You’ve made it through the application process and you passed your first face to face interview with flying colours. Go you! Now it’s time for the all-important second interview; for many companies, this is the final stage before a hiring decision is made. If the first interview is like a first date, then the second interview is that point in the courtship where the other person decides if you’re marriage material.
They’re looking for a perfect fit
Now that your prospective employer has an impression of you as a person and a rough grasp of your experience, they will want to dig a little deeper and find out about the specific skills and competencies that will prove crucial to the daily requirements of the role. Just as importantly, the second interview is an indicator of whether you will fit in with the company’s culture and existing team environment.
Your first interview is full of clues
Like a sportsman who analyses old match footage, so must you go over your first interview and identify any areas where you stumbled over facts or said the wrong thing, to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Also, which parts of your CV were the interviewers most interested in? And what does that tell you about the company and the role?
Ask questions of your own
There might not have been time in the first interview to ask more than a few surface-scratching questions about the company. This is your opportunity to show your enthusiasm at the prospect of securing a role with this organisation. How does performance appraisal work in this company, for instance? Don’t be afraid to ask your interviewer what their favourite part of working there is. Just don’t ask about anything which can be easily found on their website.
Know how to tell a story
Second interviews often include a number of competency-based questions. These are often structured in such a way where the interviewee is asked to describe a situation or provide an example where they demonstrated a specific ability or competency. By now you should have a clear idea of the skills the company is looking for, so go over your previous experience, pull out some anecdotes, and be sure to tailor them to showcase the problem you faced, how you overcame it, and the positive result you achieved.
City CV offers a full range of interview coaching and specifically tailored graduate interview coaching. The City CV interview training team includes several talented and experienced interview coaches. To find out more about how we can help you secure and smash your second interview, call today on +44 20 7100 6656 or email enquiries@citycv.com.