The Second Interview

Came across an interesting article about interviewing called "How to Pass that Second Job Interview" on Associated Content. Here's the Five-Finger take on Second Interviews.

First, congratulations for passing the first cut. That's great. Approaching the second interview, you'll need to do all of the basics you did the first time - dress appropriately, show up on time, be a great listener, bring copies of resumes and other collateral materials -- you need to bring your A-game to every interview, not just the second and third ones.

Hopefully, right after your first interview, you took some time to reflect on how things went and made some final notes with observations and follow-up questions. Now you can consult those notes to do some research -- on the company, on subject matter that you might have been soft on in the first interview. Determine what questions are still left unanswered about the position and the company. 

Research the position online. See if the responsibilities that have been discussed match up with the title of the job. Check out salary calculators to find out what is typical for the level, geographical location and experience. Salary may not end up being discussed in the second interview, but if it is, you will want to be knowledgeable about comps. By the way, it's still good form to wait for the interviewer/hiring manager to bring up the subject of compensation. Basically, use your interview opportunities to explain your experience and  value for an employer. Later, when compensation inevitably comes up, you can then be sure that your potential has been represented strongly and your negotiation position will be stronger.

Find out who will be in your second interview. Same person as last time? New faces? Find out names, titles and then Google away. It's a little like a blind date, right? Even a little insight into the person you will be meeting could help you hit it off better. 

In your second interview, be sure to acknowledge elements from your first interview -- people you met, information you learned, etc. By doing this, you will demonstrate that you were "present" in the previous interview, that you cared about it and processed what happened. In the second interview, be sure to mention the things about the job that interest you, acknowledge challenges that may be apparent, bring up ideas you may have had to contribute to the business.  Make sure to address any concerns or questions you still have about the position.

Obviously, when you get to the second interview, the stakes are higher. Don't be nervous. Remember to be the person that other people would want on their team. In the end, it won't matter how impressive you may be -- folks want to work with effective, pleasant people.

We discuss interviewing strategy in depth in the "Five-Finger Guide," including how to negotiate a great job offer.  It's important to find out everything you need to know about the compensation package being offered to determine if it's right for you.

Good luck on your second interview.  Make the most out of this opportunity to "wow" them again with your energy and smarts. Enjoy the momentum a second interview brings to your job search. Keep up the hard work to land a great job!

Do you have any thoughts on interviewing? Any questions?  Please post them in the comments below so we can address them.