Nailing the 2nd (and 3rd) Interview.
Company dependent, your invitation to a 2nd interview is an incredibly positive thing...but it’s not the endgame just yet.
If anything, you’ll be meeting more central leadership members (who you haven’t met before) who will be meeting you for the first time. They are the true decision makers. You’ll also now have a “name” for yourself in your interview circle within this company, and will have the opportunity to speak upon, and build upon, the rapport from the first interview and mine your interviewer for more details.
From your interviewer's perspective, your first interview will have been dug into and analyzed, undoubtedly your references will be coming back to embellish your career to date, and you’ll be closer to getting a job offer.
You will, to a degree, have made the cut, and you’ll have stepped up in your interviewer’s estimations of what you can offer them. The power dynamic has shifted somewhat in your favour, however do not get complacent: this is the easiest time for you to make a mistake and the stakes are much higher.
This is the only time pre-hire where the shoe is very on your foot as much as it is your employers - you get to use this time to ask more probing, competitive-angled questions and do so from a position of invited guest and potential hire, rather than freshman interviewee.
However, your interviewer will operate much the same way - they will be mining you for specificity now, trying to angle how you would work specifically within a team, especially with leadership.
As Michael R. Neece, CEO at Interview Mastery, says, preparing a range of 2nd interview questions is very much in order:
“Questions you ask during 2nd interview include:
- Please describe three company initiatives and how the position is linked.
- What competitors do you feel present the strongest competition?
- What market dynamics do you feel will have the greatest impact?
2nd interviews include meeting higher level people in the company. Higher level interviewers are more likely to be unskilled (as HR specialists) but they’re more comfortable interviewing and asking unorthodox questions.
As you progress through the hiring process you’ll encounter different types of interviews: You may be asked to deliver a presentation, or invited to Panel interviews (multiple interviewers simultaneously), or further interviews may include problem solving/simulation interviews and personality tests. Mealtime interviews are also common on 2nd interviews.
Finally, on 2nd and 3rd interviews you’ll be questioned about your salary expectations and possible start date”.
The Sales Recruiters Dallas do’s and don’ts for 2nd and 3rd interviews:
Do - practice run (again) to your destination or, if it’s remote, prepare your interview space and tell any household friends or family to give you silence and space to conduct it.
Do - remember that you’re able to give so much more at this stage. Compared to the first interview, a second interview will likely involve more preparation, more people, more questions, more intensity, and more pressure.
Do - prepare, and this time prepare hard. As you’ll more than likely be meeting a newer, potential more senior person or panel of managers, at this stage you’ll be expected to have dug a little deeper into their industry. Read up on industry movements and expect the unexpected.
Do - consider how you would approach a job offer from the perspective of company and organisational culture. A major reason for the second interview is so the employer can see how well you fit in with the company culture. If you aren’t a good fit with the employer, you probably wouldn’t be happy working there anyway. Remember: this interview is also your opportunity to determine whether the company is a good fit for you.
Post-Interview Hack! If you are a college student, seek out alumni from your school or sorority/fraternity who work for the employer or who have worked for the employer through LinkedIn, Glassdoor or other networking devices and social media sites.
Do - be prepared to negotiate a salary. It’s not uncommon at this stage for your interviewer to raise salary, bonus structures and benefits. Know your worth, do you research and prepare to talk frankly about the pay banding.
Don’t - negate to reference or allude to your first interview. Where possible, use some of the notes you made from the first interview to shore up any questions that were challenging or you didn’t feel you answered satisfactorily, and to remind yourself of what you answered well and where you can elaborate.
Don’t - expect the same experience as the first interview. Your second interview could be a panel interview, a sit down with the CEO, a skills test, or a tour of the business. Be open, be alert, go prepared for any eventuality.
Don’t - dress down. This is still very much a formal meeting between professionals and now is not the time to lose sight of how you are perceived by your potential employees.
Don’t - forget to send a thank you card!