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Second Interview Advice
What You Need to Know for Second Interviews
Congratulations if you've made it through to the second round of interviews. Second interviews are very different to first interviews.
First interviews tend to be around personality, character and basic skills and experience. Second interviews are around facts, figures and ultimately can you do the job! If you've yet to have an interview - do your planning on our research page.
The difference between first and second interviews
Congratulations if you’ve made it through to the second round of interviews. Second interviews are very different to first interviews. First interviews tend to be around personality, character and basic skills and experience. Second interviews are around facts, figures and ultimately can you do the job! If you're about to have your first interview check our first interview advice hub.
We commonly hear after first interview that it was great, really enjoyable, ‘like two strangers having a chat in the pub’ and then, after the second interview, ‘gosh, that was tough, he was a completely different person, no warmth or rapport at all’.
Is this fair? Yes totally. At the second interview stage a business has to take a conscious business decision as to whether you are the right person to meet their needs!
Should you therefore change your approach accordingly? Not at all. You were invited back after the first round because the company felt that there was a cultural match and you had the prerequisite skills to succeed. To change would make you appear a fake; a phoney.
Second interviews are commonly more formal that first stage interviews and often involve at least two representatives from the employer (and it is not unheard of to have a panel of five or six!). Second interviews may involve a formal presentation, in technical interviews a practical exercise, it may contain role-plays, it may even mean going out for a day with one of the team. Typically at the end of the meeting you will get the opportunity to meet the team that you will be working with and have a tour round the premises.
Example second interview questions
1) Drawing on your previous experience we went over in the last interview, what do you think you can bring to the role?
2) Here are some stats on the results of the last sales representative we had in this role. What do you think you could aim for based on your experience?
3) Do you feel there are any areas where you lack specific experience and how would you overcome this?
4) Describe your preferred work environment
5) What would you need in terms of budget to achieve your goals? (for senior / management roles)
Navigate our Second Interview Advice
by clicking the following icons:
- How to WOW at Second Interview
- Researching for Second Interviews
- Second Interviews - How to Negotiate Salary Package
- How to Close at Second Interview
- Great Tips for Second Interviews
- Second Interview Presentations
- How to Follow Up on an Interview
- How to Wow at Second Interview - Video and Transcript
Date published: 28th February 2024
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by Sam Childerley
Recruitment Consultant
About the author
Sam Childerley
Sam Childerley is a Business & Marketing professional who started his recruitment career in 2021. He is a specialist recruitment consultant, who operates across in the UK and is based out of our Milton Keynes Office. Sam is dedicated to helping job seekers and employers find the right fit for each other and believes that the best decisions within recruitment are made when both sides are happy. He is passionate about developing the best possible recruitment experience for everyone involved and is committed to providing the best advice and support to employers and job seekers alike.
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