14 Second Interview Questions and Answers (Plus Tips on How to Prepare!)

Nice work: After submitting a polished resume and cover letter, you aced those common interview questions during your first-round interview. Now you’re invited back for a second interview—and you’re that much closer to getting that job offer.

How you do in the second interview is critical; it’s often what the hiring manager bases their final decision on. So if there was ever a time to shine, it’s now.

No worries if this is the first time you’re facing this process—it is all good. “A second interview is always a good thing,” says Muse career coach Eloïse Eonnet. “Companies would not waste their time meeting with you if they did not see potential in your candidacy.”

Wondering how to make a great impression? In this article, we’ll help you prepare your answers for key second interview questions you’ll likely be asked.

The more interviews you land, the more options you have—check open jobs on The Muse to find your next opportunity »

What to expect in a second interview

Second interviews don’t follow a specific formula, but there are a few aspects you can count on. You’ll likely be speaking with the hiring manager, either in a 1-1 conversation or as part of a panel interview—in either a standalone meeting or part of a series of interviews.

What’s usually asked in second interviews can vary depending on the open position, what was asked in the first interview, or who’s interviewing you.

If a future colleague is your interviewer, you might need to focus on the hard and technical skills you’ll be bringing, detailed examples on how you solve situations in the workplace, and how you’ll cover current challenges the team or the company is facing.

If you have a second interview with higher management, you might get asked about your history at previous companies and the motivation that drove you to apply for this role.

“Expect to answer more in-depth, behavioral, and situational interview questions about real-world situations that are relevant to the position,” says career coach and certified professional resume writer Amanda Augustine. “While situational interview questions require you to explain how you would react to hypothetical scenarios you could face on the job, behavioral interview questions require you to explain how you’ve dealt with actual situations in the past.”

How to prepare for a second interview

Reflect on what you learned from your first interview to help you prepare for your second. You should also rehearse your answers. Here are some tips:

Remember what caught your first interviewer’s attention

A second interview might involve meeting with other team members or even your future boss’s boss—or it might be your second conversation with the hiring manager after you’ve completed other steps in the process (such as an interview assignment). Was there a specific skill or experience of yours they were especially keen to learn more about?

“Determine if there were any areas where you felt unsure or where the interviewer was after more detail from you,” Augustine says. “If you talked with a third-party recruiter—someone who doesn’t work at the company but is contracted to recruit qualified candidates—ask them directly if they can share any feedback that would help you prepare for the next interview round.”

Review what you’ve learned about the company’s goals

“Do your research on the company and the problems they’re working to solve,” says Shanna Hocking, founder of Be Yourself Boldly leadership consulting and the host of the career development podcast One Bold Move a Day. How does this role fit into that picture? How might your experiences make you uniquely equipped to solve this problem? Spend time thinking about ideas or potential solutions.

Practice your answers to sample interview questions

“Preparing and practicing ahead of time will make you feel much more comfortable and confident when you’re face to face with the interviewer,” says Muse career coach Jennifer Smith.

It can be especially helpful to structure the examples you’ve prepped in a way that highlights the relevant parts of each story. “Outline your stories with the following framework: objective, actions you took, and result,” Smith says. “Then practice them over and over.”

To make sure you’re hitting relevant points, use the CAR or the STAR methods. CAR stands for Context, Action, and Results. “Provide context by describing a situation you handled in the past that demonstrates a quality or skill the interviewer wants to assess,” Augustine says. “Explain what actions you took to resolve the situation and your rationale. Then, describe the results of your actions and explain what you learned or would do differently the next time you were faced with a similar situation.”

S.T.A.R. stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results. “It involves brainstorming a situation you faced or a task you were assigned that required you to leverage a skill or quality that’s key to the job,” she says. “Explain the specific actions you took to resolve the situation or achieve the goal, and describe the results of your efforts.”

Interviewers love answering questions, too. For inspo, read 57 Smart Questions to Ask in an Interview in 2024

14 second interview questions—and answers to practice today

Second interviews are as important as the first ones. Just because the recruiter liked you enough to call you back, that doesn’t mean that the job is already yours. Take it seriously and practice these potential second round interview questions.

1. Tell me about yourself

No surprises here. A lot of second interviews start this way. Interviewers want not only to find out who you are but also to learn about you in the context of the job you’ve applied for. In other words, this is your opportunity to introduce yourself to your interviewer and connect your story to the company’s needs.

