2nd and Final InterviewLast Tuesday I had my first interview for a position which I think has great potential. The very same day I was called back for a second interview which will be with the President, VP of Operation, and a third person. In my first interview I was prepared with updated, personalized copies of my cover letter and resume, past samples of my work, and questions for my interviewer. My question is how do I prepare for the second interview. Should I repeat the preparation of my first interview? Should I take another approach? I am at a loss. My first interviewer (and potential boss) specifically told me that she started with 7 candidates and would narrow it down to two so this will be the last interview with the organization before a decision is made. I want to keep things going positively. Congratulations on so quickly being called for a second interview! You' ve passed the screening and skills parts of the interview. They know that you are qualified, as far as skills go, for the position. Now they want to know a bit about your character, motivation and ethics. They may ask questions about certain situations that indicate your honesty and ethics (like a co-worker stealing or cheating). They don' t just want to know what you think about the issue - they may want to know EXACTLY how you would respond to that situation and WHY. Also, be completely prepared to answer the questions: 1. "WHY do you want to work for our company?" Say something GOOD about the company or the position, but do not say something that focuses only on your own needs or convenience such as "I thought I could save gas because it' s so close to home." or "I' ve heard that you' re the highest paying company in the county." Those may of course be true, but it won' t win you the points you need from this question. INSTEAD: SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE LIKE, "I' ve always admired this company for being the leader in ideas and design." or "The job description sounds so exciting to me - it has everything I really love to do and I can' t wait to sink my teeth into it." 2. "What do you know about our company?" A shallow or obvious answer like "I know that you manufacture widgets." is really not what they' re looking for. They want to know that you' ve put some THOUGHT and preparation into the interview, that the job is important enough to you that you were willing to go the extra mile. Nobody is REALLY prepared for an interview unless they' ve searched the company' s name on search engine, looked for a company web site and studied it. Now - the final and most thrilling thing: Be prepared for an offer and know what to say to secure the salary and benefits you want! The best place to look for salary negotiation information is right here on Monster in the "Get the Job" section. Now it' s time to "WOW" them. Go for it! The fact that you were called back so quickly means you "rocked" on that first interview! Now there's really nothing to worry about when it comes to second interviews because they're basically just like the first one. The KEY difference is the focus. The first one is to see if you are actually the one you claim to be on paper, because that's all you really were. But the second one is to see more if you're the RIGHT one for THIS job. So the questions asked are geared more towards the job itself and you as a person. It may include some scenarios you could run into on the job, meeting with your future boss and/or someone you'll be working closely with, and some questions relating more to your personality and way of thinking and doing business. Here is where you really have to impress the interviewers, because they'll be deciding if YOU will fit-in well with their staff, and if not, then you're out of luck. So make sure you put your best face forward and show why you're the one for the job. And ask plenty of questions about what you'll actually be doing and the work environment to see if you'll fit in from your perspective. Thank you for your input. I am done with the second interview and believe I can expect an offer which I would welcome. Now for another question. I am still in the running for another position. The recruiter I am working with had indicated that they would be deciding around now but to let her know if anything changed on my end. Is it OK to let her know with an email to try and generate an offer from this company. Here is what I was thinking of saying: | |
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