Second Interview Advice

Published 3 Aug 2010 09:30 0 Comments

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If you are reading this article, then it is most likely that you’ve been invited to attend a second interview. So what’s next? There is still some work to be done before you can prove you’re the ideal candidate. Nevertheless, you can be proud of yourself for what you’ve achieved so far - managing to sell yourself to your prospective employer.

However, you won’t be the only candidate that’s been invited to a second interview. You will need to impress the same interviewer again, someone else from the company or organisation, or even a panel of decision-makers. We’ve put together the following tips to help you:

1. Preparation is key to success:

Don’t become complacent; you still need to prepare for the second interview - just like you did for your first one. Even if you’ve already looked at the company’s website before attending the first interview, consider having another look as a certain amount of time may have passed since then.

Reading the latest industry news or talking to people who’ve previously worked with the company will also help you to find the right questions to ask the interviewer(s). There may be some repetition from the first interview, as your interviewer might want to dig deeper or find out if a senior colleague agrees with their opinion about you.

Be prepared to come up with some ideas yourself. You might be asked about how you think you can improve an activity, department, or the company itself. The interviewers will want to know how you’re going to contribute to your team and the company. Make sure you present your ideas in a non-critical way and only give your opinion about what could be improved if you are asked to.

At this stage you might also be required to sit an aptitude or psychometric test. Are you prepared for an all or half day assessment centre? If you got the initial interview through an agency, the consultant should brief you beforehand about this stage. Still, it would be a good idea to find some books to help you to understand them and do a few practice tests.

2. Reflect on what you talked about in the first interview:

There may have been points that you didn’t feel you got across well, where the interviewers like to ask you in more detail. Or you might have answered some questions very well and the interviewers want to check your response or require more information about the topic you discussed. Have a think about how you are going to approach the most difficult questions, recalling how you responded to them last time.

3. Be professional:

Your behaviour should always demonstrate that you are a professional person, someone who will take care of the organisation’s clients or customers. This includes making sure that you don’t give any offensive or inappropriate answers to the questions you are asked, as well as demonstrating that you have excellent listening skills.

4. Think of new examples to support your suitability for the role:

In the first interview you will have provided some examples of why you think you are the best candidate for the job. Try to think of some new ‘case studies’ that demonstrate your abilities. By case studies we mean experiences that led to a successful outcome or helped you to learn about how to improve a particular strategy, process, activity, skill set, or situation.

5. Ask the right questions:

The following may be questions you’d like to ask.

• What would you like me to accomplish within the first six months?

• How would you define your company’s culture?

• What kind of support will I receive for my professional training and development?

• Do you see me in this role, and are there any concerns about my ability to successfully fulfil it?

You might be offered the position there and then. If this happens we would recommend asking if you could have some time to think about it before you make your decision. This will give you time to reflect and perhaps even negotiate a better deal. If they really want you and value you, they will allow this to happen.

Second interviews are a great opportunity. You will do well if you relax, do your preparation and try and enjoy the ride.

For more careers advice, visit www.Jobsite.co.uk

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