Some companies will require that you attend a second interview before deciding who to select for the position. Also called a ‘plant visit', second interviews have specific goals. Understanding these goals will help one prepare for these interviews with success.
1. Second interviews usually try to help an employer understand your specific qualities. During the interview they try to identify the many important qualities in general that will prove important to their organization. They will thus be trying to determine if you possess those qualities.
2. These interviews also try to identify if you fit in the organization and how you will fit into their corporate culture. Having this in mind will help you answer questions toward that goal.
3. These interviews also help interviewers determine if you really want to work for their organization. They will thus allow you to meet employees, view the facilities, the community and see if you really want to work in such an environment.
4. If you will be going through an unstructured interview where all the interviewers ask similar questions, treat each interviewer as important and do not try to show your boredom from repeatedly answering the same questions over and over again.
5. Try to obtain an itinerary in advance and know the schedule of what will be taking place. Get to know the names, titles and possibly the biographies of the interviewers since some may be executives, managers or department heads of the organization. Some organizations post staff profiles on their web sites. Getting this information in advance will allow you to think of how to respond to their questions based on their responsibilities.
6. Remember to review your notes from the first interview that you attended. What questions were asked then and what qualifications were they looking for? What were the objectives that the employer required that the potential candidate meet? What questions did you have trouble answering? Prepare your answers with these questions in mind.
7. Research and request for relevant information from the interviewer before the interview day. Check for web articles or news articles to research about the organization or the industry. Having this information on your fingertips will allow you to answer any industry related question that may be thrown to you.
8. Finally, be prepared to ask questions. Asking questions related to the industry will show your enthusiasm and may also allow you to see if this is the kind of job you want. Some of these questions would include getting to know the organization's expectations, support for professional development, the organizational style being followed and the employee turnover.
Remember that if you are prepared for the upcoming second interview, you are aware what to expect and you have researched and acquainted with the workings of the organization as well as the industry. You stand a greater chance of success as opposed to the candidates who do not take the time to research and prepare for the interview.
