You got called for a job interview and you think it went well.  Now you’re being called back for a second interview. It’s a promising next step, but you’re not hired yet. You’ll have to perform well in this second round and it all depends on how you prepare.

The second interview is different from the first interview

In the first interview you probably met via telephone, SKYPE or in person with a recruiter for about 30 minutes. In this second interview, you’ll most likely meet with the hiring manager or several senior managers and you might even meet with some of your potential colleagues.  Ask your human resources contact for the roles of the people with whom you will be meeting and ask for their names so you can research them on LinkedIn.

Interviewers are impressed when job candidates have researched both the company and the background of those interviewing them.

Ask them how they define the company culture, how they came to work for the organization and what it takes to be a success

Interview #1: a screening; Interview #2: the “real deal”

Prepare for your second interview by expecting a series of questions to identify your technical skills, how you’d add value and relate your experience to the new position, as well as behavioral or emotional intelligence type questions.

Employers know that attitude is as important as aptitude.

To prepare, know the exact job requirements and expectations from carefully reading the job posting. Visit the company’s web site and read company press releases, related news stories and other general industry news to find out about their business objectives, milestones, successes and their competition.

Success Stories Sell your Value

Nothing in the interview is as important as coming prepared with stories of your success and past job accomplishments. Your core competencies should be listed on your resume and they often prompt questions of the interviewer.

You want to convey how you handled similar situations, the actions you took and the results. Be prepared to provide different examples to the different people who interview you because they will compare notes.  Following an interview, most companies gather the interviewers to discuss all job candidates’ strengths, weaknesses and job fit for the vacant position. If you tell the same story five times, it will look like you don’t have any variety of experiences or were not prepared for the interview.

How long should your interview responses be?

No one is timing you but aim to answer each question in two minutes or less. Provide enough information in your response but do not bore the interviewer with unnecessary detail.

Names are important

Be sure to get the names and job titles of your interviewers; better yet, ask for their business cards for correct name spelling and contact information. You will need this to email a thank you note to each individual.

Ask questions

Interviews are two-way.  You are being interviewed and it is important for you to interview for job fit too.  Ask a couple of questions about the organization’s critical goals, how this position contributes to those overall goals and how you will be evaluated.

Bottom Line:  All interview questions come down to three things:

Can you do the job?

Will you do the job? (i.e. motivational fit, ability to handle change and stress)

Will you fit in?

People hire those they like. 

It’s that simple. 

Be approachable, confident yet calm and authentic.

If you found this article helpful, check out others on my website, http://www.CareerWisdomCoach.com.  My mission is easy:  I educate, encourage and empower job seekers to land the career of their dreams.  Let me help you with keyword rich and achievement based resumes and strategic LinkedIn profiles.