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It's time for your second interview. Have you prepared to answer those second interview questions?
The first-round interview was a warm-up for the interviewer and the candidate.
The interview questions tend to be more general. This interview aims to get to know who you are on a basic level. Remember "weed out" classes in college? First-round interviews are similar in that they screen candidates to see which ones are qualified to move on and which aren't.
On the other hand, an invitation to a second-round interview takes things to the next level. It shows that the hiring manager liked what she heard during the phone interview or first-round interview and that she sees potential in you joining their team.
Questions during this round may be more specific and focus more on the job's particulars—and your fit within the company.
Second interviews may also include introductions to other key members within the organization, including superiors, senior management, and potential teammates.
Table of Contents
- 1. Why Do You Want to Work at [COMPANY]?
- 2. What's Missing in Your Current Position?
- 3. Why Are You the Best Person for This Position?
- 4. What Strengths Will You Bring to This Position?
- 5. What Are Your Weaknesses?
- 6. Tell Me About How You Would Spend Your First 30 Days in This Role
- 7. What Is Your Ideal Work Environment?
- 8. What Are Your Long-Term and Short-Term Goals?
- 9. What Is One Of Your Greatest Personal Achievements?
- 10. What Is Your Typical Role on a Team?
- 11. What Management Style Do You Prefer?
- 12. Tell Us About a Time There Was a Problem at Work and How You Helped Solve It
- 13. What Challenges Are You Looking for in a Position?
- 14. Our Team Is Currently Focused On ____ Challenge. How Would You Approach This?
- 15. What Motivates You?
- 16. What Are Your Salary Expectations?
- 17. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
Plus These Bonuses:
- BONUS: Questions to Ask the Interviewer in the Second Interview
- BONUS: Post-Second Interview Thank You Email Template
How to Prepare for Your Second Interview
Unlike your first interview, the second interview is the employer's opportunity to consider moving to an offer afterward. This screening is more in-depth, and if you're looking to secure an offer, here are some things to do to prepare for a successful second interview.
1. Reflect on Your First Interview
Right after your first interview is a great time to write down what went well, questions you were asked that you might want to spend more time researching, and other follow-up questions you might have about the role, company, etc.
Your second interview is a great opportunity to communicate why you're the best candidate for the role. As you reflect on your first interview, what do you want to make sure to share next time? Were there skills, examples of past work, or results you didn't get to share? Make sure you convey that information in the second round.
2. Prepare Answers to Common Interview Questions
Here's a little insider secret: a lot of interviewers will Google "what questions to ask in an interview" before they connect with you. That's one of the reasons why the common interview questions remain so common—and why you can expect that a few of them are coming your way in the second interview.
And don't worry—we're about to share common second interview questions with example answers below so you'll be well covered if you follow all the advice here.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice
There's a big difference between practicing your interview answers in your head, looking or reading your notes, etc. vs. practicing your interview answers out loud. We would even recommend asking a friend or family member to conduct a mock interview so you get the extra practice.
When you're providing your answers, be sure to try to intertwine some keywords from the job description into your answers to really stand out.
4. Research the Company + Job Posting (Even More In-Depth Research Than Before!)
Conduct in-depth company research via their Careers page, About Us, LinkedIn profile, or any other public-facing website resources. Perhaps the CEO has done interviews or hosts a weekly podcast. Learn as much as you can about the company's mission, values, products/services/clients, culture, and recent press or updates.
If you know who you are interviewing with, do thorough research on them as well. LinkedIn is a great tool for this. Look up their profile and you can see where they went to school, previous work history, how long they've been in their current role, and more.
Additionally, review the job posting in detail. What skills are repeatedly mentioned? Is there experience they are looking for that you have and you can share a specific example of this during your interview? Take note of these things.
Here's a quick worksheet that will help you conduct company and job research.
5. Review Your Resume + Connect Your Experience
Now that you know more about the company and role, go through your resume and connect each piece of your work experience to what the job calls for. We literally make a list wherein in the left column you write out "what the job is looking for" and in the right column you match what you've done under the column called "my experience."
This way you won't be left trying to think about how your experience matches what the company and job are looking for in the middle of your job interview.
