Second round of introductions - the sprint in the fight for your dream dev job!

Second round of introductions - the sprint in the fight for your dream dev job!

Congratulations, you cleared the first hurdle! The invitation to the 2nd job interview is in front of you. You are actually shortlisted for your dream job in software development. Now it's time for the second round of the job interview! Of course, there are also useful tips for the second job interview that can tip the scales. We would like to give you tips for your second job interview that will help you to take the next step in a relaxed manner.

Not a sure-fire success

First of all, you can be proud of yourself. You've managed to get shortlisted for a great developer job - after all, the invitation to the second interview is the confirmation. But now it's time to outshine the rest of your competitors and convince your future employer that you're the ideal person for the vacancy. Easier said than done, as the second interview requires at least as much preparation as the first round. You can be sure that your technical IT skills have already convinced your potential employer. At the second interview, his focus will be on whether you fit the company and the tech team. So most of the second interview questions will most likely revolve around these topics. So prepare accordingly!

Recommendations for the second round

Recap the first date!

This is about re-envisioning your first job interview. Look at the notes you made during this conversation. Above all, internalize the facts about your future employer that are not so easy to find out through normal research. During your second interview, you can use this knowledge to show your future boss that you paid attention during the first interview. At the same time, you show genuine interest in the company. But the motto here is "less is more!" Don't show off your knowledge, but let it flow into your answers to the questions of the second interview in the right context from time to time.

Also recall all the situations in the first conversation where you felt insecure and therefore most likely couldn't present yourself quite as strongly. The second interview gives you the opportunity to iron out these insecurities. In addition, with the knowledge that you acquired about the company in the course of the first conversation, you can better assess how you can optimally support the company with your well-founded tech knowledge.

Good preparation!

Research is the be-all and end-all – even in the second job interview! The research you did for the first round of the introduction marathon for this job now needs to be further developed. In particular, you should study the company's policies, goals, and values. Once you have internalized these, it will automatically become easier for you to describe how your strengths benefit the tech team and the company.

Then it is of course an advantage to know who will conduct the second interview with you. Normally, in large companies, the HR department organizes the first interview, in which the really interesting candidates are filtered out. In the second round of interviews, the questions are usually asked by someone who is directly responsible for or superior to the IT department or product development. If you know who it is, don't be afraid to find out about this person on platforms like Xing or LinkedIn. Prepare for technical questions in the second interview - these could be tricky.

Know about the process and participants

In order to best prepare for your second job interview, you should know the cast of the interview. Normally, the second interview takes place in private. This means that only you and one person from the department, project or management team are present. In the course of your second job interview, however, it is quite possible that you will be interviewed by several people or that other team members will be brought in to get an impression of you. The spatial framework of the second interview can be anything from an office to your future CTO’s favorite Italian restaurant. If you know these parameters in advance, little can throw you off track that day. So find out all you need to know beforehand: you can easily ask your future employer about the procedure for the second interview.

At the second appointment, things can get “more personal”.

You will certainly not be asked about long-lost love affairs, but you should be prepared for questions regarding your 2nd job interview that reflect your behavior in some work-related situations. So questions at the second job interview can be as follows:

"Describe a situation in which you made a mistake. How did you react?”

"Describe a situation where you and a team member disagreed."

The answers to such behavioral questions at the 2nd interview should constitute the relevant description of the situation. If the situation involves conflicts or mistakes, describe how you have benefited from such "negative" experiences. But always stay positive! Thinking about such questions in advance of the second round of the interview can be very helpful. Think of situations from your own experience that cover such behavioral questions.

Think of questions beforehand

Of course, the interview in the second round is about you and the added value that you bring to your future employer. But it is quite clear that a second job interview is not a one-way street! Know that your future boss will be impressed by well thought out second interview questions. Not only do they help you showcase their business, they also show you genuine interest. Asking questions during your second interview will also help you to see exactly whether your first good impression of this job is confirmed or whether it has more rough edges than you originally realized. In the second interview, ask your interviewer to really explain all the points that are important to you in detail. As I said - this shows interest and proves that it is important to you to get rid of any concerns during the second interview.

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