How to ace your second interview

02.05.2015

Your excellent answers to the tough interview questions we discussed in last week’s blog  have landed you a second interview. Congratulations! Just know that it’s completely normal if you’re thinking, “I thought I already talked to all of the relevant stakeholders during my first interview, how will this one be different?” That thought is also generally followed by, “What else could they possibly want to know?” There are many reasons employers will ask for second interviews.  For instance, a key team member may have been on vacation the week of your first interview, or there may be a few candidates that have made it to the second round, and they will use this round of interviews to determine the finalists.

Get comfortable, but not too comfortable. One of the most common pieces of feedback we get from employers is that “during the second interview, we felt his/her professional demeanor was lacking in comparison to our first interview experience.”  In many cases, this means the candidate took too casual of an approach to the situation. Be cautious not to let your answers to questions give the impression that you feel like you already have the job.

Review your first round interview. After your first interview, you and your Ambrion recruiter would have had a conversation about your experience. This is the time to discuss questions that you felt really comfortable with, ones that were more of a struggle, and get an overall sense of how the interview went. It’s best to have this conversation shortly following the interview so everything is clear in your mind. Use your Ambrion recruiter as a resource to prepare for your second interview, and if you’re not working with a recruiter, call a trusted mentor or friend to discuss ways to enhance what you said during your first interview. What were the best parts of the interview? Review areas that elicited positive responses from your interviewer(s), and take some time to think about what you want to make sure you emphasize in this interview. Were there areas of your work experience that are applicable to this position, but you didn’t discuss during your first meeting? Use this interview to share what you might have missed in your first round.

Use LinkedIn. Each interview you met with in your first round of interviews likely gave you their business card. Use their card to get the exact spelling of their names, and check them out on LinkedIn to get to know your interviewers. What are their backgrounds? What previous work experience do you have in common? What can you learn about them to discuss in your second interview?

Have a 90 Day Plan. Even if you are the only candidate who has progressed to a second round interview, handle the interview like you have competition. You can assume that once you’re at this stage in the process, your previous experience and skills are what the interviewer(s) are looking for in a candidate, and your focus should be on explaining why you are the best candidate. Not only do you want to re-emphasize why you are a good fit for this role, but give examples of what you will do during the first 90 days in the role. This demonstrates that you have thought about the role, understand its function within the organization, and want to be an asset the moment you arrive for your first day.

Ask lots of questions. This is a key time for you to figure out if you are a good fit for their culture, and they’re trying to determine the same thing about you.  Ask questions like “what is the best thing about working for this company/boss?”

Don’t forget to say thank you. Make sure that the hand-written thank you note that you sent to each interviewer after the first round is also sent after the second round. Even if they make you an offer on the spot during your second round, it’s a good idea to send a note that even re-emphasizes how much you’re looking forward to joining their team.

With these tips, you should be set up for success in your second interview. Congratulations and good luck! Stay tuned for next week’s blog: “Following up after the interview.”