types of interviews

 Employment interviews can take a number of forms.  A range of interview types are described below. 

• Structured Interviews (Including Behavioural Interviews)
• Panel Interviews
• Unstructured Interviews
• Telephone Interviews
• Teleconference Interviews
• Follow-Up Interview

Structured Interviews

A structured interview involves more than just asking the same questions of all candidates.  In order to be called "structured", an interview must have three characteristics:

1.  Questions are rooted in the duties and responsibilities of the position
2.  Questions are developed systematically to tap specific qualifications.
3.  Answers are evaluated against established criteria

Interviews developed to include the above characteristics are more effective in identifying competent candidates.

Behavioural interviews are a specific type of structured interview.  (These are also known as skills-based, competency or situational interviews).  Many companies increasingly rely on behavioural interviews since they use your previous behaviour to indicate your future performance.

In these interviews, employers use standardized methods to mine information relevant to your competency in a particular area or position. Depending upon the responsibilities of the job and the working environment, you might be asked to describe a time that required problem-solving skills, adaptability, leadership, conflict resolution, multi-tasking, initiative or stress management. You will be asked how you dealt with the situations.

You responses require not only reflection, but also organization. To maximize your responses in the behavioural format:

• Anticipate the transferable skills and personal qualities that are required for the job.
• Review your resume. Any of the qualities and skills you have included in your resume are fair game for an interviewer to press.
• Reflect on your own professional, educational and personal experience to develop brief stories that highlight these skills and qualities in you. You should have a story for each of the competencies on your resume as well as those you anticipate the job requires.
• Prepare stories by identifying the context, logically highlighting your actions in the situation, and identifying the results of your actions.  Keep your responses concise and present them in less than two minutes. 

At the end of the interview, there may be an opportunity for you to ask your own questions.  This format may seem rigid, unnatural and unfriendly to many interviewees but, as well as providing evidence of competencies relevant to the job, it is also seen as a fair and equitable method of selection since all candidates are asked exactly the same questions.

To view examples of Behavioural Interview questions click here.

Panel Interviews

Panel interviews usually consist of three or more people.  The questions asked are generally structured interview questions, but are likely to be spread between the group, with the person most competent in a particular area, asking you the relevant questions.  The important thing to remember here is to direct your answer to the individual asking the question, but try to maintain some eye contact with the other members of the group to ensure that they feel included.  Don't forget to smile. It shows confidence.

Unstructured Interviews

In an unstructured interview, the questionnaire may simply be a list of topics that the interviewer wants to discuss.  This type of interview is based on the knowledge of, or assumption that, you have had a particular experience, on which you can elaborate. 

 Typically, the questions are open-ended (phrased in a way that encourages the interview subject to provide an elaborate answer.  It allows you to describe in detail the situation as it is meaningful to you, and allows the interviewer to freely probe and ask follow-up questions.

Unstructured interviews are generally more informal interviews and allow the interviewer to build rapport with you.

Come to the interview prepared with highlights and anecdotes of your skills, qualities and experiences.  Jot down some notes that you can reference throughout the interview.

Telephone Interviews

Employers & recruiters use telephone interviews as a way of identifying and recruiting candidates for employment.  Phone interviews are often used to screen candidates in order to narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person interviews.  They are also commonly used as way of conducting a first interview with a candidate who is interstate or overseas.  If this goes well then a face-to-face interview is arranged.

While you're actively job searching, it's important to be prepared for a phone interview on a moment's notice.  You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask if you have a few minutes to talk.

Prepare for a phone interview just as you would for a regular interview.  Compile a list of your strengths and weaknesses, key points on what you could bring to the role, as well as a list of answers to interview questions you anticipate for this position.


Video Conference Interviews

Some employers today use video conferences to conduct meetings or carry out other aspects of their business.  Conducting an interview via video conference enables an employer to save travel costs and still have, in effect, a person-to-person interview.  If the thought of facing a camera during an interview frightens you, practice before a video camera or a mirror.

Follow-up Interviews

Companies bring candidates back for second and sometimes third or fourth interviews for a number of reasons. Sometimes they just want to confirm that you are the amazing worker they first thought you to be.  Sometimes they are having difficulty deciding between a short-list of candidates.  Other times, the interviewer's supervisor or other decision makers in the company want to gain a sense of you before signing a hiring decision.

The second interview could go in a variety of directions, and you must prepare for each of them.  When meeting with the same person again, you do not need to be as assertive in your communication of your skills.  You can focus on cementing rapport, understanding where the company is going and how your skills mesh with the company vision and culture. Still, the interviewer should view you as the answer to their needs. You might find yourself negotiating a compensation package.  Alternatively, you might find that you are starting from the beginning with a new person.

Some tips for managing follow-up interviews:

• Be confident.  Accentuate what you have to offer and your interest in the position
• Probe tactfully to discover more information about the internal company dynamics and culture.
• Walk through the front door with a plan for negotiating a salary, as this subject may be brought up.
• Be prepared for anything: to relax with an employer or to address the company's qualms about you.