What is a second interview?
Much like the initial interview, you will identify their qualifications and assess their experience. However, the second interview should be tailored more to the specific responsibilities of the role. Your goal in the second interview is to determine which candidate is the best fit for not only the position but also your company culture.
Second interviews may also include different staff members. For instance, your hiring manager or human resource director may have conducted the initial round of interviews. During the second interview, you might invite managerial staff and decision-makers who will be supervising or working closely with the new hire.
Virtual interviewing can be a good option for the second interview for several reasons. It allows for more flexibility and convenience for both you and the interviewee. With virtual interviews, there is no need for travel, saving time and money. You can be more efficient in terms of time and resources. Lastly, it can also provide a more relaxed environment allowing the interviewer to feel more confident without the added pressure of meeting in person. Overall this can lead to a more productive second interview, allowing you to get a better sense of the candidate’s personality.
With Indeed Interview, you can easily schedule virtual interviews from your Employer Dashboard without the need for extra software. Simply click on the Interviews tab on your dashboard to send an interview invitation. Your invite can also easily sync to your calendar.
Besides who attends, another difference is the type of interview questions. Prompts for a second interview should be open-ended to encourage candidates to reveal more about themselves. Answers to these types of questions can help you determine which applicants are suitable for the job and your company’s culture.
Suggested questions for a second interview
1. What do you know about our products or services?
Your business isn’t a school, and you aren’t a teacher, but you’ll still want candidates to do their homework. This deceptively simple question can give you insight into the applicant’s personal characteristics. When job seekers exhibit specific knowledge about your business, they show that they’ve devoted time to preparing for the interview and want to learn more about your company. This reveals a few important character traits, such as:
- Forethought
- Interest/curiosity
- Effort and diligence
A job seeker who researches your business to prepare for the interview may be the type of employee who goes the extra mile at work. The type of information that candidates gather about your business may reveal how adept they are at basic research. Depending on the job they’re seeking, that could be directly relevant to the position.
2. How would you handle this situation?
Tailor this question to your business by specifying a situation that employees may regularly encounter in the position you’re hiring for. Candidates who make it to the second round of interviews have probably been screened for relevant education and skills. During the follow-up interview, you’ll want to assess how well they can put their competencies into practice. This question can help you determine that.
For instance, if the candidate is interviewing for a customer-facing position, you might provide a sample scenario of an irate customer and ask the candidate how he or she would interact with that person to diffuse or resolve the situation.
These types of what-if questions offer glimpses into a candidate’s personality. They lead to answers that can help you asses whether candidates can practically apply their education and abilities in a real-life setting. Besides that, this question puts candidates in the hot seat, which may help you gauge how quickly they can respond under pressure.
3. What did you like or dislike about your previous work environment?
Answers to this open-ended question can offer some insight into whether candidates will fit in with your company culture. It makes sense that a better fit between the employee and the company leads to happier employees, and research show that happy employees are more productive.
For example, suppose in answer to this question, a candidate reveals fond memories of the quiet office environment of their previous workplace. However, the area where the new hire will work has an open layout that can get chaotic at times. Right away, you’ll recognize that the interviewee might be uncomfortable in that working environment or may have a harder time adjusting.
Another example is a candidate who describes the enjoyable social relationships that were an important part of their previous job. If the open position is one where the applicant would work alone for much of the day, you’ll want to know that the candidate’s preferences don’t match the reality of the position.
4. How does this position align with your career goals?
This is a variation of the popular question, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” The suggested phrasing, however, keeps candidates’ focus on the position you’re offering and their specific career goals. You likely spend substantial time and resources on recruiting, hiring and training new employees. It makes sense to hire someone who plans on staying with the company long-term.
Ideally, the candidate’s answer will reveal a commitment to the role you’re offering and, possibly, a vision of related promotional goals. In other words, it’s a good sign if the candidate’s goals reveal a career path that aligns with your company’s potential growth areas. Use this question to establish the applicant’s interest in growing with the company and using their skills to support your business goals.
5. Why are you the best candidate for the position?
The order in which you ask the questions is, of course, your decision, but this prompt may be a good one to save for last. At this point during the interview, the candidate will know more about the position. You will have probably have discussed your business mission, commented on company culture and discussed the potential work environment.
This question allows interviewees to highlight any skills or experiences that they believe line up with those specifics. Responding to this question is their chance to highlight components of their background that may add value to your business and set them apart from other candidates. Look for candidates who can answer this question thoughtfully and confidently.
Frequently asked questions about second interview questions
How many second interview questions should I prepare?
The second interview is your opportunity to go into more detail about the candidate’s background and character. However, asking more questions may not necessarily get you more information.
Second-interviews typically include a small number of open-ended questions. They’re designed to encourage candidates to expound on their background. If you ask too many questions, you may get a greater number of answers, but those answers won’t be as in-depth as if you had allowed applicants more time to speak.
Just because you come to the interview with five potential questions, it doesn’t mean that you’ll ask just those questions. Because the questions are open-ended, that leaves room for you to follow up on candidates’ responses. You’ll probably end up asking more than five questions, and the impromptu ones can be more tailored to specific candidates to make them more relevant.
Are there any questions for a second interview that I should avoid?
Yes. In fact, you should avoid certain questions during any interview. Never ask questions about characteristics that are legally protected, such as race and medical history. Even questions about an obvious or disclosed disability must fall within strict parameters, so check with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission for details.
Avoid repeating questions from the first interview as they waste precious time. For instance, salary expectations are normally discussed during the first interview. Candidates whose expectations were out of the salary range for the position would likely have been excluded from the second round of interviews. Some redundancy may be permissible, however, if you want candidates to elaborate on their answer and/or want other members of your team to have the opportunity to hear and respond to the candidate’s answer.
Final Thoughts
From establishing their interest in the position to putting their skills on display, the second interview is the candidate’s time to show you why they’re the right person for the role. By using these second-round interview questions you’ll be well prepared to make a connection during each interview and to find the best candidate for your business.