How to answer:

A great strategy for this interview opener is to start with your present, talk about your past, and then finish with your future. Your present is what your current role is along with any specific expertise or interests you have. Your past is the previous experience you bring and how you acquired your skills (your education, for example). And finally, your future is how you’re hoping the rest of your career is going to play out, at least for the foreseeable future.

For a second interview question though, you’re going to want to center your response a bit more on the company and what you’ve learned about the role from earlier interviews. The obvious place to pepper in what you’ve learned about the role is in the “future” part of your answer, but you can also add a bit in the “present” in the form of things you are currently working on or excited about that pertain to the new role or the “past” by highlighting relevant experiences or skills.

For example:

“I’m a product manager at Alpha Tech with an interdisciplinary background and a soft spot for design, which is why this role at Beta Tech is so interesting to me—since design thinking is the foundation that Beta Tech was built on.

In the six years I’ve been at Alpha Tech, I’ve led teams and pushed products through to their launch. When I joined the company, I did a rotational program where I got to see how several different teams worked before settling into my current role.

Before that, I got my bachelor’s and master’s in electrical engineering and computer science—which gave me a background in coding that I believe will help me with some of the more technical aspects of this role. Now I’m really looking forward to taking on a more senior product management role in a place where I can work with industry leaders known for thoughtfully integrating the design and tech sides of their business.”

Read this next: A Complete Guide to Answering “Tell Me About Yourself” in an Interview (Plus Examples!)

2. 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 interview 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. Don’t shortchange this question just because you’ve answered it before.

How to answer:

Your goal is to respond in a way that is more specific to the role and company now that you know more about what the job is and what kinds of challenges the team or organization is facing. Find the intersection of what you have to offer and what the company needs. Hopefully, at this point, you have some idea what that might be.

If you’re not sure where to start, Smith suggests leading with a “service mindset and enthusiasm for the job.” You want to get across to the hiring manager that you not only have the right skills and the right attitude for the job but also that you’re intrinsically motivated based on the trajectory of your career. In other words, talk about what you can do for the company, not what the company can do for you.

For example:

“In our last conversation, we talked about how fast the company is growing. It’s definitely an exciting time to join, but I know one challenge will be the process of onboarding and training a lot of new account managers.

Aside from having over a decade of experience as an account manager, I’ve spent a lot of time training and mentoring new staff—first because it was just something I enjoyed doing, but then later more formally as my supervisor noticed that it’s something I’m good at. I’d be thrilled to help formalize a thorough and supportive training program for new account managers in addition to being one myself.”

3. What would you hope to accomplish in the first few months?

Here the interviewer is trying to suss out which candidate will hit the ground running. This question is intimidating, but also a truly excellent opportunity to show off all the research you’ve done about the role and company. That said, you obviously don’t know everything about the job, so your interviewer will also be interested in how you’d fill in those gaps in your knowledge.

How to answer:

Giving the interviewer an idea of how you plan on learning about the issues they’re working on and how you plan on acting on what you’ve learned is key here. Your goals are to show what you already know about the role, how you would learn the rest (including who you’d talk to), and how you’d contribute once you’re up to speed.

For example:

“It’s been exciting to hear about some of the new initiatives the company has started in our previous conversations—like the database project and the company-wide sync, but I know there’s still a lot for me to learn.

The first thing I’d do is line up meetings with the stakeholders involved in the projects I’d be tackling to help me figure out what I don’t know and then go from there. Hopping into a database project halfway through can be tricky, but I’m confident that once I know what all the stakeholders are looking for, I’ll be able to efficiently plot out our next steps and set appropriate deadlines. From there, I’ll be focused on hitting the milestones that I’ve set for the team.”

4. How would you deal with [current challenge or initiative of the company]?

When second interview questions get specific like this, it means this is a critical aspect of the job—a bad answer could be a dealbreaker. The hiring manager is trying to envision you in the role and how you might help the company. Go into detail about how you would tackle their immediate challenges by providing examples of actions you’d take.

How to answer:

It can be tricky to answer a question about a new initiative (or the like) at a company you don’t work for yet. Rather than diving into hypotheticals or specifics, you’re much better off talking about your own experience with a similar situation.

Start your response off by connecting what their company is going through with something you’ve worked on in the past and then focus on what you did and the takeaways from that experience.

