Second-round

How second-round interviews work

So you’ve done your initial candidate screening, picked out some awesome candidates and now you’re onto your second-round interview. Congrats!

But what next?

Here’s how your second-round interview might look: 

• The candidate will typically meet either the hiring manager, another member of the recruiting team or the CEO. 
• If they’ve previously completed an assignment, this is your chance to discuss the candidate’s performance.
• After the second interview you’ll have a shortlist of awesome potential hires.
• Top tip: Choose questions to identify candidates who have a perfect value-match with your company and focus on role-specific skills.

Second-round interview questions

• Describe a time when you’ve had to adapt to a sudden project change.
• How do you manage multiple tasks with the same deadline?
• Who are our competitors and how do we stand out?
• What’s our mission?
• Have you used our products/services? What did you think?
• Why do you want to work here?

How to ace second-round interviews

• Dig deep: Ask in-depth questions to discover your candidates’ strengths and weaknesses. 
• Look for culture fit: Assess how your candidate will fit your org and whether they’re team players.
• Think about long-term goals: Pay attention to candidates whose long-term career goals match your company objectives.

Candidates to avoid

• They’re unprepared: At this stage, candidates should have some solid questions about your company. Candidates who have done their research show they care.
• They’re passive: Look for boredom or lack of interest. You’re looking for a candidate who is enthusiastic about your company.
• Mismatched goals: This is your chance to get on the same page about salary, bonus options, working hours, benefits and development plans. If you can’t match your expectations now, you probably won’t be able to in the future.
• Inflexible candidates: If they seem inflexible from day one, they could damage your performance down the line.