How to Ace Your Second Interview

A second interview comes after other steps of the recruitment process, which typically include submitting an application and going through a screening call by the recruiter. In some cases, candidates may have to go through verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning tests as well before this stage.

In any case, the second interview is an advanced step in the assessment process, which makes it more thorough than previous steps. As with any assessment activity, its purpose is to provide relevant information to employers so that they can make informed hiring decisions.

Hiring the wrong candidate can be a very negative experience for both employer and employee, which is why employers build risk-averse recruitment strategies and processes. Multiple assessment rounds may enable employers to get additional insights about their candidates, allowing them to minimise hiring risks. Companies can achieve this by assessing different elements of candidates or by having several people involved in the decision-making process through multiple interviews.

Each assessment process is unique and may include one to many interview rounds. However, it is common practice to request candidates to go through a number of interviews.

There are a few second interview scenarios depending on the employer’s recruitment process. So, my first piece of advice to you is to ask them for more information.

Who will be the interviewer? What type of interview will you go through? How long will it last? What will be discussed? How do they recommend preparing? These questions can provide you with invaluable information that can save time, increase your confidence, and boost your performance. Having said that, here are the main scenarios to keep in mind.

Interviewer

Hiring Manager

The hiring manager is the ultimate decision-maker for the vacancy, as the new hire will belong to their team. In most cases, they are actively involved throughout the hiring process, even if they are not necessarily present in all interviews. As a rule of thumb, the hiring manager may manage the advanced stages of the assessment process themselves, so that they can ensure that the successful candidate is aligned with their needs.

If you are interviewing with the hiring manager, make sure that you focus on building rapport, as this may well be your future boss. Other than that, try to demonstrate not only your competency but also your suitability to the team. Your goal is to make your meeting the best part of their workday.

After you answer their questions, I suggest asking them about their challenges and goals, as such questions demonstrate practical interest. Questions about the culture, management style, and ways of working of the organisation are also recommended.

Panel Interview

Some employers like to involve several people in their hiring process. In these cases, key stakeholders from the reporting line related to the vacancy act as interviewers, too. These stakeholders can include the manager’s manager, prospective colleagues, and team members.

Sometimes, companies group interviewers to conduct panel interviews for time efficiency. When this happens, you can expect to get interviewed by multiple decision-makers at once. If you find yourself in this situation, I suggest keeping in mind that these people may be your future colleagues. These interviews can be an excellent opportunity to understand whether the position is a good fit for you.

If you feel that there is a match between the interviewers and you, make sure you showcase your excitement and drive. Also, try to understand their roles, goals, and struggles, as it can be invaluable not only during the recruitment process but also if you end up joining the company.

In terms of questions, I recommend asking how you could help the team, what are the opportunities and challenges they see ahead, and what do they enjoy the most about working with the company.

Related: 8 Questions You Should Absolutely Ask An Interviewer

HR

HR are the owners and managers of the recruitment process. As such, they are involved in every step of the hiring process including interviews. It is common practice for recruiters to hand over candidates to hiring managers and other stakeholders after the first screening and maintain the back end of the process. However, if your prospective employer has a thorough assessment process with many stages, HR could be your interviewer at this stage.

If your interviewer is a recruiter, remember that they are not technical experts in your domain. However, they can be excellent in understanding whether you are a good cultural fit for the business. Hiring Managers trust their opinion, so making a good impression is a must. You can achieve this by demonstrating your passion for the opportunity and the organisation.

Interview format

Video interview

Video interviews are a relatively new concept, where employers use technology to conduct interviews asynchronously. This method can help companies achieve efficiencies and provide flexibility to candidates, however, it lacks the human element of a traditional interview. In any case, video interviews are not particularly common during the second interview stage.

If you are requested to complete a video interview, make sure you familiarise yourself with the technology before the call. Also, sense-check that your connection and devices are operational, as you may not be able to record multiple times. Most importantly, prepare, prepare, prepare. Talking in front of the camera on your own could feel awkward, so being ready is paramount.

Virtual Interview

While virtual interviews have been around for a couple of decades, they gained popularity during the recent pandemic due to restrictions. Some employers have now shifted back to face-to-face interviews, however, others have decided to maintain remote hiring. If you have an upcoming virtual interview, you don’t need to worry, as they are similar to any virtual meeting.

Virtual interviews can be challenging in establishing rapport with the interviewer. My top tip to overcome this challenge would be to act as you would in a face-to-face meeting. You can achieve this by looking into the camera, maintaining a steady pace, and making light upper body movements. And remember to smile!

Face-to-face interview

Most second interviews are face-to-face. Even if video or virtual interviews can save time and effort, in-person interviews can provide richer information to both parties, so they tend to be preferred in the advanced stages of the hiring process. In person interviews are classic, so most candidates have experienced them in the past. However, if you need some help to prepare, here are some tips.

Firstly, make sure you prepare and rehearse your answers before the interview. It is important to understand that interviews can potentially stress a candidate and practice is the only way to boost your confidence and performance. Then, dress for success, plan your trip, aim to arrive 10-20 minutes early, be polite with everyone you meet, and remember to switch your phone to mute. You’ve got this!

Interview type

Competency-based interview

Competency-based interviewing has been popular for a while due to its flexibility. This type of interview allows the interviewer to get insights about a candidate’s experience, skills, and expertise, which they can use to evaluate their fit. Competency questions enable interviewers to assess both soft and hard skills. Since competency questions are so common, make sure you are ready to answer them.

I recommend using the STAR framework, which can give you the required structure to craft compelling stories. Start by creating a few stories relevant to the role. Then, practice relentlessly until you are ready to rock your interview.

Technical interview

This specialised interview type can be excellent to assess hard skills. Hard or technical skills are related to domain-specific knowledge, which may be required, preferred, or desired to perform the role. Examples include Python for Software Developers, PRINCE2 for project managers, and Six Sigma for Operation Managers. Questions in technical interviews may revolve around situations where expert advice is required.

When it comes to technical interviews, aim to demonstrate how you can understand issues, analyse information, and design sophisticated, fit-for-purpose solutions. Of course, teamwork is important, too.

Case interview

This type of interview is particularly common amongst consulting companies. In short, it revolves around a realistic business scenario. After being provided with all related information, interviewees are expected to ask questions, analyse information and data, and make specific recommendations based on their assumptions. Case interviews allow employers to assess a candidate’s technical skills as well as their thought process and problem-solving capabilities.

If you have an upcoming case interview, management consulting frameworks are your friend. Prepare to win by making sure you familiarise yourself with the likes of SWOT, Porter’s 5 forces, and BCG matrix.

Other assessment interviews

While the vast majority of interviews fall in one of the above areas, sometimes employers ask candidates to participate in games or events to evaluate their skills. These assessments may be insightful for employers as they allow them to evaluate candidates in a group environment.

Providing specific preparation advice for these interviews is challenging, as they can be quite diverse. However, no matter what assessment you need to participate in, make sure you emphasise your leadership and teamwork skills. Your main goal should be showing the employer why you’re someone they should add to their workforce, so leading, empowering, or helping others can be key.