For example:

“It’s been interesting to learn more about the plan to allow employees to ‘share’ jobs to create more flexibility for working parents. I’d definitely like to learn more about how this initiative started and what work has been done around it already. From what I know though, it seems somewhat similar—in terms of execution—to my experience spearheading a new career track for administrative assistants at my current company.

I led our people ops team in developing new training, creating new policies, and implementing new procedures. It was difficult to get something brand new off the ground, but ultimately this program not only improved retention but also became something we started talking about when recruiting.

Throughout the process, I’ve seen how important it is to get buy-in for any new program, not just from management but from the employees it’s supposed to benefit. The program itself was different from the one you’re working on, but I think there’s a lot of overlap in terms of implementation that I’d be happy to discuss further.”

5. What management style works best for you?

Aside from using the second interview to see if you’ll be able to do the job, the hiring manager is going to want to make sure you’ll work well with the existing team. This second interview question is an attempt to understand what kind of manager or boss suits you best and whether or not your preferences match up with their work style (or the work style of whomever the position reports to).

How to answer:

Be honest about what type of boss works best for you. You don’t want to work somewhere where you won’t thrive. Questions like this might seem like they’re begging for answers filled with platitudes and buzzwords like “lead by example” and “team player,” and it’s fine to include them if you truly feel that way, but make sure you take it one step further and give an example of a management style that worked well for you.

For example:

“I’m not really a ‘beg for forgiveness rather than ask for permission’ kind of person. I really value clear, upfront communication with my manager and try to be as open as possible about what I’m working on. I’ve been lucky in my current role and have had a really great relationship with my manager. Even though she trusts me to do my own thing, she makes it a point to really lay out her expectations at the beginning of every project and make sure that we’re on the same page.

Other than our weekly check-in, she gives me the freedom I need to work independently. She trusts my judgment, which I appreciate, but she also makes it clear she’s available for questions or to help out with any unanticipated roadblocks. So overall I’d say I work best with a manager who allows me to work independently because they trust that I’ll always keep them up to date on what I’m working on, but is willing to check in and answer questions when I need it.”

6. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague

Similar to the previous question, this one also gets at how you’d work with the current team, but the interviewer is also looking for some additional insight into your problem-solving strategies. More specifically, they’re trying to find out what kind of conflict resolution skills you have.

How to answer:

Don’t tiptoe around this by giving an example where there isn’t really a disagreement. Conflicts happen at work and by avoiding the question you’re showing that you might be the kind of person who is afraid to voice their opinion or, worse, is oblivious to conflict happening around them.

For most “Tell me about a time when” questions, you’ll want to tell a story and include a moral—or what the interviewer should take away from the story. You never really know what the interviewer is going to focus on in your answer, so you’re best off telling them what to focus on. You can do this either at the beginning of your answer or at the end.

For example:

“You’re probably familiar with the phenomenon that happens in all labs: Everyone needs the same piece of equipment at the same time. So in my current lab, there’s a calendar system where you book time on a piece of equipment’s calendar to claim it. It works pretty well, but there’s an unspoken protocol where if you need to use something urgently enough, you can basically boot someone out of their slot.

I did this once when I was new to the lab. I thought I was following the rules, but the person I booted was absolutely livid. I was not aware that there was another aspect of this loophole that involved seniority. When confronted, I tried to explain why I needed to use the piece of equipment and why it was time-sensitive, but I also mentioned what lab rule I was following. That’s when I found out that lab members didn’t invoke this protocol for someone more senior than them.

If I hadn’t gone back and specified exactly what rules I was following, my colleague would never have told me the bit about seniority. Once I figured out what I did wrong, I apologized. In general, when I’m dealing with conflict with a coworker, I try to really understand what the actual issue is—this one was an information gap on my end and not knowing where I was coming from on my colleague’s end—so that we can solve it together rather than talk around it and past one another.”

7. Why do you want to leave your current job? (Or: Why did you leave your last job?)

Don’t be alarmed. Second-round interviews tend to get a bit more probing than first-round interviews, so you should be prepared for interviewers to want to dig a bit deeper.

The interviewer is going to try to find any red flags from your previous experience, including why you are leaving or have left your most recent role. Were you fired or are you just looking for a more challenging role? Was there something else you weren’t getting from your last job that this job will offer you? Or are you likely to leave this job quickly for similar reasons?

How to answer:

Try to be honest without going negative. Even if you literally only have bad things to say about your current or previous employer, keep your answer neutral to positive. It almost doesn’t matter what your story is, going negative only makes you and your own experience look bad. Instead, focus on what this job has to offer that your previous job did not.