17 Examples of Second Interview Questions
Now is the time to not only show you are qualified for this position but to prove that you are the best candidate and fit for this role.
This interview also serves as an opportunity for you to learn more about the organization in order to determine if you would want to work there if offered the position.
1. Why Do You Want to Work at [COMPANY]?
The interviewer is asking this question for a multitude of reasons.
The hiring manager wants to know that you’ve done your research, that you understand the company’s values, and that you’d be a positive culture fit.
How to Answer "Why Do You Want to Work Here?":
- Describe what genuinely excites you about this specific organization and role
- Demonstrate what experience you can bring to the role
Example Answer:
“I admire the ability of Career Contessa to help women achieve their professional goals by providing a variety of resources, mentorship, and online learning opportunities. I’m looking to work for a mission-driven organization where I am producing content I’m proud of and making a positive impact. I would love to bring my passion for supporting women in business, my digital and social media marketing skills, and my experience as a former Multimedia Intern to Career Contessa.”
2. What's Missing in Your Current Position?
Like the last question, the interview wants to make sure there is a genuine fit here. Another way to do that is to better understand what is or was missing from your last role. Perhaps you never had enough budget or resources to complete projects.
Maybe you didn't have as much of a say in key decisions as you would prefer.
The interviewer can gain a lot of insight into what will make you successful and engaged in a new role by understanding why your current role isn't working.
How to Answer "What's Missing in Your Current Position?":
- Provide a specific example
- Don't use this as an opportunity to vent about your bad boss or toxic workplace
Example Answer:
"I work on a small team and sit in between the marketing side and the creative side of the business. On any given day, there are lots of opportunities for us to explore, but I know it's important for us to stay really focused. This requires me to filter many business requests and deny the ones that don't align with our overall goals. The thing that is missing is either more budget and resources to take on these other projects or a dedicated project manager who can work with me to organize all these requests."
3. Why Are You the Best Person for This Position?
You’ve made it to the second round proving you are qualified for this role.
But out of all the candidates who made it to the second round, how does the interviewer know YOU are the best choice?
Your answer to this question is your chance to pitch yourself by explaining what you have to offer and how you can solve challenges specific to this company and role.
How to Answer "Why Are You the Best Person for This Position?:
- Match your qualifications to the job description
- Explain how these qualifications play out in real life
- Review what makes you stand out
Example Answer:
“My strong social media marketing skills, collaborative communication skills, and passion for fostering job growth in others make me a good fit for this role. In my most recent job, I was responsible for giving greater visibility to student resources and bringing many voices to the table. This required me to design, schedule, and assess social media content about upcoming events, important updates, and resources available to help students at every stage of their careers. I would love to bring my passion for social media, my applicable communication skills, and my hope for a future where all students have access to the resources and opportunities needed to achieve their personal and professional goals to this role.”
4. What Strengths Will You Bring to This Position?
This question is a great way for you to set yourself apart from other candidates. Using the research you did on the company and role, you can share what strengths you have that are specific to the role. Use relevant examples from your past experiences to demonstrate your strengths and use data from the examples to back those up.
How to Answer "What Strengths Will You Bring to This Position?:
- Share strengths that can apply to the specific role
- Use relevant examples to share what your strengths are
- Provide data in your examples, when applicable, to show metrics and your direct impact
Example Answer:
"One of the goals you mentioned is hiring more new grads so you have a larger talent pipeline for future roles. In my current role, I am responsible for all campus recruitment activities and have worked with recent grads to secure internships and full-time roles. One of my biggest strengths is building relationships with these students, and I feel confident I can use those skills to help build out a college pipeline here."
5. What Are Your Weaknesses?
Yes, some interviewers will still ask you this question, even in later interviews. They are asking to see if you have enough self-awareness to realize:
- You're not perfect at everything (none of us are!)
- You're able to provide a real example.
The key here is to give a relevant example but then to follow up with how you learned about this weakness and what you're doing to navigate or overcome it.
How to Answer "What Are Your Weaknesses?:
- Don't mention you're a perfectionist
- After you share your weakness, follow up with your action plan for navigating it
Example Answer:
"One of my weaknesses is proactive communication with clients. Sometimes they will email me a question, and while I'm working on figuring out the answer, they will wonder if I have received their initial question. Since it can take a few hours or even a few days to answer their questions, I am now responding to their emails right away to let them know I received their question and will follow up within 48 hours. This helps the client feel assured that I have read their email while I take the time to find the right answer."
