4 tips to succeed at your second interview

Firstly, if you have been invited to a second interview, congratulations!

There are very likely other candidates being considered at this stage, which naturally makes the process more nerve wracking but try to stay focussed on yourself and what you can bring to the role. You would have demonstrated in your first interview that you have the right skills and experience to do the job, the second stage is very often to get to know you better, make sure your values align with theirs and to dig a little deeper, all of which helps with the final decision-making process.

Here are our 4 top tips to help you prepare.

1. Analyse your first interview

Is this role for you? Is this the career move you want? If you are not sure, what more information do you need? Ensure you have these questions prepared for the 2nd stage interview. Go over any notes you made in preparation for the first interview or during. Consider some of the questions you were asked and whether you could have given more detail or provided better examples.

Review the job description again and consider any elements that may not have been covered in the first interview. Make a note of any specific results or outcomes you achieved to support key criteria or responsibilities within the job description. Re-visit the website and refresh on the organisation’s mission/values. This will help you prepare for a more in-depth discussion.

2. Be yourself

At this stage it’s important that you build a rapport with the interview panel and show your personality and authentic-self. Be confident and show your passion for working for their organisation, as this could make you stand out from the competition. Make sure you are well rested and fed before your interview so you can show your best self.

3. Delve deeper

It is very likely that as part of the second interview the panel will want to delve deeper into questions that were asked in the first interview. They are looking for you to demonstrate your experience and skills further by giving more detailed examples. Don’t be afraid of repeating things you said in the first interview, especially if there was some time between the 1st and 2nd stage or if the panel is completely different, as they may not remember all your answers and adding some detail/expanding on an answer already given can be just as effective as giving a new example.

Make notes to prompt you on different examples/scenarios you can give them. Remember to be clear and give relevant detail focusing where possible on clear outcomes and achievements. Talk them through the example from start to finish. (What the situation was, what you did and what was the outcome. If relevant what you learnt and what you would do differently.)

4. At the end of the interview

At the end of the interview ask any questions you have prepared or that may have come to mind during the interview, it is important to ensure that you feel as informed as possible about the role and organisation at this stage. Ask them if they have any further questions or if they would like you to expand on any answers given. Ensure you reconfirm how interested and excited you are about this opportunity and lastly thank them for their time and that you look forward to hearing their feedback.

Finally, if you have followed these steps and done your best, then you are likely to come away from the process feeling positive, regardless of the outcome. We wish you the best of luck!

Contact your TPP Consultant if you have any further questions or concerns.

For further career advice, visit our careers hub.