“meet the team” interview

witchgirl26

I had one of these at the end of my 2nd interview for my current role. There would only be 2 of us working together in the office so it was important for my manager to ensure that we could work well together and get on. We would be quite different in a lot of ways but we clicked so it was the final tick for me. My boss had pretty much made up his mind at this point but we're a small team so his hiring strategy is that when he's narrowed it down to 2 people, they meet a member of the team where they would be based. It's worked well for us as a team in the past few years.

I would have liked if that had happened in a few previous roles as it might have made me rethink accepting some of them.

Like others, I don't think it's hindered diversity in our team. We all range in age, backgrounds and experiences which work well together. There's commonalities between all of us which enables the connection that makes us work well as a team.

OMM 0000

witchgirl26 wrote: »

Like others, I don't think it's hindered diversity in our team. We all range in age, backgrounds and experiences which work well together. There's commonalities between all of us which enables the connection that makes us work well as a team.

Diversity of thought.

In my experience you want a wide range of "types" in your team. You need a few rule followers, you need an artistic type, you need a maverick type, you need conservatives, you need liberals, etc.

What these group interviews do is ensure everyone is of the same type.

As an example, this is why all the US tech companies are very left wing.

Ideally what you want is an environment with a lot of different personality types. Yet they're mature enough to work with each other and be professional. Otherwise you create an echo chamber.

JustAThought

Senior Finance Job Role I applied for :

1: HR external company interview in external office
2: HR and Director interview in group Itrish HQ offices
3: Fly to London for pannel interview with 2 other directors
4: Further Irish HQ interview with another high level manager ( who would be below me in the reporting structure ironically) and Irish Director
5: Timed 2 x 3 hour Psychometric Testing with another specialised outside contractor in their offices.
6: Medical assesment with ‘independent’ clinic.

Finally Offered Job & Accepted.

7: Requested to ‘drop down and meet the office staff’ when director wasn’t there - I refused. marketing, receptionist and office admins - not without someone to lead in and introduce me.

8: Irish director changed his appointment and met me at the Irish HQ and introduced me to the staff.

Gave notice and started job.
All done while still working and using up holiday days/making excuses.

MrMusician18

JustAThought wrote: »

Senior Finance Job Role I applied for :

1: HR external company interview in external office
2: HR and Director interview in group Itrish HQ offices
3: Fly to London for pannel interview with 2 other directors
4: Further Irish HQ interview with another high level manager ( who would be below me in the reporting structure ironically) and Irish Director
5: Timed 2 x 3 hour Psychometric Testing with another specialised outside contractor in their offices.
6: Medical assesment with ‘independent’ clinic.

Finally Offered Job & Accepted.

7: Requested to ‘drop down and meet the office staff’ when director wasn’t there - I refused. marketing, receptionist and office admins - not without someone to lead in and introduce me.

8: Irish director changed his appointment and met me at the Irish HQ and introduced me to the staff.

Gave notice and started job.
All done while still working and using up holiday days/making excuses.

I'm sure such a process was designed be a very expensive management consultant but I wonder how cost effective it is. In that I wonder how much retention has improved because of such a long winded process.

As for the op and their meet the team interview, surely this is a process which may end up backfiring. Given that ultimately everyone is looking out for their own interests first, a peer assessment is likely to result in a weaker candidate being chosen as they are going to be less of a threat for promotion

AndrewJRenko

ELM327 wrote: »

What, a 15 year age range across a 30 year working career?
Does that support your point?

Why do you think there is no one over 50 on the team?

Hoboo

ulster wrote: »

Having a good laugh at some of the replies in here.

Meet the team is a normal interview stage in tech interviews for US companies.

To be honest I find these ones the least annoying because you get a chance to interact with the team and make a good impression. I find if you're asking questions early on about the tech they use and their process and are genuinely interested in them, it makes the interview a lot less formal.

PMSL too, the replies in HR threads on boards are ridiculous, everyone has an unqualified opinion. Its a completely normal part of the interview process, especially when it's a small team or a senior role. And a simple ice breakers rather than arrive and intro on Monday morning.

witchgirl26

OMM 0000 wrote: »

Diversity of thought.

In my experience you want a wide range of "types" in your team. You need a few rule followers, you need an artistic type, you need a maverick type, you need conservatives, you need liberals, etc.

What these group interviews do is ensure everyone is of the same type.

As an example, this is why all the US tech companies are very left wing.

Ideally what you want is an environment with a lot of different personality types. Yet they're mature enough to work with each other and be professional. Otherwise you create an echo chamber.

Trust me there is a wide diversity of thought! Because we all come from different backgrounds (both culturally and work related) and experiences in the work place, we all have quite different views on areas in the business. This has led to better understanding and honestly some really interesting conversations as a team.

In terms of the artistic type etc - we did a personality testing thing as a team and we came out fairly balanced in regards that. A slight bias in all towards a particular type which wouldn't be unusual for people drawn to my role but a fairly good spread.

Oh & for clarity - I do not work for a US MNC. I work for an Irish/UK business.

AngryLips

Hoboo wrote: »

PMSL too, the replies in HR threads on boards are ridiculous, everyone has an unqualified opinion. Its a completely normal part of the interview process, especially when it's a small team or a senior role. And a simple ice breakers rather than arrive and intro on Monday morning.

Surely anyone who has been through a recruitment process is qualified to speak on that process? I'm not saying that this applies to the example the OP has given, but surely your recruitment process is only as legitimate as the degree to which candidates are willing to recognise it as such? If - as a HR team - you're losing people on the way, you're probably doing it wrong.

hots

mailforkev wrote: »

A good friend of mine has just moved to a new job that had 7 rounds of interview, including a presentation, 2 different HR interviews, and one of these meet the team calls. All over Zoom. Well known management consultancy type company.

Sounds like an absolute nightmare to me. Something not right if it takes that level of time and detail to make a hiring decision. I've hired plenty of people and value my own time too much for that.

If that's going into one of the consultancies they're going in as a partner, and even at that I would say exaggerated. Anything below partner is generally 3 rounds, most 4.

TimeToShine

JustAThought wrote: »

Senior Finance Job Role I applied for :

1: HR external company interview in external office
2: HR and Director interview in group Itrish HQ offices
3: Fly to London for pannel interview with 2 other directors
4: Further Irish HQ interview with another high level manager ( who would be below me in the reporting structure ironically) and Irish Director
5: Timed 2 x 3 hour Psychometric Testing with another specialised outside contractor in their offices.
6: Medical assesment with ‘independent’ clinic.

Finally Offered Job & Accepted.

7: Requested to ‘drop down and meet the office staff’ when director wasn’t there - I refused. marketing, receptionist and office admins - not without someone to lead in and introduce me.

8: Irish director changed his appointment and met me at the Irish HQ and introduced me to the staff.

Gave notice and started job.
All done while still working and using up holiday days/making excuses.

Can you imagine going through this rigmarole for every peon who earns 50-60k. The process itself probably costs a quarter of the employee's wages!

Specialun

Morning

Just to add my two pence.

It's actually is a really good step in the process. It gave me the chance to suss out the role much more and to ask the questions that a hiring manager would generally give you the company Line on. I don't mean company secrets or the in & Outs. I mean what are the challenges of the role or the reality of what you're in for.

The 3 team members were given a different set of questions to ask. Once these were asked you then had a chance to ask the questions you wanted.

My mind has completely changed on it. It really gives the candidate the chance to get under the covers and for the company to get the candidate to show the real him/her