6. Tell Me About How You Would Spend Your First 30 Days in This Role.
This question is your chance to envision yourself in the role.
What will you achieve in your first few months in this role? Answering this question requires an in-depth understanding of the current situation of the company.
That means you have to do your research to see how you could make a quick impact if offered the job.
How to Answer "Tell Me About Your First 30 Days Here":
- Discuss specific ways you could make a positive impact early on
- Align your answer with the company’s goals.
Example Answer:
“My first priority would be to update our social media strategy to align with our ultimate goal of increasing course sales. Part of this would be making sure all of our channels connect together and streamline followers to the content on our website, increasing traffic to a variety of our resources promoting courses. I would also make sure to establish consistent branding across all channels to ensure that the company is tapping into the needs of different audiences.”
7. What Is Your Ideal Work Environment?
Interviewers typically ask this question to determine if you’d be a good fit for the company culture.
As part of your pre-interview preparation, be sure to research the company’s work environment by referring to their website or company reviews from past employees on resources such as Glassdoor.
How to Answer "What Is Your Ideal Work Environment?":
- Honestly describe what work conditions you thrive in
Example Answer:
“I perform best when working in a forward-thinking and people-centered environment. I find the quality of my work to be higher when I’m working for an organization with a focus on meaningful work that aligns with my desire to create positive change. When I’m working with a team that encourages me to bring my authentic self to work and that fosters relationships between employees in the company and the communities we serve, I feel motivated and energized to come to work each day.”
8. What Are Your Long-Term and Short-Term Goals?
The purpose of this question is two-fold: first, to ensure that you plan on being with the company for a substantial amount of time (enough time to make investing in you worth it); and second, to see if your personal career goals align with the long-term goals of the organization.
It’s okay to not be super-specific here, but be sure to frame your response around this specific company.
How to Answer "What Are Your Goals?":
- State what you hope to accomplish or learn while at this organization
- Explain how your growth from this role will help you achieve your long-term goals
Example Answer:
“My short-term goal is to use my marketing skills to increase the positive impact of your company on a large scale. I hope to learn more about how to create successful social media campaigns to inspire change. In the long-term, I plan on utilizing the skills I learn by driving change on the ground, to take on a leadership role where I am able to manage a team and influence the direction of the company with my unique ideas and experiences.”
9. What Is One of Your Greatest Personal Achievements?
This question is a great way to test your ability to be concise—and recognize what matters to the hiring manager. You might have lots of achievements you're proud of, but try to pick something that will be relevant to the interviewer. Next, share why you're proud of it, how you were able to accomplish it, your learnings, etc.
Avoid using too much business jargon. Simple and clear is best.
How to Answer "What Is One of Your Greatest Personal Achievements?":
- Don't use jargon
- Keep it simple and concise
- Pick an achievement that is relevant to the job you're interviewing for
Example Answer:
"One of my greatest personal achievements is expanding our sales efforts to include Texas. For many years, our firm only focused on west coast banks as clients. I saw a great opportunity to build the business in Texas and over two years expanded our firm's representation there as well. Not only did we increase our firm's annual revenue, but now we're expanding to the Midwest."
10. What Is Your Typical Role on a Team?
An interviewer is asking this question to gauge your ability to be both a leader and a team player.
With the dynamics of teams constantly shifting, it’s important to prove your ability to adapt to different situations.
“Get you a girl who can do both” applies to candidates who can collaborate with others and take charge when their strengths contribute the most to the team.
How to Answer "What Is Your Typical Role on a Team?":
- Show the interviewer your ability to be both a leader and a team player
Example Answer:
“I can mold into different roles depending on the team dynamic. I am usually a dependable team player who completes my responsibilities on time, offers to help my teammates, and provides encouragement and productive feedback. However, if communication between team members breaks down, I have learned to speak up, voice my own opinion, and delegate tasks to ensure the project is completed successfully.”
11. What Management Style Do You Prefer?
While it's unlikely anyone will say they love a micromanager, it is likely that they have a leadership style they prefer. And considering how often people cite that they leave jobs because of bad bosses, not the actual work, this question is a great one to ask.
