The good news is that you made it to the second round of interviews. However, your work is not done just yet. The second interview requires additional preparation.
Therefore, put in the additional time to get ready with these tips below.
1. Prep Strategic Examples
If you read “What to Expect in a 1st Round Interview…” you made a note of what made the interviewer light up. Be sure you use this knowledge to recall the most pertinent examples during the second-round interview. There will be more opportunities to give examples of what you have done or plan to do during this interview, so dive deep into detail.
2. Cover Everything
You do not want to live in the past but think back to what you wished you would have said in the first-round interview. You can weave this information into your second-round interview answers. There is no need to explicitly state that it is something you forgot to mention initially; just bring it up. Remember, this may be your last chance to sell yourself, so lay it all out there.
3. Be Ready For A Salary And Benefits Discussion
Depending on how many candidates went through to the second round, the hiring manager may want to discuss salary and benefits expectations. You should not bring it up, but be sure you are prepared to have the conversation. Know the salary range you are interested in obtaining and what benefits are important to you.
4. Have A 30-, 60- And 90-Day Plan
Not all interviewers will ask you to describe your transition plan, but you should have a strategy ready just in case. Interviewers who ask this want to see that you have thought about the transition and that you are visualizing yourself in the role – not to mention being successful. It will help differentiate you from other candidates by having a solid plan. Bonus: If you land the job, you will already have a starting point for settling in.
5. Remember You Are Always Being Evaluated
Plan on spending a lot more time at the company and with potential colleagues for the second-round interview. Moreover, because of this, you will probably be on-site for a big portion of the day. It is important to remember that you are always being evaluated – even during a lunch or dinner meet-and-greet or a casual conversation in the breakroom. So, remain professional and stay “on” at all times.
6. Be Prepared For A Group Interview
Let’s be real… group interviews can be intimidating. Everyone is looking at you, waiting for you to answer their question (and everyone else’s). Also, everyone is asking you different questions, hitting on the topics most important to them. Take a deep breath and focus on staying calm and composed before going into the interview room. You want to conjure confidence. Something else to remember is that there will likely be a range of abilities interviewing you, but do not gravitate to the one that seems to be running the show. Give each of them equal attention since everyone will be giving his or her input about whether or not you fit in – you want them all to have no question about hiring you.
7. Ask More Questions
Just like the second interview will likely take more time, have more people involved and require more specific examples, you should also have more questions ready for the interviewers. You learned a lot during the first interview about the company culture and expectations of the role. So, ask away! Also, do not be afraid to get detailed.
Just because you sent a thank-you note the first time does not mean you should skip it during the second round. Send one to each person who interviewed you. If you sat through a group interview with five people, they each get one. To make sure you get the notes off promptly, ask for business cards or make a note of email addresses. If you did not connect with them on LinkedIn before the interview, make the connection right after. Maintaining communication with the prospective employer will remind them of your interest. (If you need some ideas for non-annoying ways of following up after an interview, check out this article.)
Here is to hoping you land the job!
