Examiner.com - Los Angeles

April 8, 2009
Original Source

Are you prepared for second interview questions?
Careers Examiner
by Heather Huhman

You’ve already passed the phone screen and are now going to interview in-person—with the same individual, as well as the rest of the team. You were grilled the first time around—what could they possibly ask next? Sure, a second interview indicates the organization has serious interest in you, but nothing is concrete until you receive an offer in writing.

“In this economy, companies are looking for people who are passionate about the company's mission and are focused on performance. With Baby Boomer leaders retiring, they are also looking for people who can be developed into future leaders,” said Dr. Jane Goldner, a human resources professional and author of “Driven to Success.”

Some questions you should be prepared to answer during a second interview:

Since we met last, what have you been thinking about regarding our company and this position? “This question helps the interviewer encourage the candidate to communicate about their degree of interest in the position and also may identify areas of the candidate’s concern. It gives the candidate an opportunity to show his thoughtfulness and thinking processes to the interviewer, which can be helpful in understanding the candidate’s maturity, appropriateness for the position, and likelihood of accepting the position if it’s offered,” said Skip Anderson, president of Selling to Consumers.

How to Answer: “The job candidate should answer this question by sharing positive thoughts about the company, the position and even the interviewer, if appropriate. It’s important to share several specific points, such as, ‘I like how the company has clearly given a great deal of thought to the training process for new sales associates. This is something that’s very important to me because I want to start out on the right foot and grow quickly from there.’ Be wary of sharing any negative feedback at this stage in the process,” said Anderson.

Describe a recent assignment that you’ve completed, the process you used to complete the assignment, how you think you did and why? “With entry-level candidates, their work experience may be limited. So, what you’re really trying to do is understand whether their style, drive and motivation fits within your company culture,” said Edna Nakamoto, owner and principal consultant of The HR Manager LLC.

How to Answer: “The ‘right’ answer to the question really depends on the company and the position. Probably the most important things are for the candidate to show that they are self-motivated, are passionate about what they do and to describe an assignment that would relate to the style and fit of the company. It goes back to doing your homework and showing that you are prepared and confident to join their team,” said Nakamoto.

Describe a situation in which you used persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way. “This question gives you a sense for the candidate’s communication style,” said Shannon Larson, a recruiter with the VistaPrint campus recruiting team. “You can assess their ability to deal with difficult situations and influence others.”

How to Answer: “Candidates who focus on a situation that has examples of tangible results will be successful answering this question. Providing context around the situation and insight into the challenges they were facing are helpful, as well. Their thoughts need to be clear, concise and consistent. If the candidate is able to share examples of how they were successful, this will make a difference in evaluating the answer. Did they show respect for different opinions? Did they research and provide facts when stating their case? Did the relationship improve? What would they have done differently?” said Larson.

What is your most effective learning style? For instance, do you learn best by doing or by seeing, listening, etc.? Give an example of both your best and your worst learning experience. “The employer needs this information in order to make the most of the intern’s time with the company, and he needs to ascertain the candidate's level of self-awareness. Both can adjust their activities and methods according to the answer to this question,” said Ann Bloxom Smith, director of the University of Louisiana Monroe Office of Academic Internships.

How to Answer: Smith recommends, “My best learning style should fit in well with this internship because I like to first read or hear as much information as possible and then work with that information myself. Further, I believe you'll find me to be highly adaptable and able to learn in a variety of situations.”

Please tell me something about our organization that isn’t on our Web site. “This targets a true self-starter who has diligently done some ‘homework,’ and wants to know more about the company. It also reveals some creativity in a candidate who explored a potential employer beyond a Web site,” said Bob Horst, head of recruiting and professional development at Nelson Levine deLuca&Horst, LLC.

How to Answer: “If the candidate is familiar with any press coverage regarding the employer, that's great. Any detailed knowledge specifically regarding the employer's products or services is fantastic. Also, having spoken with someone who knows the employer's business will be a tremendous answer,” said Horst.

When you spoke about our last interview to your network, how did you describe our company? “I want to find out if the candidate thinks in terms of networking and who are his or her trusted advisors. I also want to know what impression we made, and if this candidate will be a good ambassador for our firm,” said Nance Rosen, MBA, CEO of NanceSpeaks!

How to Answer: Rosen recommends, “I spoke with my mentor, a person who has been a great friend and sounding board. I described the company’s multi-national focus, since over time I’d welcome opportunities to work in other countries. Would you like to know more about my conversation?”