Congratulations, you've landed the second interview! All that hard work and research really paid off. Do a little dance and Twitter your excitement - but don't get too comfortable just yet. You've still got some work cut out to land the offer. Keep your eye on the prize and prepare a solid strategy with the help of these four F-words!
- FIRM UP YOUR MEMORY
Getting called in for a second interview means you're one step closer to a job offer. Now take the opportunity between interviews to firm up your memory. Review the names of those you interviewed with during the first round, as well as their positions and contributions to the organization. Be prepared to recite these names during the second interview if you're facing a new set of interviewers who aren't completely up to speed.
- FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS
Even though the employer has shown interest and wants to get to know you better, you haven't closed the sale yet. Maintain your focus. You need to treat the second interview as seriously as you would the first. Dress up (in a different outfit than the first, please!), be professional, and don't let your guard down, even if the interviewers seem more relaxed.
- FORMULATE QUESTIONS
Chances are you received a wealth of information in the first interview and asked important questions during the "do you have any questions for us" phase. So were there any questions you would have liked to ask the first time around, but you didn't get a chance? Or maybe something came to mind on the drive home? Interviewers will understand that a second interview may not elicit as many questions as the first, and that's okay. Just be prepared with a few in case they ask again.
- FOLLOW THROUGH
You've made it this far. If the interest is mutual, the employer should explain any benefits you'd receive and inform you of the next stage of the hiring process. But if they end the interview without a call to action, go ahead and ask what the next step would be. This could be the last step, or only the second of four. Also, it's not uncommon to leave without an offer. The employees you just met with will probably have to sit down with the first-round interviewers to discuss your qualifications and how you might fit in before the company decides to extend you an offer.
What were your experiences with a second interview? Did it end with an offer or leave you disappointed?