For example:

“I learned a lot in my last role and I enjoyed the work that I did—it was really an incredible introduction to the publishing industry—but I’m also looking for ways to expand my understanding of the field, so I began searching for roles related to the marketing side of things. This role seems to be the perfect way to build on the foundation my last role gave me while focusing more on marketing.”

Read this next: 4 Better Ways to Answer “Why Are You Leaving Your Job?”

8. What are your short and long-term career goals?

Again, this is an attempt to figure out if your career path and the company’s goals overlap—one of the company’s goals being that this role stays filled for a long time. So it’s not surprising that they’ll be wondering how likely it is you’ll want to stick around for a while.

Onboarding and training a new employee, even if they have relevant skills, is a labor-intensive and costly process. Hiring managers are generally not that interested in investing in someone who plans on leaving in the next year or two. Goals that indicate a strong match and your willingness to stay put could be the things that give you a leg up over the other candidates brought in for a second interview.

How to answer:

You can be pretty specific with your short-term goals. And they should obviously align very closely with the role you are applying for.

For your long-term goal, you can be a bit more vague. Go for something that implies an upward trajectory—like managing a team or leading a project—but you don’t necessarily need to say you want it to be at the company you’re applying for unless that really is your goal. In other words, be honest—just not so honest that you disqualify yourself.

For example:

“I feel like there is always more to learn in supply chain management. In the next couple of years, I’d like to continue learning the ins and outs of the field, pick a specialty, and really become an expert in that specialty. For that reason, I was especially excited about how large and varied your supply-chain management operations are.

In terms of the future, one of the things I’m definitely looking forward to doing—hopefully within the next few years—is getting more management experience. I’ve only ever managed interns at this point, but I’d love to lead my own team one day.”

9. What is your target salary?

It’s likely you’ve already talked about salary in your first interview. Most hiring managers want to make sure they can afford you before bringing you in to meet the team, so if you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably more or less on the same page. Still, it may come up again—particularly if you didn’t really give a firm number—and you should have something ready to go.

How to answer:

Money is always a little awkward to talk about, but you can blunt the awkwardness and leave some room for future negotiation by giving a salary range. There are several online resources that you can peruse to get an idea of what your salary should be, such as the LinkedIn Salary Tool or PayScale.

From there, take into account your own experience and current salary. Don’t forget that you can always ask the interviewer what the salary range for the role is first, before you offer a number or range.

For example:

“Based on my previous experience in marketing and the job duties we’ve discussed, I would expect something around $65,000 to $75,000. But I know salary is just one component of a job offer—I’m definitely open to talking about this in more detail later on.”

Need extra help on this tricky question? Read 3 Strategies for Answering “What Are Your Salary Expectations?” in an Interview

10. Is there anything you’d like to discuss from your earlier interview?

Interviews are, in theory, a continuing conversation between two parties. The hiring manager isn’t just evaluating you, you’re also scoping out the company. This question is a way to continue the conversation from your first interview and is actually a nice gesture from the interviewer. They’re giving you a chance to lead the conversation.

How to answer:

It can be very tempting to just say, “Nope!” and call it a day. After all, interviews are generally nerve-racking and many interviewees have no interest in prolonging them. But try to resist cutting your interview short and consider if there was anything you could have answered more comprehensively or something that you forgot to mention.

This is one of those second interview questions where you can really make it anything you want it to be. If you could say anything to the hiring manager, what would you say? This is another chance to make your case—or a second chance to say what you meant to say the first time around.

Remember when you were preparing for this interview and you came up with a few good stories to talk about that really represented your work experience and skills well? If you haven’t already talked about all of them, semi-open questions like this one or “Is there anything else you’d like me to know?” are golden opportunities to share the ones you haven’t gotten to yet. You just need to find the right transition into the story.

For example:

“Since our first conversation, I’ve been thinking a lot about the way you spoke about the company’s commitment to diversity. I’ve been a co-lead of my company 1’s Asian American ERG for a couple years now and it’s really important to me that diversity is valued in the workplace.

I’ve been really impressed to see how even the recruitment process has reflected this commitment. Given the opportunity, I’d love to help continue pushing the needle forward, whether it’s through another ERG or some other avenue at the company.”

