Job interview response: What does this mean?

[rin]

I recently interviewed for a job at a company I'm very interested in working for, and after the interview was contacted by the recruiter and asked to complete a sample task. I sent the completed sample task back to them last week, and I just received an email from the recruiter stating that "to continue the recruiting process, our HR department will be contacting you to set up an interview".

What exactly does this mean? Is this a final screening step to make sure I can pass their background check, and to discuss things like benefits/salary expectations/relocation assistance, or is this a true second-round interview and I'm on a list of finalists?

Does anyone have any specific advice, either way, for what I might want to keep in mind for this HR interview? I'm interviewing for my first out-of-school professional job, and although I have quite a few years of experience, it's all in academia and I'm pretty unfamiliar with industry business standards. This is an industry job, not academic.

Thanks!

[twowhat?]

Did you already go in for an in person interview? The way ours works is phone screen, sample task, then in person interview.

[rin]

Ah, that makes sense! The first interview was a Skype interview, so that makes sense that it's likely to set up an in-person interview. Don't know why that didn't occur to me. Doh. :)

I'm not local to this company; should I expect that they would offer to pay for my travel arrangements, or is it typical that the candidate pays for their own travel arrangements?

[lil_acorn]

Ah, that makes sense! The first interview was a Skype interview, so that makes sense that it's likely to set up an in-person interview. Don't know why that didn't occur to me. Doh. :)

I'm not local to this company; should I expect that they would offer to pay for my travel arrangements, or is it typical that the candidate pays for their own travel arrangements?

the company should pay for your travel costs.

[elliput]

This could either be a Skype or phone interview with the hiring manager or an onsite interview. A Skype or phone interview would be another round of screening, an onsite interview means you are on the short list. If onsite, the company *should* pay for travel expenses; sometimes all up front, sometimes reimbursed.

*Should- some companies do not reimburse, as job hunting expenses can be tax deductible for the applicant. IME, large corporations/firms pay the
expenses as it is also deductible as a business expense.

Good Luck!

[westwoodmom04]

Sounds very promising, good luck.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

like pp said, i'd see it as you are moving on to a second round of interviews. if you are not local they will pay for your travel costs.

in my experience it has been basically phone interview, then if you pass that you move on to a in-person interview. we don't usually have a sample task given but the in person interview is typically fairly intense (8 hours with a break for lunch, giving a 1 hr presentation on a subject and answering questions, plus answering technical questions,interviews with half a dozen different people, etc).

[twowhat?]

like pp said, i'd see it as you are moving on to a second round of interviews. if you are not local they will pay for your travel costs.

in my experience it has been basically phone interview, then if you pass that you move on to a in-person interview. we don't usually have a sample task given but the in person interview is typically fairly intense (8 hours with a break for lunch, giving a 1 hr presentation on a subject and answering questions, plus answering technical questions,interviews with half a dozen different people, etc).

That 1 hr presentation is pretty much a sample task:) And a big one at that!

[rin]

Ok, thanks all! Now I'm on tenterhooks, waiting to hear from them. Gah!