4 tips for second interviews

Having passed your initial interview with flying colours, the second interview is more serious. Now it’s all about you, as a person. The key thing is to be well prepared, alert and ready to talk about yourself, your career and most importantly, what you could bring to the organisation.

1. Keep your focus

The worst thing you could do is presume that the job is yours. It’s not uncommon for candidates to lose out on jobs through over-confidence in their second interview. During your second interview it’s important to stay alert because there’s a good chance you will meet senior management and be probed further.

2. Prepare 

Make sure you have read the job description again carefully and learn as much as you can about the organisation. By thoroughly reading through annual reports on their website you should be able to gauge the organisation’s plans for its future.

The New Zealand job market is competitive, so your potential employer will want to dig deep into your history and find out what makes you tick, what motivates you and your aspirations. You should be prepared to go into detail about projects you have been involved in and the outcomes and results.

The worst thing you could do in a second interview is presume that the job is yours.

3. Demonstrate how you will fit in

This is the second time you are meeting with your potential employer, so the chances are that they’ll be trying to work out how well you’d fit into their organisation. They will want to know whether you will embrace the culture of the company and whether you will you get on well with the rest of the team.

It’s a good idea to be ready and willing to share your ideas and talk about what you could bring to the organisation, your goals, and how you would like to progress professionally.

Although it sounds obvious, it’s vital that you arrive punctually and appear confident, positive and enthusiastic. Demonstrate how knowledgeable you are about the organisation and the markets they work within, and show that you have thought deeply about the role.

4. Find out if it is right for you

The second interview is also your chance to interview your potential employer and discover if this really is the next step for your career. It is your opportunity to ask any questions you may have about future plans, how they picture your role and where you will fit into the greater scheme of things.