Ace your second interview!!

If you’ve been asked to return to a prospective employer for a 2nd interview, you’re definitely in a great spot. You’ve cleared all the hurdles in your 1st go-round with the company, and now they’re simply wanting to confirm you’re the right person before making an offer. You may meet some additional personnel during this second visit, but you’ll definitely meet with the hiring manager again.

Is there a way you can differentiate yourself from other candidates and increase your odds of getting the job when you go in for a 2nd interview? Absolutely…

Doing so starts well before your initial interview, however. You must thoroughly research your prospective employer before you interview - see the 2nd point in my related post here.

In addition, you must take careful notes - mental or in your notebook - during that first interview. What are the critical issues the organization faces - from the standpoint of the position you’re interested in? How will the person who fills that position be evaluated - during say, his/her first 6 months? What issues will you need to focus on? Where’s the organization’s “pain” from (your) functional standpoint? If you are to be successful in this new role, what will you need to accomplish during the 1st 90-120 days?

With this information in hand, once you receive word the firm wants to see you again, you need to complete a simple 3 page document.

This document is your detailed plan of action for your first 90 days in your new position.

Hardly anyone you’re up against in the interviewing process will do this. You’ll immediately distinguish yourself from anyone else who’s in contention, and you’ll provide your prospective boss and yourself an excellent vehicle for an in-depth conversation of the critical issues and how you’ll address them. In one simple act you’ll define yourself as someone who’ll hit the ground running on Day 1. Here’s an excerpt from page 1 of an actual example:

If you’d like to receive a Word template for use in creating your own 90 day plan, just click on the “FREE Downloads” page at the top of this page, and click on the “90 Day Plan Shell” file - it’ll only take a few moments to download, and it’s completely FREE (see the comments - someone is apparently selling a very similar document online.)

As illustrated above, the file includes specific examples (for a senior sales & marketing executive) of types of activities you may want to consider; of course you’ll have to adjust to your field of expertise and the needs of your prospective employer.

Many thanks to my old colleague Tom Lombardo for this excellent tool. I can’t guarantee you’ll get the job, but I can assure you this simple document will definitely make you stand out from the crowd & increase your chances of closing the deal. Good luck! Please comment….

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