You’ve been invited back for a second interview! That’s fantastic! It typically means you are in contention for the job, most likely along with other candidates. While the first interview covers general screening questions, the next phase will dig deeper into your specific qualifications and could entail meeting with more company leaders and managers.
To help you prepare, the following four reminders will impress your interviewers. On top of these reminders, be sure to choose an appropriate outfit and plan to arrive a few minutes early. If you are conducting your interview by phone or via online conferencing, be sure you have everything ready to go in advance and still dress the part. It’s amazing how our clothes can affect our behavior – think about how you feel when you’re in pajamas!
Know the agenda.
Ask who you will be meeting with and what the schedule will be. This information will not only help you prepare for the different conversations but to also feel at ease about the process. Look each person up on LinkedIn and write at least one question for each person. We all love talking about ourselves, so give them the chance to do that.
Allow some buffer time in your schedule in case interviews take longer than you thought – you don’t want to be rushing out on a good conversation or feeling nervous about the schedule! Bring multiple copies of your resume and your references. Collect business cards from each person you meet within case you have follow up questions. Then, email them each a quick thank you after the interview.
Be yourself.
Of course, you want to put your best self forward but stop short of embellishing or acting in a way you perceive they want. Should you be successful, you’ll want your colleagues to know the real you, complete with authentic work experience. Let the interviewers see your personality, but stop short of joking or being too familiar with the interviewer.
Be ready for silence. There are moments in an interview that are naturally silent and some clever interviewers leave the silence hanging to see if you’ll go off track and start babbling. Silence is not a bad sign, don’t feel like you need to fill it.
Communicate your value.
Communicate how your skills, experience, and likability will be an asset to the team and to the organization. This will require you to do a bit more homework about the job, the company, and the industry so you can frame your answers in context. Also, consider what you want the company to know about you; make a list so you won’t forget an important point. You want the interviewer to see the long term benefit of having you on the team.
Craft smart questions.
Go back through your notes from the initial interview and see if there are any items you would like clarified. Also, in doing your research about the organization and its industry, you may be curious about the company’s plans. Come up with four to six questions ahead of time, so you aren’t caught off guard during the interview, and make sure you have at least one question for each person.
You may be asked questions that you were also asked in the initial interview. That’s perfectly normal. It’s also common for each person to interview you to ask similar questions. It’s all part of the process as each person is trying to get to know you. You don’t have to change your answers.
Follow up after your interviews is essential to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the opportunity. Be sure to send out a timely thank you note to each person, thanking them for their time. Extra points if you can include a reference to your conversation to make a personal connection.
Should you decide you do not want the position, be sure to tell the recruiter promptly and with grace. People shift into different companies and roles, and you want to maintain a good rapport. You never know when your paths may cross again.
Spectra360 is actively recruiting for several jobs! If you’re looking for the perfect job for you, we invite you to search our open positions and reach out to our recruiters.