11. Tell me about a weakness you have. How did you overcome it?

Talking about a weakness plays into how sincere you are and, more importantly, how you approach getting results at work. It’s a question that may come up in second-round interviews to get a better sense of your work persona.

The hiring manager doesn’t want to know what your Achilles’ heel is so they can compare you to other candidates. They want to see what you recognize as a weakness and how it’s affected your work.

How to answer:

Overcoming a weakness shows how your soft skills play within your job. The best way to answer is to give an example of a situation where you’ve had to work on a weakness, whether it’s work-related or personal, and how you’ve managed to overcome it so it doesn’t affect your job.

For example:

“Over the years I’ve learned that I can take on too many projects at once. The root cause is that I don’t easily set boundaries for myself and say no to taking on more tasks when I already have too much on my plate. A good example of this is when I managed IT, design, and marketing needs while reporting to senior management on multiple projects and deliverables simultaneously. I was overwhelmed most of the time until I had to admit that I couldn’t do it all alone and ask for help.

I’ve worked on this and learned to prioritize my responsibilities by focusing on what’s most crucial for each project, such as team needs, deadlines, and reporting key analytics to priority stakeholders. This has brought me better results over time and allowed me to ask for help from a colleague if needed and delegate responsibilities to others in tighter timeframes.”

12. Describe a time you made a difficult decision

In tough, high-pressure moments, planning and mediation are often needed, and tough choices have to be made fast. These types of second interview questions are usually asked of candidates for leadership roles who are being interviewed by someone in a high position.

It’s about how you make decisions, problem-resolution, and communication skills, which need to be managed quickly and effectively—and whether you hold yourself accountable or not.

How to answer:

This is a great opportunity to bring an example of a case that has to do with the position, so you should look at the job description along with the challenges that you might talk about in the first interview to give the most relevant example possible.

Always try to give the context, the scoop, and the outcome of the situation that led you to make a given decision. You can do this by using the CAR or STAR methods to explain the example.

The more you can align your response to what you know about the company’s culture and the decisions you’ll have to make in the position you’re applying for, the better you’ll do.

For example:

“When I landed my last role, I was assigned to manage a team of developers. From the start I realized that one of the team members was falling behind the others, which sometimes delayed projects. My first instinct was to help and offer guidance. So, I developed a short training program, like a software development bootcamp.

Then, I kept a closer look at that team member, making sure to never micromanage and give them space to grow on their own. Fortunately, they did, and started to produce at a more adequate pace, which definitely helped the team meet deadlines without anyone having to pick up after others.”

Read this next: How to “Describe a Time You Had to Make a Difficult Decision” in an Interview

13. What have you done to help someone succeed at work?

Be straightforward: Answer this question in as much detail as possible and don’t rely on superficial, generalistic answers. Recruiters—and especially future colleagues or managers—will want to know how you cooperate and empower people to achieve success.

While many roles also require the ability to work independently, the fact that you can provide examples of how your leadership skills play a key role in helping a team or a colleague achieve something can position you as a candidate who can be a flexible and multi-faceted attribute to the organization.

How to answer:

Be very detailed in this response. The STAR approach can be very helpful to use as a framework for how you helped this person and how that helped improve technical deficiencies, metrics, or goals that were meant to be met during a timeframe.

Don’t go for a small example or one that’ll only relate to the mere fact of helping a colleague out of principle or because it was part of your job. Your example needs to align with the responsibilities and tasks of the role you want. This will make it clear to the hiring managers that you are proactive and solution-focused.

For example:

“When I was a rep for Smith Sales Parts, I noticed a deficiency between sales reps about the use of a newly implemented CRM that, for some trainees, became a challenge during the training process and later application for its sophistication.”

One of these trainees, Elliot, was having difficulty understanding some of the technical processes of this software and adjusting to the pace of the team. This was affecting his confidence and performance when closing deals.

I decided to take the initiative and offer my support. First, I organized weekly mentoring sessions before each shift where I explained the processes in detail and provided him with additional resources for his learning. I also included him in key meetings so that he could better understand the project context and the team’s expectations.

As a result of these sessions and ongoing support, Elliot began to feel more confident and competent in his role. Within a few months, he not only improved his performance but also came up with innovative ideas that helped to optimize some of our processes within the CRM. Management recognized this success, and he was eventually promoted to a more senior role.”

14. What is your proudest accomplishment and why?

According to Eonnet, recruiters ask this question to understand what drives and motivates you to do your work. Questions like this also assess your communication skills and ability to concisely convey information.

