15 Second Interview Questions to Expect (With Answers!)

• What can I tell you about my qualifications for the position?
• What are the top three qualities are you looking for in the person you will hire?
• What is the most challenging part of this job?
• How would you describe the culture here?

SECOND INTERVIEW TIPS! (2nd Interview Questions you MUST PREPARE FOR!)

Potential questions for a second interview

First-round interview questions typically focus on the applicant’s skills and experience. The questions for a second interview are meant to help the interviewer or panel visualize you in the role. Here are 15 questions you might be asked, along with some savvy ways to respond:

1. Tell me again what interests you about this job and what skills and strengths you plan to bring to it.

Note that the question is not, “What are your skills and strengths?” but “What skills and strengths can you bring to the job?” Answer this question by outlining specific contributions you believe you can make to the company.

2. Do you have anything you want to revisit from your first interview?

A less-than-ideal answer to this question is, “Not really.” So, before the second interview, take time to make a list of things that occurred to you after your last conversation that you may want to bring up.

An example might be, “Could you please tell me a bit more about the company’s culture? I want to make sure I have a good sense of what it would be like to work here and be a part of the team.”

3. What is your greatest weakness?

Yes, some managers still ask this question, even during the second interview. Be honest about an actual negative trait — but also follow up immediately with how you’re working to overcome it. Some examples of more acceptable weaknesses might include impatience with bureaucracies or the tendency to take on too much responsibility.

4. Can you tell me a little more about your current/most recent job?

Note that the employer is asking for more than what you’ve described in your resume or during the initial interview. You should be able to give a short and precise summary of duties and responsibilities at your most recent position. Be careful not to sound negative about the job or your employer.

5. Describe a professional achievement you’re especially proud of.

This request is designed not only to evaluable your career priorities but also to test your ability to clearly explain what you do. Avoid jargon and acronyms; instead, explain the significance of your accomplishment in simple terms.

One idea is to highlight an anecdote that shows you can collaborate effectively with people in other departments or those outside of your field — a key characteristic of a good team player.

6. How did you change your current/most recent job?

A convincing answer here shows adaptability and a willingness to take the bull by the horns, if necessary. Talking about times you chose to approach a task or problem differently from other people highlights your creativity and resourcefulness.

7. What was the most difficult decision you ever had to make on the job?

This one tests your integrity and decision-making style. Make sure your answer aligns with what you’ve learned so far about the company’s culture and the standards it has set for its employees.

8. Looking back, what could you have done to make a challenging workplace relationship better?

This interview question is attempting to find out whether you’re capable of rising above an unpleasant situation or learning from past mistakes, both highly desirable qualities.

A bitter answer may indicate someone who holds grudges or simply can’t get along with certain kinds of people. A reflective, positive answer will show that you try to minimize personality conflicts — and don’t use them as excuses for failing to move forward. The employer is likely looking for a candidate who tries to be tactful and diplomatic but nonetheless stands up for what’s right.

9. Do you prefer to work alone or with other people?

A strong answer here is “both.” People who say they like working with information are obviously a good choice for technical positions. However, that may be a red flag if the interviewer perceives you don’t also enjoy communicating with others or that you lack collaboration skills. Even for highly technical jobs, these traits are valued.

10. What do you think your current/past company could do to be more successful?

Some questions for a second interview, like this one, are meant to reveal whether a candidate can see and work toward the “big picture” in an organization. If you get this type of question, keep in mind that the employer is probing to find out whether you have a clear understanding of your current or past employer’s missions and goals and if you’ve worked with those objectives in mind.

11. Can you describe a typical day at work in your last job?

The interviewer wants to see how your current (or most recent) routine compares with the requirements of the job in question. And given how much has changed in business, generally, since the start of the pandemic, you may have a lot to say in response to this question.

If you’ve been working remotely, for example, you may want to highlight your successes in transitioning to that situation. It’s OK to admit to any early struggles you’ve had, too. What’s most important is showcasing your adaptability, perseverance and resilience.

12. What sort of work environment do you prefer?

Plain and simple, with this question, the interviewer wants to find out whether you’re going to mesh well with the company and its work environment, as expressed in your own words. Weave your answer around your perception of the employer’s corporate style — as long as it’s truly what you’re seeking.

