Five Considerations for Your Second Interview

Any second interview is a “make or break” occasion, full of subtlety and nuance.

Employers understood from the first interview that you have the skills and experiences to do the job. But why should it be you and not someone else who is nearly equally qualified?

The pressure will ramp up, and you need to be ready. Here are a few things to consider for your second interview:

Work out whether you want to attend. By the time you are being invited to second interviews, you will hopefully have a few other first interviews in the pipeline. Be honest with yourself in your assessment of the first interview. The employer might be interested in you, but does the role tick enough boxes to warrant additional time and effort? Getting a job offer is excellent, but they are hard to turn down. Make sure that you only go “all the way” with the opportunities that genuinely excite you. Be protective of your time and energy.

There may be different formats or challenges. Second interviews may involve meeting others or different interview formats such as panel interviews. They will often include additional preparation in the form of a presentation or case study. Employers will want to see evidence of your ability to cope with the specific job in question. The nature of the interview will be geared towards assessing your potential performance.

Exacting second interview

Interviewers will be more specific with their questions. Whether it is at the second interview stage or later in the process, when your potential future boss meets you again, you should expect a grilling. They will have thought long and hard about your candidature and will come up with unpredictable lines of questioning according to their priorities. Be open and honest with your answers and try to answer what has been left unsaid behind the questions. 

Employers will want to understand how keen you are. Starting a new job works two ways in terms of motivation. To give any interview process the chance to reach its full conclusion, you need to show that you have thought carefully about your “fit” with the company and that you are 100% keen on the role. This might seem a little fake, but it is essential. While doubts are natural, your chances are sunk if there is any hint of hesitancy. Try not to gush with over-enthusiasm but do be unrelentingly positive about every aspect of the role.

Prepare for questions around remuneration and logistics. While neither party may have made a firm decision, there will likely be exploratory practical questions around logistics and some testing the water around remuneration. While it is acceptable to state that you hope to receive a salary “commensurate with your skill set” and leave the negotiation until later, you definitively need to show the employer that you are 100% ready to take the role if it is offered to you. Think through all the practicalities that may crop up.

Having time to think can make all the difference in a job search. After you walk out of the second interview, you (and the employer) should have a good idea whether the job is for you. Then all you need to do is weigh up your other options.

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This blog is shared with Job Seeker Duetists. 

Written by former recruitment ghostwriter Paul Drury (not AI).