I have placed people for a long time, and one thing still costs good candidates the job. They treat one meeting as the "easy" one.
It goes like this. The hiring manager interview went well. Then HR, or a peer, or someone from another team "just wants to meet you." The candidate relaxes. They get casual. They talk about the drive in, the weather, how the first interview went. They do not bring questions. They do not bring examples. In their head, the real interview is over.
It is not over. Every person who meets you is a decision maker. After you leave, they compare notes. If one of them says "I'm not sure," the others can change their minds. I have watched an offer that was ready to go die in that meeting.
What the "just want to meet you" person is really checking
Will you treat people the same way when the boss is not there? Do you take their time as seriously as the hiring manager's time? Are you the same person in every meeting?
So prepare for every meeting the same way
Learn who the person is and what they do. Find them on LinkedIn and know their title. Bring two questions for them, about their work, not about the job you want. Bring one short example of your own work that fits what they do.
Send them a thank-you note, the same way you would for the hiring manager: a separate note, with something from your conversation in it.
Everyone you meet has a vote. Act like it, and the "easy" meeting becomes the one that gets you the offer.
— Deb