chance to join your team, and I believe this range accurately reflects my qualifications and the value I can contribute to the company.”” –Jack Kelly, Forbes
Keep finding ways to stand out
This is your final chance to build rapport with the organization. You want them to continue thinking about you (positively) after your conversation and thinking that you’re someone who can’t let get away. Bust out every schmoozing technique in your repertoire, make small talk, and be intentional with your body language. Every little thing can help!
The Muse’s Lily Zhang says candidates who show a little bit of narcissism (not arrogance) will stand out over more modest candidates. Don’t be afraid to brag a little bit so you leave nothing to chance. Highlight why you’re the right person for the job—just don’t take it too far.
Wrap up
You’ll face a mix of challenges in your final interview, including readdressing previous topics, discussing new ones, and needing to prove why you’re the right candidate for this role. By putting in the research, actively listening in your conversations, and taking steps to be memorable, you can separate yourself from the competition and land the coveted role!
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