Also, when addressing this question, consider where the company will expect you to work. Does the organization have an all-remote team right now? Does it intend to keep all or part of its workforce remote once the pandemic subsides? And what is your preference for the long term?

13. Have you ever been in a work situation where you were asked to do something you felt was unethical?

This is another case where you should give specifics, if possible. The interviewer knows no serious job candidate is going to say that sometimes it’s OK to be unethical. But how you approach your answer and the anecdotes you share can increase the company’s comfort level with hiring you.

14. What would you consider an acceptable salary for this position?

There are numerous ways this question could be asked, depending on whether compensation has been discussed previously. Still, the last thing you want is to be caught off guard by a salary-related question. Consult the Robert Half Salary Guide to learn what the market rate is for professionals with your experience and skillset.

Also, during negotiations, don’t forget to ask about perks and benefits that would be important to you, such as flexible work hours and opportunities for professional development.

15. If you got the job, what would you do in your first year to establish yourself?

Don’t be surprised if targeted (and tough!) queries like this one pop up among the questions for a second interview. Conduct in-depth company research to show you know your potential employer inside and out. Also, be clear about what you can do in this job to make a quick and meaningful impact.

Questions you can ask the interviewer

During your second interview, you’ll likely be free to ask more questions than you did during your first interview. That’s good, because you’ll probably think of more probing questions as you learn more about the company, employees and the job itself.

Be sure to ask thoughtful, open-ended questions (and leave the detailed compensation questions for later). These are examples to help get you started:

• What do you like most about working for the organization?
• What is your management style?
• How do you measure the responsibilities and performance of those you supervise?
• How would you describe your ideal employee?
• What’s the greatest challenge that I would likely face in this job in the first year?

And finally, here are four additional tips to help you prepare for a second interview:

• Be ready to share your work samples (if relevant). You may be meeting with people who didn’t have an opportunity to see material you presented in your first interview. If you’ll be meeting by video, have digital versions of your information that you can quickly tee up for a screen-share or send via email. You might also consider providing interviewers with a link to a secure, online folder containing your work samples.
• Review your resume and cover letter again to make sure you are providing consistent information about your skills and experience throughout the hiring process.
• If the second interview panel ask some questions you’ve addressed before, answer them with the same detail and enthusiasm that you applied the first time around. (But here again, also make sure you are providing consistent information.)
• Remember to send a thank-you email or note to each person you interviewed with. Even if you don’t get the position, thank key decision makers again, and ask that they keep you in mind for future opportunities — if that’s what you want. You might also ask for feedback about why you weren’t offered the position, so you can learn from the experience.

What Makes You a Good Fit for This Role?

More likely than not you’ve already been asked some version of this question in round one, but in your second round you’ll likely be talking to different people so there’s bound to be some repetition. A repeat interviewer may also be interested in knowing your answer now that you’ve learned more about the role and the company in earlier interview rounds and conversations. Either way, your interviewer wants to know how your qualifications connect to their job opening directly and to make sure that you understand what the role entails. So don’t short change this question just because you’ve answered it before.

Do you prefer to work alone, or as part of a team?

Spoiler alert:

The correct answer is both.

Say you like working alone, and you’ll come across as difficult to work with. Say you prefer teamwork, and you risk suggesting you can’t work independently.

To be safe, cover both bases:

Elaborate on your ideal next role

This will question helps extract what type of role the candidate is really after and if it aligns with the opening they are interviewing for and if they have the right enthusiasm for the job.

How would you describe yourself?

A variation of the classic Tell me about yourself, this question may seem like an innocent ice-breaker—

But in fact, it’s a way to get an idea of your interpersonal skills and your suitability for the job.

The best way to answer this question is to:

• Focus on a soft skill that’s highly relevant to the job, e.g. teamwork, creativity, or problem-solving.
• Give an example of a professional situation in which this quality came in useful.

Here’s an example:

See? This way, you can work a professional achievement into your answer, instead of just giving an answer with no real value:

So, who would you hire, out of those two candidates?