A second interview is yet again an opportunity for the employer to decide if you’re a good fit and it’s your chance to show you are perfect for the job.
While the first round of interviews is commonly used to establish a shortlist of candidates, the second interview aims at drilling into the detail to find out if you would be the right fit for the role and the company.
So which questions should you expect when you return for a second interview?
1. Why are you the best candidate for this position?
Things like passion for the job, technical skills and experience and education should be included in your answer.
“As a Logistics professional with 4 years’ experience I have managed to fully optimize business processes and resources. In line with customer requirements and organization operating procedures, I reduced delayed orders by 50%. My previous employer often placed me with the new employees to educate and motivate them on best practices. I will bring not only experience, but patience and creative problem-solving, to this position.”
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2. Tell us how you have solved problems at your previous jobs?
Use the CAR (Challenge, Action and Results) approach to answer this question.
“I faced the challenge of having to reorganize the company’s financial resources. The previous accountant had embezzled most of the money and I had to find a way to solve the problem. I took an in-depth view on the company’s financial records and used them to come up with a plan that not only recovered some of the money but also saved the company from becoming bankrupt.”3.
3. Why should we hire you?
Pick on your qualities. Let the answer be clear, short and reflect on your professionalism and skills.
“You are looking for someone to represent the company well. With my 7 years of experience working as an administrator my high energy and quick learning style will enable me to size up problems rapidly. I have the ability to stay focused in stressful situations and offer top notch customer service experience. I’m confident I would be a great addition to your team.”
4. What are your salary requirements?
As outlined before on previous articles on Career Point, the answer depends on the organisation, the size, the industry and position you are applying for.
“Based on my skills and education I am looking for a starting salary of between Ksh.70, 000 – Ksh.90, 000”5.
5. What have you learnt about us so far?
This question can also be framed as “what do you know about this company?”
This is a tough question to answer. See if you can bring in knowledge that you learned about the company during your first interview.
“It is a company dedicated to producing technologically advanced tools such as product X in order to meet the needs of modern and future businesses. After meeting the receptionist and HR manager in the previous interview, I can tell that the entire department is organized to help meet those goals, and it appears to me that this is an environment with a clear path ahead of it.”
6. How Did You Fit in With the Company Culture at Your Last Employer?
An employer might ask this in order to figure out how you would adjust to the work environment at a new job.
“The organization was of conservative nature compared to my aggressive personality. As a paralegal officer I had to present grievances in a persistent but cooperative manner until all concerns were answered. In the end, I think management viewed me as a team player and valued my interest in enacting positive change to the organisation.”
7. What Would You Hope to Accomplish in the First Few Months?
This question is intimidating, but it is an excellent opportunity to show off all the research you’ve done about the role and company.
“It’s been exciting to hear about some of the new initiatives the company has started in our previous conversations—like the database project, but I know there’s still a lot for me to learn. The first thing I’d do is line up meetings with the stakeholders involved in the projects I’d be tackling to help me figure out what I don’t know and then go from there. Hopping into a database project halfway through can be tricky, but I’m confident that once I know what all the stakeholders are looking for, I’ll be able to efficiently plot out our next steps and set appropriate deadlines.”
A successful second interview relies on thorough preparation and thoughtful responses, so make sure you are prepared for these second interview questions.
Would you like to prepare for your upcoming interview? Book a mock interview coaching session here.
After submitting a polished CV and cover letter, you aced the answers to common interview questions during your first-round interview and got invited back for the second interview, congratulations! You made a good impression.
A second interview is yet again an opportunity for the employer to decide if you’re a good fit and it’s your chance to show you are perfect for the job.
While the first round of interviews is commonly used to establish a shortlist of candidates, the second interview aims at drilling into the detail to find out if you would be the right fit for the role and the company.
So which questions should you expect when you return for a second interview?
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1. Why are you the best candidate for this position?
Things like passion for the job, technical skills and experience and education should be included in your answer.
“As a Logistics professional with 4 years’ experience I have managed to fully optimize business processes and resources. In line with customer requirements and organization operating procedures, I reduced delayed orders by 50%. My previous employer often placed me with the new employees to educate and motivate them on best practices. I will bring not only experience, but patience and creative problem-solving, to this position.”
2. Tell us how you have solved problems at your previous jobs?
Use the CAR (Challenge, Action and Results) approach to answer this question.
“I faced the challenge of having to reorganize the company’s financial resources. The previous accountant had embezzled most of the money and I had to find a way to solve the problem. I took an in-depth view on the company’s financial records and used them to come up with a plan that not only recovered some of the money but also saved the company from becoming bankrupt.”3.
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3. Why should we hire you?
Pick on your qualities. Let the answer be clear, short and reflect on your professionalism and skills.
“You are looking for someone to represent the company well. With my 7 years of experience working as an administrator my high energy and quick learning style will enable me to size up problems rapidly. I have the ability to stay focused in stressful situations and offer top notch customer service experience. I’m confident I would be a great addition to your team.”
4. What are your salary requirements?
As outlined before on previous articles on Career Point, the answer depends on the organisation, the size, the industry and position you are applying for.
“Based on my skills and education I am looking for a starting salary of between Ksh.70, 000 – Ksh.90, 000”5.
5. What have you learnt about us so far?
This question can also be framed as “what do you know about this company?”
This is a tough question to answer. See if you can bring in knowledge that you learned about the company during your first interview.
“It is a company dedicated to producing technologically advanced tools such as product X in order to meet the needs of modern and future businesses. After meeting the receptionist and HR manager in the previous interview, I can tell that the entire department is organized to help meet those goals, and it appears to me that this is an environment with a clear path ahead of it.”
6. How Did You Fit in With the Company Culture at Your Last Employer?
An employer might ask this in order to figure out how you would adjust to the work environment at a new job.
“The organization was of conservative nature compared to my aggressive personality. As a paralegal officer I had to present grievances in a persistent but cooperative manner until all concerns were answered. In the end, I think management viewed me as a team player and valued my interest in enacting positive change to the organisation.”
[the_ad id=”47122″]
7. What Would You Hope to Accomplish in the First Few Months?
This question is intimidating, but it is an excellent opportunity to show off all the research you’ve done about the role and company.
“It’s been exciting to hear about some of the new initiatives the company has started in our previous conversations—like the database project, but I know there’s still a lot for me to learn. The first thing I’d do is line up meetings with the stakeholders involved in the projects I’d be tackling to help me figure out what I don’t know and then go from there. Hopping into a database project halfway through can be tricky, but I’m confident that once I know what all the stakeholders are looking for, I’ll be able to efficiently plot out our next steps and set appropriate deadlines.”
A successful second interview relies on thorough preparation and thoughtful responses, so make sure you are prepared for these second interview questions.
Would you like to prepare for your upcoming interview? Book a mock interview coaching session here.
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