Second time around – the second interview

Congratulations. You have been invited back for a second interview. This is excellent news, but don’t forget, there are likely to be other candidates still in the frame so there is no guarantee you will secure a job offer at the end of it. Careful preparation now is just as important as it was for the first interview. You have got your foot in the door, now you need to convince the company that you are a perfect fit for the role on offer.

First things first

Make sure you find out who will be conducting the interview. It may not be the same person you met at the first interview. It might even involve a panel interview or an introduction to other team members, including your potential line manager. If you can find out the names of your interviewers in advance, then you can do a little research on them via LinkedIn. This should inform you about their particular areas of interest and help you prepare for the kind of questions they may ask you.

Review and improve

Look back at the notes you made after your first interview. What could you have done better? What questions did you struggle to answer? Make sure you rehearse these answers again as they may well be re-visited the second time around. Go over your CV with a fine toothcomb, making sure you can talk knowledgeably about every detail on it.

Time to shine

Sell yourself and don’t hold back. Provide lots of examples of what you have accomplished in previous roles that relate to this position. This is your chance to convince everyone in the room that you are the perfect candidate for the business and the role.

Doing things differently

Whereas, prior to the pandemic you might have been offered a tour of the facility, now it’s perfectly feasible that your second interview will be carried out remotely.  This still gives you the opportunity to ask lots of questions and you should still be able to find out if the business environment is right for you.

At the end of the interview make sure you ask when they are likely to be making a decision. This gives you a timeframe of when you can realistically expect to hear back. There is always a chance you may be offered a job then and there. Don’t feel under pressure to make an instant decision. Ask for some time to consider the offer properly and let the interviewer know when you will respond.