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Researching for Second Interviews
Page Overview:
At Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment, we help you elevate your second interview performance with thorough, fact‑based research and strategic preparation. This page outlines how to refresh your notes from the first meeting, revisit company details and financials, and create a "brag file", a curated collection of performance evidence (e.g., targets, major wins, league tables, testimonials) to bring your claims to life and retain composure under scrutiny. It also reminds you to align your narrative consistently with your earlier interview, as second interviews are a chance to deepen trust, not contradict expectations. Use this advice to move forward confidently and convincingly.
In the second interview, it is imperative that you know your FACTS and that you have done your homework; this includes preparing questions that you are going to ask during the meeting.
Getting the balance right in a second interview
Remember, interviewing is a two-stage thing. As important as it is for the company to make a business decision about you, it is equally imperative that you alleviate any concerns you may have to ensure you are making the right career decision. Ten minutes of questions could save ten months of pain and a career setback!
Therefore, prepare some probing questions to ensure that the business is right for you and don't be afraid of being direct and frank in your questioning.
Know your facts in a second interview.
You've got to know your facts. At the second stage, simply being 'above target' isn't enough. The details will be grilled, and you must be familiar with them.
What is your target? What is your performance against the target?
Who were the major accounts that you won? What were they worth? How did you win them? etc.
For some reason, many sales professionals struggle at this stage; their facts often escape their minds, leaving them without a reference.
It is useful to create a brag file. A file containing any information that will back up your claims at interviews, include things such as educational certificates, P60, sales league tables, testimonials from clients, references from employers, military service records, proof of membership of associations, etc, etc. Then, when the detail is grilled, you have the information to hand.
It is imperative that you do not contradict what you said in the first interview, or indeed that you change your style and persona from the first interview. If you've followed the 'How to WOW' series to the letter, you will have taken notes at the first interview. Ensure you review them again the night before the second meeting. Additionally, it's beneficial to have another look at the website and the financials.
Second interviews also give you the chance to expand upon what was discussed at the first stage. Where certain projects, plans, targets, new product development, new routes to market, etc. were discussed, you've now had the gap between first and second to research the subject in more depth.
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Date published: 8th August 2025
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