Nailing the second interview

March 10, 9:06 AMEntry Level Careers ExaminerHeather Huhman

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You’ve made it through the initial phone screen and the first in-person interview with the human resources director—perhaps even with the individual who would be your immediate supervisor. Now you’ve been asked back for a second in-person interview. What else could they possibly ask you, and how do you seal the deal and land the position?

Goals of Second In-Person Interviews

1. Confirm first impressions. “Candidates can assume that their credentials and first impression were strong enough to be recommended to the department where the vacancy actually exists. The goal of the interview is to confirm that those initial impressions were accurate, and to ask more in depth, job specific questions,” said Nancy DeCrescenzo, director of the Office of Career Services at Eastern Connecticut State University.

2. Determine organizational fit. “If it is a small company, an owner might have an initial interview, and bring the candidate back for conversations with his or her partners or potential co-workers,” said Barbara Poole, founder and president of Employaid.

3. Compare two or more candidates. “A second interview signifies that you are worthy of a second look from the employer,” said Nicholas Aretakis, author of “No More Ramen: The 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide.”

Sealing the Deal

1. Come fully prepared. “Entry-level candidates have less experience, and therefore less leverage with employers as to why they should be hired. So, to compensate for this, one needs to be fully present in mind and body to demonstrate that while they lack some tangible qualities, they possess the hard-to-find intangible qualities like a good attitude and work ethic,” said Karen A. Fuqua, president of the Fuqua Consulting Group, LLC.

Dr. Patrick Madsen, director of career services programs and education at The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, adds, “Remember to be knowledgeable about the company. This does not mean just knowing about their Web site and what they sell or do, but rather showing them that you can go deep into their line of business and make recommendations or merely talk to them about how the company is situated in reference to its competition and the economy.”

2. Ask more probing questions. “Ask questions or share your own experiences to show how they parallel what you can do for the company. The whole goal in getting more detailed is to show that you're equally as interested in the job as the company is in you,” said Kristen Fischer, author of “Ramen Noodles, Rent and Résumés: An After-College Guide to Life.”

Laurent Duperval, president of Duperval Consulting, adds, “In the first interview, you probably asked some questions. You need to have more, and they should be more pointed and show that you have done more homework than you did before the first interview. Don't come across as a coaster.”

3. Know why they should hire you. “Be prepared to answer the question, ‘Why should I hire you over the next person who walks in the room?’ Although this question may not be asked, mentally prepare your answer. It can be used in the closing,” said Susan Kennedy of Career Treking.

4. Ask to meet current employees. “Most people will not do this, and this sets you apart from the rest. Your goal is to understand the culture of the company before going in,” said Duperval. “Your interviewer has one perspective, but the employees have another. If possible, try to meet people at varying levels of employment, and try to meet them alone, or at least, without a supervisor around.”

5. Sell the benefits of your being hired for the position. “Successful sales people obtain information from the customer about potential objections, so that they may deal with them head on. In this case, at the close of the interview, a savvy candidate should ask, ‘What concerns do you have?’ If there are concerns, he or she has the opportunity to address them, rather than leaving an interview and not knowing why the job is not theirs. If there are no objections, it is perfectly alright to take out a calendar, and ask about what happens next to move the process forward. That, in selling terms, is closing on next steps,” said Poole.

6. Expand your profile. “If you did not have an opportunity to do it the first time around, think of an experience in your life that made you smarter, more competitive, more sensitive, more organized, more focused or some other quality that's critical to this position,” said Aretakis. “Briefly relate this experience and the lesson you learned. Not only do people remember stories, but your story will also convey to the interviewer that you are a thinker, a learner, a seeker and have the ability to draw lessons from experience. They will see you as someone worthy of investment and development.”

7. Be yourself. “This is not the time to put on a facade. Be yourself because this is the employer’s opportunity to determine whether or not you are a good fit for them and their company. At the same time, this is an opportunity for you to decide whether or not you think they are a good fit for you. Don't pretend to be somebody else during your interview as this may ultimately lead to working at a job that makes you miserable. Secondly, many young adults make the mistake of trying to befriend the interviewer. While it is important to be friendly, you are at an interview, not a backyard BBQ,” said Vance Aloupis, program director of Beyond Graduation.

8. Let them know you want the job. “While it might seem obvious to you that you want the job, too often clients come back to me saying that they felt a candidate just wasn’t interested in the role. Always close your interview saying that you are excited about the opportunity, and ask what the next steps in the process are. This lets the interviewer know you’re eager and interested and puts the ball in their court,” said Melina Garda, president of Talent Hounds.

9. Make sure they know that you are available immediately. “If you have the same qualifications as another candidate but that person ‘needs a few weeks off’ before starting a job, you could get the job just based on availability,” said Maureen Mack, a human resources consultant with H.R. Principal, LLC.

10. Follow-up. “Send a thank you note that mentions specific discussion points that occurred during your interview. Connect as best you can and highlight that in follow-up e-mails. Perhaps find an article that would be of interest to the interviewer, and include that in your thank you note,” said Connie Thanasoulis, a partner at SixFigureStart Career Coaching.