You’ve been called back for a second interview for a job that you really want. That second interview is a good sign: it means that the company is seriously considering making you a new member of their team. That doesn’t mean, however, that you’re in the clear. This opportunity also means that the company wants to know more about you before making a decision–and there can be a pool of other candidates who have the same opportunity. Prepping for some common second interview questions will help calm your nerves and make it easier for you to impress your interviewer.
Question #1: What Did You Want to Revisit from the First Interview?
This is a highly common question, and it’s a great one! This is your chance to share all of the things that occurred to you when you left your initial interview. Did you fail to provide the right information or to fully explain yourself in a given situation? Did you forget to ask one of the key questions you had about the company? This question is your chance to polish up a few of the details that you missed the first time around. Note that the worst possible answer to this question is, “No, I don’t have any questions from the first interview.” Your answer should show that you are genuinely interested in the position and the company and that you’ve thought about it since leaving.
Question #2: What is Your Greatest Weakness?
Many managers will come back to this question in a second interview. Make sure that you’re honest about your negative traits, but make sure you do share how you’re working to overcome these challenges. There are several common “acceptable” weaknesses that many hiring managers are accustomed to hearing, including a fear of public speaking or having the ability to step back and fully delegate work to staff.
Question #3: What is the Most Difficult Decision You’ve Ever Made at Work?
How do you make decisions on the job? More importantly, do you act with integrity? Pull carefully from your personal experiences from this question. Obviously, you don’t want to go on about a decision that puts you in a bad light, though you could share it as a growing experience. Take time to consider the company culture as you’re framing this answer. A company that strongly believes in vendor loyalty, for example, will be very interested in a decision between the vendor you’ve used for years and one that is offering significantly lower rates. How did you make that decision? Did you give the vendor the opportunity to match the lower rates? All of these things can help show your personality and your decision-making style to the interviewer.
Question #4: What Kind of Work Environment are You Looking For?
Your interviewer is aiming to discover whether or not you will be a good fit for the company culture. Take a look at the corporate style, then give an answer that reflects it, as long as this is genuinely a good fit for you. Do you prefer an open-scheme office design, or to have a private office? Do you like rigid work schedules where you know exactly when you’ll get off every day, or the flexibility to adapt your schedule or even to work from home as needed? A clear, solid answer to this question can help reassure your interviewer that you’ll fit in well with the company as a whole.
Question #5: Tell Me About a Situation Where You were Asked to Do Something You Felt Was Unethical.
Being asked to do something unethical at work is an all-too-common practice, but you may struggle to give the specifics of a time when you made a wise choice as a result of a difficult decision. Your interviewer wants to get to know your personality better–and to better define how you would make those critical choices. Give specifics, if you’re able; if you’re not, give a good general overview of how you might handle a situation when you’ve been asked to do something you believe is wrong.
At Atlantic Group Recruiters, we work with candidates to help them find company cultures that will be a great fit for them. We also work to get to know our clients better so we can find employees who will work well with their company cultures. If you’re looking for a recruiter who will help increase your odds of that second interview, contact us today to learn more about what we can offer.