The goal is to see if you know and can articulate what works well for you and why. Additionally, the interviewer wants to know if you are aligned with the style already established on the team.
How to Answer "What Management Style Do You Prefer?":
- Be specific about what works for you and why
- Try to ask follow-up questions to learn what management style is already used at the company
Example Answer:
"I'm very results-driven, so I enjoy working with an autocratic manager who is also results and efficiency-focused. I also enjoy this management style because I feel like it removes any confusion or guessing about what they expect of me. The extra supervision doesn't bother me, especially with the use of online project management tools."
12. Tell Us About a Time There Was a Problem at Work and How You Helped Solve It
This common behavioral interview question tests your problem-solving abilities.
Develop your story using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
How to Answer "Tell Us About a Time":
- Situation: Set the scene, what is the story you’re trying to tell
- Task: Describe the problem you’re trying to solve
- Action: Explain how you went about solving the problem
- Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved
Example Answer:
“In my previous role, I was tasked with completing a long-term project of my choice. I noticed a lack of community, understanding, and pride revolving around first-year students who identified as “undecided majors/exploratory students.” In order to build a supportive academic home for these students, I planned, executed, and assessed a student spotlight video series with former exploratory students. I first determined the purpose, goals, and intended target audience for my project. I then drafted a basic vision of my social media plan and interview specifics with a flexible timeline. Lastly, I assessed my campaign's performance and adjusted my plan accordingly. I was able to successfully complete six student spotlight interviews that connected first-year students together and explained the benefits of the exploratory experience.”
Pro Tip: Start to tense up whenever you hear the phrase “Tell me about a time when…”? Prepare for these types of open-ended questions by using this resource, How to Use Story Circles to Answer Any Behavioral Interview Question.
13. What Challenges Are You Looking for in a Position?
This question assesses your ability to handle difficult tasks and your desire to continually improve and expand your skillset.
Share some different examples of ways you have handled challenging situations in the past to back up your answer.
How to Answer "What Challenges Are You Looking For?":
- Demonstrate your skills related to this role
- Express motivation to not only tackle challenging tasks, but also to learn from them
Example Answer:
“I know this position requires high-quality work in both busy and slow times in the office. In my last role, I was able to develop an efficient time management system that allowed me to prioritize tasks from the most to least important in order to successfully complete projects on time. I also have experience with showing initiative and taking on additional responsibilities during slow times in the office. I look forward to further sharpening my time management skills and increasing my productivity in this position.”
14. Our Team Is Currently Focused On ___ Challenge. How Would You Approach This?
The interviewer will naturally want to get your input and ideas on some current projects. This is your chance to share your ideas and problem-solving skills. Perhaps you've dealt with something similar in the past and you can share what you/your team did, or perhaps you can share some high-level solutions for them.
This demonstrates your ability to think on your feet and creatively problem-solve.
How to Answer "Our Team Is Currently Focused on ___Challenge. How Would You Approach This?":
- Don't worry about a "right" answer
- Showcase your creative problem-solving skills
- Ask additional follow-up questions
Example Answer:
"If your team is currently having a challenge with churn, the first thing I would do is determine how the customers who churn the most are acquired. For example, you might find that your paid Facebook marketing efforts are bringing in a lot of one-time customers who cancel soon after. Once I know a bit more about who is churning, I would then create a new onboarding strategy to test."
15. What Motivates You?
If you're tired of this common interview question, you're not alone. However, we work in a collaborative world, so understanding what motivates both you and your team members can be very beneficial for your working relationships.
How to Answer "What Motivates You?":
- Think about your best workday—and determine what motivated that
- Look at the job description for clues on what matters to the interviewer
- Don't use jargon
- Provide an example
Example Answer:
"When it comes to my career, I'm motivated by feeling like I'm making a difference and helping others in some way. I find real satisfaction in participating in meaningful projects that are meant to do good, even if it's in a small way. That's one of the reasons I was drawn to [ORGANIZATION]. I think the company's mission is a really important one."
16. What Are Your Salary Expectations?
Always be prepared to provide your honest (and realistic) salary expectations for this role, especially during a second interview.
