Hi friends! Does this sound familiar? You found your dream job online, reached out to some job recruiters, and aced your first interview. Now you’ve got a call back about a second interview—congratulations! A second interview is a huge step towards nailing your dream job.

You might feel like your second interview should be a breeze—after all, you’ve already passed one! But don’t get ahead of yourself—you’re still competing for the position with at least a few other candidates, so it’s important to be confident and prepare.

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Example Second Interview Questions

Second interviews are typically full of thought-provoking questions designed to get a sense of your personality and what unique value you’ll bring to the position. While your first interview was about establishing your qualifications, the second round shows how well you’ll fit in. 

You might meet with different employees than you did in the first round, like team members or higher-ups, but they might ask some of the same questions you were asked in the first interview, so make sure to stay consistent in your answers.

Some questions they might ask are:

• What interests you about this job?
• What specific value will you bring to this position?
• What did you think after your first interview?
• Why are you leaving your current place of employment?
• What’s an achievement you’ve accomplished in your current role?

Second interview questions are designed to get a sense of who you are. Your interviewers want to know what you’re looking for in a job so they can determine if you’ll be happy in a role at their company. They’ll also want to gauge your interest in the position by hearing your thoughts about your first interview. Additionally, they want to dig into what makes you unique.

When answering interview questions about your personality and interest, it’s important to be honest. The interviewer is trying to determine if you’ll be a good fit for their company, but you also need to determine if the company will be a good fit for you.

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Top 8 Second Interview Tips

Prepare for your next job interview by thinking through these interview tips.

1. Do In-Depth Research of the Company

You probably did some research on the company before your first interview, but be prepared to discuss their mission, vision, core values, and any recent news you can find out about them in this round too.

If you know who you’ll be interviewing with, it’s helpful to do research on that person as well. Knowing a little about your interviewer can make the conversation more comfortable and can guide you in asking relevant and thoughtful questions. 

2. Review Your First Interview

If you took notes during your first interview, review them before the second round. Were there any questions that really stumped you? Any issues you wished you’d addressed differently? Your second interview is a chance to revisit any weak answers from your first interview and make them stronger. 

3. Bring Specific Questions

Everyone knows you should be prepared to ask questions during a job interview, but for a second interview, the stakes are a little higher. At this point in the interview process, you’re being seriously considered for a position. Asking thoughtful questions shows the interviewer how interested you are in the position.

A second interview is also your chance to really dig into whether the company culture and values would be a good fit for you. Remember, you’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you! Don’t be afraid to ask questions that will help you get a sense for what the company is really like.

4. Provide Examples of Your Achievements

On paper, you’re qualified for the position—if you weren’t, you never would have been interviewed. But job experience is about much more than just your past job titles. To help your interviewer get a real sense of what you have to offer in their workplace, be prepared to provide specific examples of your achievements. 

5. Dress for Success

Your first interview probably gave you a sense of what other employees at the company wear to work. Even if the company culture is casual, dress professionally for your interview. Dressing professionally shows that you are taking the interview seriously and that you’re excited about the position.

6. Bring Ideas and Suggestions To Show Your Value

Sometimes, interviewers will ask questions to gauge your creativity. For example, they might ask, “What would you change about this company?” or “What do you think this team could be doing better?”

These questions are tricky—if you say everything at the company is perfect, you don’t seem creative, but if you point out a lot of things you think are going wrong, you seem critical. To prepare for questions like these, do some research ahead of time and bring specific ideas to show how your unique experience could positively shape the company. When answering these questions, you want to show what you have to offer, not what the company is doing wrong.

7. Be Prepared To Discuss Salary and Benefits

If you didn’t discuss salary or benefits in the first interview, be prepared to talk about them in the second round. If you have a specific salary in mind, be prepared to negotiate. You don’t want to be blindsided and unprepared for this conversation, since you really can’t change your responses later on.

8. Send Thank-You Notes

After your interview, send follow-up thank-you notes. This reiterates to the hiring manager that you’re serious about the position. It can also be a good way to maintain communication with the interviewer until they make a final decision on whom to hire.

Head Into Your Next Job Interview with Confidence

Heading into a second interview can be intimidating, but remember—they’ve already met you and loved you! Whether you walk out of your second interview with a job offer or not, making it to the second round is a significant accomplishment. 

Now do your homework, pick out your power suit, and get some good sleep. You got this!