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IT companies often interview at coffee shops. I have had a few interviews over the years. Overall, I would prefer meeting at a coffee shop than at a formal, stuffy office for face-to-face interview.
Has anyone had an out of office interview? I have one tomorrow at a Starbucks. I've never heard of that type of interview before but one of my friends who works in HR told me that out of office interviews are becoming more popular.
So if you had one, how did it go? My biggest concern is not knowing exactly who I'm meeting.
Why is it done? You have to wonder if HR is sand bagging someone back in the office. Also it is mickey mouse; what is the cost of a cuppa? And it would be nice to pretend that everyone sitting around you doesn't over hear your conversation. But they do. Hang around a minute and see if the three o'clock shows up after you.
I run my business out of my home, so I only do interviews out of coffee shops. I've interviewed some sketchy people in the past, and I don't want them having my home address. I also have 2 kids and a Rottweiler, so even though a sitter is often here while I'm working, it's hardly an environment for getting to know each other.
Has anyone had an out of office interview? I have one tomorrow at a Starbucks. I've never heard of that type of interview before but one of my friends who works in HR told me that out of office interviews are becoming more popular.
So if you had one, how did it go? My biggest concern is not knowing exactly who I'm meeting.
ive met with headhunters at starbucks when i couldnt make it to their office during regular business hours. additionally ive seen interview take place there for very small or newly established companies. it happens all the time.
Starbucks = job interview site, first date meetup, online date meetup, library, business negotation site ....
I had somewhat funny/alarming experience once. Meeting was set up not in a coffee shop, but at one of Memphis's hotels in downtown(not the best one). I came late and it turned out it was good. There was a guy, who looked, liked main character from the movie "Green mile", but he was in the suit. He said he was interviewer and when we started talking, his "story" was "yes, we spoke about opening and we actually have several and I want you fill in this application..." and he handed to me one or two application pages, it puzzled me a little bit, no business card, no job description, no talk, just some foggy speech, but he was asking for the info, like he was already hiring(SSN, references ...).
I put papers aside and started talking to him, trying to figure out what exactly we are talking about. At this moment doors opened and two more candidates came in, interviewer grabbed papers from the desk, gave them to me again and said impatiently "Fill in application. I need your application."
Thank you for all of the responses and feedback guys. Two hours before my scheduled interview I was called and rescheduled on. I also specified that I would be out of town from Monday to Wednesday and received two emails for rescheduled interviews for days I would be out of town. My new interview is scheduled for next week but I definitely am having doubts about the management's organization.
Regardless, I think I will give it a shot. What is appropriate coffee house interview attire? I have a short sleeved blazer I was thinking of wearing. I should also note that this position is in the fashion industry.
A LONG time ago (1993) I had an interview with a bank in the Silicon Valley area where although I was flown out from the East Coast and put in a hotel (ah those were the days, you don't see that so much anymore), my interviews were a breakfast, lunch and dinner meeting in separate restaurants. While I like the casual atmosphere of these (the one other time I had one of these interviews was in a Starbucks local to me in 2008), I'm always suspicious that they're not trying to hide something about their office. Didn't get the job in either instance.
yeah, i think there are sometimes legitimate reasons for interviewing outside the office, but i always much prefer to see what a workplace is like before i accept a job there.
and i agree with the last poster; i would wear exactly what i'd wear to an interview in an office. i don't know what's the norm in the fashion industry so i can't give any specific advice.
Yeah, several years ago one of my managers asked me to pick a place close to work to interview for a promotion. Because I had been working overnight, the only place I knew was a place that served breakfast. So I chose it. I didn't realize it was the place where weirdos, addicts, and a guy with a hundred religious statues glued to the top of his car also hung out during other parts of the day. I still got the promotion, though.
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Not cool
Two hours before my scheduled interview I was called and rescheduled on. I also specified that I would be out of town from Monday to Wednesday and received two emails for rescheduled interviews for days I would be out of town. My new interview is scheduled for next week but I definitely am having doubts about the management's organization.
