Congrats! You made it through your first interview and were asked back for a second interview. So, what do you do now? This is the opportunity you have been waiting for, so it’s time to show the company you are interested in working for them. Now is the time to dive in and get to know your potential employer. Here are some tips to help guide you along the process to prepare for the second interview.
Reflect on the First Interview
First, take the time to reflect on your first interview with the company. Is there anything you can improve? If you were asked a similar question, would you phrase it differently or keep it the same? Did you seem nervous or were you well prepared? These are great questions to ask yourself while reflecting on that first interview. Be sure to take notes on anything you don’t want to forget to say.
Know Who is Interviewing You
For the second interview, you will most likely know whom you are interviewing with. Take the time to do a little research on the individual. Find their LinkedIn profile to see their experience, how long they have been with the company, and if they have advanced in their role since starting. This gives you a chance to see if you have anything in common with them or a mutual connection. Sometimes knowing a bit about the person interviewing you can help make the interview easier.
Research the Company
It is important to research the company before an interview. Whether you did a deep dive or a quick glance over the company before your first interview, now is the time to get to know the company. Take the time to look through their website by viewing the different pages the site is made up of. It is recommended to at least view a company’s About Us page. If you want to find out if they have received awards or have done outstanding work in the surrounding community, google the company. This gives the opportunity to see how the community feels about the company and if their views align with theirs. Lastly, if you are curious about company culture, look into their social pages. To gain more insight into the company culture check out the company’s Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn pages.
Prepare to Answer More In-Depth Questions
Many of the questions during the first interview were asked to get to know you and your work experience. For the second interview, you need to be prepared for more in-depth and challenging questions. One way to prepare is to do some research on in-depth or challenging questions an interviewer may ask. This allows you to take the time to think about what to include and how to answer the question. Often times these questions are behavior-based and can be more difficult to answer. Doing research on these types of questions gives you a chance to see what interviewers are asking candidates allowing you to prepare yourself in the best way possible for your second interview.
Prepare Questions for the Interviewer
During an interview, it is always in your best interest to ask questions about the company, position, or just for clarification on something related to the role. In the moment, it can be difficult to think of the questions you want answered. Prepare ahead and write down three to five questions you want an answer to before your interview. If you have questions that arise as the interview goes on, don’t be afraid to write them down. Even if a question is answered during the interview, it still leaves you with questions to ask at the end and shows you were prepared and did your research before the interview.
Having a second interview with a company means, they are interested in what you have to offer their company. So show them you are ready for the challenge of their job during your next interview by using these tips to help you prepare ahead of time.
