Real-World Tested Job Search and Career Planning Strategies
Follow Up Interview Tips
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These follow up interview tips will help you to understand what the employer is looking for at the second interview so you can prepare winning answers to the employer's questions and get yourself one step closer to that job.
Follow up Interview Tips:
Why am I being brought in for a second interview?
- Second interviews are often about personality. If you've reached the stage of a second interview, the employer is typically certain that you have the skills and qualifications necessary to do the job. They want to determine in the second interview whether your personality is the best fit among the remaining candidates for the company, clients or customers, existing staff and job requirements.
- One exception: If your first interview was with human resources staff, they were likely assessing whether you have the basic qualifications for the job and whether you would personally be a good fit for the company. The second interview, then would typically be conducted by the department supervisor and or the team you would work with directly and would be more technical in nature.
- You typically have very little competition by the time you reach this stage in the hiring process. The employer may have narrowed the decision down to you and one or two other candidates and needs a second meeting to make a final decision.
- At this stage, the employer may actually be pretty certain that you are the person he or she wants to hire. You may be the only person who has been called in for a second interview, and the employer may just want to meet with you a second time to ensure they are making the right choice before committing to the final decision.
Who will interview me the second time around?
- When the second interview is being scheduled, it's fine to ask who will be interviewing you so you can be better prepared.
- You may interview with the same people; however, more frequently you will meet others in the company at your second interview.
- In your second interview you may meet with a more senior person in the company.
- Often second interviews are panel interviews. A single person may screen candidates in an initial interview, then the second interview is structured as a panel interview so people who would work closely with you will have an opportunity to meet with the strongest candidates for the job.
What should I talk about? I thought I told them everything they needed to know during the first interview.
- Different employers have varying approaches to second interviews. Some will ask some of the same questions you were asked in the first interview, some will want clarification or more details on some topics you discussed in the first interview, others will ask completely different questions.
- If your second interview is conducted by someone other than the first person who interviewed you, don't assume the first person who interviewed you has passed along all of the details of the first interview to the second person. So, don't omit important facts just because you mentioned them in the first interview.
- Sometimes employers are looking for consistency across the two interviews as a way of assessing the honesty of your answers. That's why they may want to hear you answer some questions a second time.
Use these follow up interview tips and you'll be on your way to impressing your potential employer at your next interview.
