How to prepare for the second interview?
Congratulations on doing so well and reaching the second interview!
You cannot let up in terms of your preparation. If anything, you should work much harder, as the company is now considering you far more seriously.
You now need to prove several things:
First, you need to demonstrate that you can do the job. Your confidence and presentation is one way to demonstrate ability. Providing examples of your past successes can make a huge difference. (Members can refer to our Build Section's, Prepare Your Story, for extra tips and worksheets to give you a real edge.)
Even if the job will require you to complete types of things that you’ve never done before, you will still want to provide examples from your past that at least somewhat relate to the responsibilities outlined for the role.
Note: You can use some examples from the first round interview, but you do want to have several new ones ready as well.
Second, beyond demonstrating just the ability to do the job, you need to prove that you are someone this person can rely on to deliver results. You need to show that you will put in the time and energy to get the job done, and that if something goes wrong, you will be right there, diagnosing and fixing it.
If there was anything mentioned in the first interview that you can research and discuss better in the second interview, do it.
Trust in the workplace is very important to a successful working relationship. Recognize that the hiring manager’s credibility is partially at stake in this hiring decision. Think about what they are afraid of and prepare answers that address those fears.
Third, you need to show that you actually care about this job and this company. Hiring and training employees is an expensive investment. You need to demonstrate that you are worth it. Doing homework about the company can make a huge difference. You need to be able to speak to what makes you excited about working there and how this company is unique from others in the marketplace. (Members can check out the Research Section for additional material).
Finally, you need to demonstrate that you are someone who they would like working with. The people at this company are going to spend a lot of time with the individual they bring on board. So a strong personal fit is important. Knowing and using the lingo the company uses will help your cause.
Researching the people who you would be working with can make a big difference.
In general, practice, practice, practice. Practice will provide you with crisper answers for your second round interview questions.
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