As companies look to hire the most capable and qualified candidates to join their team, second interviews are becoming the norm in today’s job market. Second stage interviews are extremely important in enabling companies to make an informed decision when hiring. If you are invited for a second interview, the company intends to find out more details about you and how you would fit into their team.
How to prepare for a second interview
Spend as much time preparing for your second interview as you did for your first, if not more. Reflect on your 1st interview; think about what you said, what the interviewer said and what they reacted to positively in order to impress in your 2nd interview. Use your previous wins and experience to your advantage.
The most important thing to do in preparation for a second interview is to be ready for tougher, more in-depth questions to be asked regarding your skills and how you would perform in the job. These questions will vary massively depending on the industry, but do plenty of research on the role and the company and cover all of your bases.
Is a second interview a good sign?
Often, it is senior level positions that require a second stage interview as there is a lot more at stake for both parties. This means that, if you are invited for a second interview, you are being considered as both a serious and impressive candidate. An employer usually wouldn’t invite a candidate back for a second interview if they didn’t believe that they could be a good fit for their team.
Pros of a second interview for candidates
1) You can ask the interviewer more questions about the company and the role
In a second interview, you have the chance to ask more detailed questions in order to learn more about the business and the managers to ensure that the role is right for you and that the company is the right fit.
Some questions that you could ask here include:
What do you like about working here?
What is your management style?
What would be the greatest challenge of the job?
It will also give you time to reflect on your first interview and think:
Do I want to work here?
Is this the right environment for me to progress in my career?
Did I ask all the questions I needed to ask in my first interview?
2) The opportunity to meet managers and team members
In many cases during a second interview, you may get the opportunity to meet more people from the company, such as other team members and other hiring managers and directors. This will allow you to gain a better understanding of the kind of company they are and what they look for in an individual.
3) Potentially, a tour of the office or workspace
There is a chance that you will get a tour of the office or workspace when you go for a second interview. The environment that you will be working in is crucial to being happy in a role, so a tour is a great opportunity to get a good feel for what it would be like to work there. We always recommend asking for a tour if one isn’t offered, just so you can see whether you could work well in that particular environment.
4) Build a rapport with interviewers and potential, future managers
During a second interview, you can build much more of a rapport with the interviewers than in the first. This will help you to establish whether the company is right for you and your career.
Cons of a second interview for candidates
There are a few potential cons of second interviews, but they aren’t major issues that you should be worried about.
Time: If you have interviewed for a number of roles and have had offers, but are waiting on your desired company’s offer due to a longer second interview process, you may have to accept a less desirable role to guarantee a job.
No guarantee: A second interview does not guarantee a job offer, so you may have to prepare for the fact that you have spent time on two interviews and may not get the job. This could cause problems if you are waiting to respond back to another job offer or applying for other roles.
Advice from Four Recruitment
Times have changed drastically in recent years due to the hiring market becoming increasingly candidate driven - it is no longer just the company’s decision to hire. A good candidate may have multiple offers at any one time and could go off the market quickly, so second interviews need to be offered with full clarity and assurance. If you are a business looking to hire, we can help to make this process more simple for you.
If you are a candidate who has been offered a second interview and would like some advice, please contact us! Alternatively, if you are looking for a job, view our current listings and see if there is anything open that could suit you.
