New entrants to the financial advice sector, having undergone an interview for a job, may have mixed feelings about being called back for a second interview.
Making it this far is an achievement; the employer is clearly interested in them. But candidates may wonder what else they can say and do to ensure they come away with the job offer.
Why is it necessary to repeat the interview process? Are employers looking for anything different the second time around?
Commitment
Hiring is a big commitment for firms. It costs time and money, so they want to get it right and retain their new appointments.
“One interview often isn’t enough. Candidates don’t get to ask all their questions and, for hiring companies, it isn’t thorough enough,” says Andy Taylor, director of financial services recruitment firm Exchange Street.
Standing out at this stage is about presenting yourself as a solution rather than a job seeker
“The better firms that are good at hiring and retention might use the second interview for personality questionnaires and technical tests.”
Alternatively, they might email a couple of open-ended questions for the candidates to answer by a deadline.
“There is a lot of ground to cover,” says Taylor.
“Employers will want to know why the candidate is looking for a new job, why this one in particular and what skills they can offer.”
He adds that a thorough interview process can also reassure candidates that the company takes hiring seriously, so that, if they get the job, they know they will be working within a good team. It would be no fun to start the job, then find that colleagues were constantly leaving.
“If people get a job too easily, they can start thinking, ‘Did I make the right choice?’” says Taylor.
When asked if you have any questions, don’t just ask something trivial
It is, on balance, better to go through a rigorous interview process rather than have a chat about the football or the weather and then find you’ve got the job.
Preparation
A second interview follows on from the first interview, but candidates cannot assume they may skip the preparation this time.
“Even the most confident and well qualified of candidates still need to take the time to prepare,” says Succession Wealth recruitment manager Charlotte Turner.
She explains that there tend to be four types of questions that candidates can expect to be asked at second interviews, categorised as: job knowledge, situational, behavioural and self-evaluation.
It’s all about finding the employer’s needs by asking questions throughout the interview and aligning how you present and sell yourself with these needs
“Most candidates will prepare for knowledge-based and situational-based questions as these are directly related to the job role,” says Turner.
“Fewer, however, will prepare for behavioural- and self-evaluation-based questions, meaning that, in a strong candidate field, this can be the deciding factor.”
Turner suggests that, before the second interview, candidates reflect on their career to date.
“Consider how you have developed professionally and what helped you get to where you are. What events, challenges and opportunities have helped shape you into the professional you are today?” she says.
“Taking the time to do this will help you feel more at ease in this section of the interview, and you are more likely to be perceived as honest and genuine — qualities that all employers look for.”
Taylor suggests that candidates focus on questions they were asked in the first interview and which they did not answer particularly well, and work on those.
“Think about the elements of your application and what you said in that,” he adds.
“Be consistent and back up what you said on the application form with what you say during the interview.”
Consider how you have developed professionally and what helped you get to where you are
Remembering the basics of attending an interview is important too, observes Turner.
“Being well presented, professional and polite, and arriving on time will always stand you in good stead,” she says.
“Also, be sure to have some well-thought-out questions ready to ask when you’re given the opportunity.”
Questions
The questions that a candidate asks during the second interview provide a perfect opportunity to demonstrate their suitability for the job.
Employers will want to know why the candidate is looking for a new job, why this one in particular and what skills they can offer
“Standing out at this final stage is about presenting yourself as a solution rather than a job seeker looking for a job,” says The CV & Interview Advisors founder and chief executive Matt Craven.
“Using sales techniques in the interview room can help here. It’s all about finding the employer’s needs by asking questions throughout the interview and aligning how you present and sell yourself with these needs.”
As an example, Craven says, if the employer asks the candidate about a project they have managed, they should answer and then ask what projects the firm has in the pipeline.
The firm may have upcoming projects that are within the candidate’s skillset, so the candidate can present themselves as the perfect solution to the employer’s needs.
“When asked if you have any questions, don’t just ask something trivial,” says Craven.
One interview often isn’t enough. Candidates don’t get to ask all their questions and, for hiring companies, it isn’t thorough enough
“Ask if they have any reservations about your suitability for the job, to give yourself an opportunity to swat away any objections right there in the interview room.”
Sometimes candidates ‘play it cool’ during interviews. They want to create the impression they are in demand, so they mention other opportunities they have. But Taylor warns against going too far.
“Everyone wants to hire people who want the job,” he says.
“So be thorough, diligent, enthusiastic and passionate about the opportunity.”
This article featured in the December 2024/January 2025 edition of Money Marketing.
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