How to Ace Your Second Interview

Interviews... the one thing that all applicants dread even if they've been there and done that. Every organization has their own way of presenting the situation when it comes to interviews, where these can either be contained within a single round, two in most cases and three if the proceedings are vigorous and in-depth.

Getting through the first interview may have been quite an experience for you, especially post the first interview where the waiting and pacing commences for the callback.

Now that you've been asked to come down to the office for round two, I'm sure you can breathe easy now since you're one step closer to getting that job. The only problem now is, how sure are you of yourself to make it through round two?

Preparing yourself before you take the plunge is imperative when it comes to interviews. Fumbling, stammering, sweating profusely, showing signs of extreme nervousness are all things you want to conceal and not show forth with such intensity. You want to be collected, cool and above all confident to a point where you aren't overly doing it.

There are some applicants who have a boisterous attitude when they walk into an office and confront those handling the interview. You may either face a single person or two, sometimes even a group of four or more depending on how elaborate the procedure is or how big the organization is to include so many people from the management as part of the interview.

Dressing formally is a given, you can't expect them to take you seriously if you walk into the interview room looking like you went downstairs to the grocery store and then showed up for your interview.

Walk into the office, pass a congenial smile and address the time of day with a 'good morning' or 'good afternoon' or 'good evening' if your interview is later in the day. Maintain eye contact with those present, sit up straight and clear your throat before speaking, since it's natural for one to be a little choked up before they begin speaking.

Beating around the bush will only prove to the management that you are avoiding the question or justifying yourself when it wasn't asked of you to do so. When presented with a question, answer promptly with the answer that they're looking for and clear any doubts they may arise, should they spot something questionable in your resume or reference details.

If something controversial comes up like a previous tiff in a former organization or a brief working experience with another, be honest about what happened and clear the atmosphere before they make any assumptions or draw conclusions that may hurt your chances of getting the job.

Don't give the management a chance to look at you in disapproval by forgetting to get your documents, especially if the callback had details specifically mentioning to bring them with you. Have it all filed and held inside a folder that you can hand over to them.

Listen carefully to what they're saying when it comes to expectations of the company, what they value as part of the organization's beliefs, what policies dictate the success of their status and so on. Nod respectfully and agree where you need to, affirming that you are paying close attention and genuinely interested in what they have to say.

When they do tell you that you got yourself the job, show muted enthusiasm and assure them that the choice they made was a good one and that you will prove to them that you aren't otherwise. Thank them all, shake hands with everyone present in the room and depart from the office.

Now that you know how to handle your second interview, it is important to understand how tricky these things can be. With any luck, this should be the last of the rounds of interview without a third one in place.