That said, discussing your salary expectations doesn’t have to mean a set number. Feel free to give the interviewer a range of $5,000 to help point the organization in the right direction, or avoid giving an actual number if that's possible. Research calls this the "anchor" effect—whoever names the first number will "anchor" the conversation with that number.
If you know you want a minimum of a certain salary otherwise it's not worth your time to keep interviewing, mention that. Remember to leave room for negotiation. If you're aiming for $100,000, you can anchor the answer to this question with a $110,000 ask. Just be prepared to back up how you got to this number if they ask.
Also be sure to consider other forms of compensation that may be a factor in this number, such as opportunities for professional development or flexible work hours. This is especially important in making sure the candidate and interviewer are on the same page before an offer is made.
To prepare for this question, research what salary level your skills, experience, and location can help you earn in a specific industry. And be prepared for follow-up salary negotiations.
Looking for a place to start? Check out The Salary Project™ to gain access to a complete salary database to form a clear argument for your salary requirements. And here's more salary advice on how to back up the salary number you're asking for.
How to Answer "What Are Your Salary Expectations?":
- Decide ahead of time if you will share a number or let them name it first
- Provide a $5,000 range of your salary expectations
- Be open to further conversations about these numbers
Example Answers:
“For this role, I expect a salary between $60,000 and $65,000 annually. While I feel this is appropriate based on my skills, experience, and location, I am open to further discussing the numbers in more detail.”
"I am very interested in this job, and I’m sure we can agree on a salary once we have both determined that there is a good fit here.”
"I'm really interested in the role, and once I'd learned more specifics about the job, I can share the range I'd expect for this role. However, it would be helpful to hear what range you have budgeted to make sure we're not too far apart right now."
17. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
The answer to this question should always be yes!
Make sure to have at least three "any questions for me?" questions prepared. It's possible that the interviewer will have addressed your prepared questions, so prepare follow-up questions, too!
And, sorry, but “What are the next steps in the hiring process?” doesn’t count.
Questions to Ask the Interviewer in the Second Interview
Now’s the time for you to ask the interviewer your questions. Asking insightful questions expresses your interest in learning more about the position and organization.
It’s also important to think about what you specifically need to know about the role and company culture before you are willing to accept an offer.
Here is a list of questions you can ask in the second interview:
- What are you looking for in an ideal candidate for this position?
- How do you measure job performance in this role?
- How does your organization measure its overall impact and success?
- What is your favorite part about working for [COMPANY] and what is the most challenging part?
- What is a typical day like for the person in this position?
- A question revolving around how the initiatives of this company align with your values. For example: What are some actionable steps [COMPANY] is taking to support your current Black employees as well as recruit people of color within your organization? Or: What processes are in place to ensure a proper work-life balance at [COMPANY]?
- What are the prospects for growth in this job?
- What can I expect in terms of timing and next steps in the hiring process?
Post-Second Interview Thank You Email Template
Looking for another way to stand out from the rest of the candidates?
Send thank-you notes to everyone who interviewed you during this round.
It’s important to remember this throughout the interview to make sure you jot down the names of all the interviewers with quick notes tailored to each individual. Be sure to send a short and sweet thank-you note within 24 hours of your interview.
Hello [INTERVIEWER'S NAME],
I want to thank you for taking the time to further discuss the [POSITION TITLE] with me this morning. I appreciated hearing about your positive experience with the [NAME OF THEIR TEAM]. I especially enjoyed learning about [SPECIFIC DETAIL YOU REMEMBER FROM THE INTERVIEW].
Our interview solidified my desire to work with your team, and I am confident I can be an asset to [MAIN GOAL OF ORGANIZATION].
Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon!
Warm regards,
[YOUR NAME]
I want to thank you for taking the time to further discuss the [POSITION TITLE] with me this morning. I appreciated hearing about your positive experience with the [NAME OF THEIR TEAM]. I especially enjoyed learning about [SPECIFIC DETAIL YOU REMEMBER FROM THE INTERVIEW].
Our interview solidified my desire to work with your team, and I am confident I can be an asset to [MAIN GOAL OF ORGANIZATION].
Please feel free to contact me with any follow-up questions. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon!
Warm regards,
[YOUR NAME]