How to answer:

This is the perfect question to sell yourself. You don’t want to sound too braggy, but also don’t diminish yourself and your achievements. Use the STAR method to set the picture for the interviewer and what actions you took that lead you to success.

“If you already created such a list of examples for your first interview, now’s the time to develop some fresh examples to demonstrate your past success and core competencies,” Augustine says. “Think of new ways you can demonstrate your skills, which will show that you are versatile and adaptable.”

For example:

“My greatest accomplishment was when I helped the company I worked for lend their biggest client so far. My role was created to promote and sell our marketing services by making potential clients see the benefits of having a good marketing strategy for their businesses. I created an informational presentation and held a meeting with key stakeholders.

There, I was able to demo the company’s services and success so far, answer questions, and evangelize the value of a professional marketing strategy. I not only landed the account, but I was also able to successfully lead several of their projects, increasing revenue by 27%. I’m also proud to say I got a promotion within my first year at the company.”

Questions to ask in a second interview

At some point, you’ll also have to ask the interviewers questions of your own. Leverage what you’ve learned from your previous research and first interview to come up with ideas.

“A job interview is a two-way conversation,” Augustine says. “It’s important to ‘interview’ your interviewers in addition to answering their questions, to ensure everyone will be happy with the final outcome.”

These questions should be simple and brief, ideally no more than four or five, and should cover key aspects of your role, the company’s culture, and the organization as a whole. “Ask questions that not only show you’re thinking about how you can contribute to the organization’s goals, but also ask questions that will help you determine if this opportunity is the right match for your skills, personality, and preferred work environment,” she says.

Some examples of questions to ask in a second interview are:

• What does a typical day for a person in this position look like?
• Are there career growth opportunities within the company for this position?
• How would you describe the company culture?

• How does this role contribute to the team’s overall success?
• In your experience, what key qualities or attributes do the most successful team members in this role typically possess?
• If hired, what are the three most important things you’d like me to accomplish in the first six months?
• What is your management style? How do you like to communicate with your team?
• What is your timeline for making a decision? May I contact you regarding my candidacy?

What to do after the interview

Let’s assume you nailed that second interview thanks to all that prep work you did. Don’t forget this important final step: Writing a thank you note.

The thank you note is likely the last bit of communication you have with the hiring manager before they decide who to hire (or at least who to move to the final stages of the process). It can be tempting to just dash off a quick email or go the opposite direction and write a novel rehashing all the ways you are qualified for the job.

Instead, try to strike a happy medium and write a note—an email is fine—that thanks them for their time, highlights the parts of the conversation you especially enjoyed, and concludes with how what you learned makes you even more enthusiastic about the opportunity. Or, you can follow this example and write your second interview thank you email. You also could (and should) write a second follow-up email after the interview if the weeks go by and you don’t receive further communication.

FAQs

Is a second interview a good sign?

Yes! “A second interview is generally a good sign,” Eonnet says. “It’s that person’s opportunity to really go deep and form their final decision on your candidacy.”

“They know you’re a good fit on paper, and they know you can do the job from the 1st interview,” she says. “In the second interview, the hiring manager will want to make sure you’re a good culture and personality fit for the team.”

What happens in a second interview?

Second interviews are typically used to get to know the candidate on a deeper level. As a result, you’ll likely be asked more in-depth questions about yourself, your expertise, and your qualifications.

“While a first interview is typically conducted by a recruiter or someone from HR to assess your basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit, a second interview delves deeper,” Augustine says. “This subsequent round of interviews usually involves members of the team you’d be working with, should you land the job, such as the hiring manager, peers from the department, or even higher-level leadership within the group.”

Is a second interview more difficult?

Not necessarily, though you will be asked more in-depth questions. “Rather than simply focusing on your resume, skills, and experience, your interviewers during the second round will dig deeper into how you’ll mesh with the team, contribute to their goals, and solve specific challenges,” Augustine says.

That said, you might feel more confident for your second interview, knowing you’ve already made a good impression in the first interview and are being seriously considered for the role.

What are the odds of getting the job after a second interview?

Nothing is ever guaranteed when it comes to job interviews, but being invited to a second one is promising. “It’s an encouraging step in the right direction,” Augustine says. “If you’ve been invited to participate in a second-round job interview, it means you impressed your initial interviewer—who often acts as a gatekeeper for the company’s recruitment process—and are now one step closer to landing the job.”