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Types
of Interviews
by ResumeEdge.com
- The Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service
All job interviews have the same objective, but employers
reach that objective in a variety of ways. You might enter
the room expecting to tell stories about your professional
successes and instead find yourself selling the interviewer
a bridge or editing code at a computer. One strategy for
performing your best during an interview is to know the
rules of the particular game you are playing when you walk
through the door.
Screening
| Informational
| Directive
| Meandering
| Stress
| Behavioral
|
Audition
| Group
| Tag-Team
| Mealtime
| Follow-up
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The Screening Interview
Companies use screening tools to ensure that candidates
meet minimum qualification requirements. Computer programs
are among the tools used to weed out unqualified candidates.
(This is why you need a digital resume that is screening-friendly.
See our resume center for help.) Sometimes human professionals
are the gatekeepers. Screening interviewers often have honed
skills to determine whether there is anything that might
disqualify you for the position. Remember-they do not need
to know whether you are the best fit for the position, only
whether you are not a match. For this reason, screeners
tend to dig for dirt. Screeners will hone in on gaps in
your employment history or pieces of information that look
inconsistent. They also will want to know from the outset
whether you will be too expensive for the company. Some
tips for maintaining confidence during screening interviews:
Highlight your accomplishments and qualifications. Get into
the straightforward groove. Personality is not as important
to the screener as verifying your qualifications. Answer
questions directly and succinctly. Save your winning personality
for the person making hiring decisions! Be tactful about
addressing income requirements. Give a range, and try to
avoid giving specifics by replying, "I would be willing
to consider your best offer." If the interview is conducted
by phone, it is helpful to have note cards with your vital
information sitting next to the phone. That way, whether
the interviewer catches you sleeping or vacuuming the floor,
you will be able to switch gears quickly.
The Informational Interview
On the opposite end of the stress spectrum from screening
interviews is the informational interview. A meeting that
you initiate, the informational interview is underutilized
by job-seekers who might otherwise consider themselves savvy
to the merits of networking. Job seekers ostensibly secure
informational meetings in order to seek the advice of someone
in their current or desired field as well as to gain further
references to people who can lend insight. Employers that
like to stay apprised of available talent even when they
do not have current job openings, are often open to informational
interviews, especially if they like to share their knowledge,
feel flattered by your interest, or esteem the mutual friend
that connected you to them. During an informational interview,
the jobseeker and employer exchange information and get
to know one another better without reference to a specific
job opening. This takes off some of the performance pressure,
but be intentional nonetheless: Come prepared with thoughtful
questions about the field and the company. Gain references
to other people and make sure that the interviewer would
be comfortable if you contact other people and use his or
her name. Give the interviewer your card, contact information
and resume. Write a thank you note to the interviewer.
The Directive Style
In this style of interview, the interviewer has a clear
agenda that he or she follows unflinchingly. Sometimes companies
use this rigid format to ensure parity between interviews;
when interviewers ask each candidate the same series of
questions, they can more readily compare the results. Directive
interviewers rely upon their own questions and methods to
tease from you what they wish to know. You might feel like
you are being steam-rolled, or you might find the conversation
develops naturally. Their style does not necessarily mean
that they have dominance issues, although you should keep
an eye open for these if the interviewer would be your supervisor.
Either way, remember: Flex with the interviewer, following
his or her lead. Do not relinquish complete control of the
interview. If the interviewer does not ask you for information
that you think is important to proving your superiority
as a candidate, politely interject it.
The Meandering Style
This interview type, usually used by inexperienced interviewers,
relies on you to lead the discussion. It might begin with
a statement like "tell me about yourself," which you can
use to your advantage. The interviewer might ask you another
broad, open-ended question before falling into silence.
This interview style allows you tactfully to guide the discussion
in a way that best serves you. The following strategies,
which are helpful for any interview, are particularly important
when interviewers use a non-directive approach: Come to
the interview prepared with highlights and anecdotes of
your skills, qualities and experiences. Do not rely on the
interviewer to spark your memory-jot down some notes that
you can reference throughout the interview. Remain alert
to the interviewer. Even if you feel like you can take the
driver's seat and go in any direction you wish, remain respectful
of the interviewer's role. If he or she becomes more directive
during the interview, adjust. Ask well-placed questions.
Although the open format allows you significantly to shape
the interview, running with your own agenda and dominating
the conversation means that you run the risk of missing
important information about the company and its needs.
The Stress Interview
Astounding as this is, the Greek hazing system has made
its way into professional interviews. Either employers view
the stress interview as a legitimate way of determining
candidates' aptness for a position or someone has latent
maniacal tendencies. You might be held in the waiting room
for an hour before the interviewer greets you. You might
face long silences or cold stares. The interviewer might
openly challenge your believes or judgment. You might be
called upon to perform an impossible task on the fly-like
convincing the interviewer to exchange shoes with you. Insults
and miscommunication are common. All this is designed to
see whether you have the mettle to withstand the company
culture, the clients or other potential stress. Besides
wearing a strong anti-perspirant, you will do well to: Remember
that this is a game. It is not personal. View it as the
surreal interaction that it is. Prepare and memorize your
main message before walking through the door. If you are
flustered, you will better maintain clarity of mind if you
do not have to wing your responses. Even if the interviewer
is rude, remain calm and tactful. Go into the interview
relaxed and rested. If you go into it feeling stressed,
you will have a more difficult time keeping a cool perspective.
The Behavioral Interview
Many companies increasingly rely on behavior interviews
since they use your previous behavior 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. Your responses require not only
reflection, but also organization. To maximize your responses
in the behavioral 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, volunteer, 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.
The Audition
For some positions, such as computer programmers or trainers,
companies want to see you in action before they make their
decision. For this reason, they might take you through a
simulation or brief exercise in order to evaluate your skills.
An audition can be enormously useful to you as well, since
it allows you to demonstrate your abilities in interactive
ways that are likely familiar to you. The simulations and
exercises should also give you a simplified sense of what
the job would be like. If you sense that other candidates
have an edge on you in terms of experience or other qualifications,
requesting an audition can help level the playing field.
To maximize on auditions, remember to: Clearly understand
the instructions and expectations for the exercise. Communication
is half the battle in real life, and you should demonstrate
to the prospective employer that you make the effort to
do things right the first time by minimizing confusion.
Treat the situation as if you are a professional with responsibility
for the task laid before you. Take ownership of your work.
Brush up on your skills before an interview if you think
they might be tested.
The Group Interview
Interviewing simultaneously with other candidates can be
disconcerting, but it provides the company with a sense
of your leadership potential and style. The group interview
helps the company get a glimpse of how you interact with
peers-are you timid or bossy, are you attentive or do you
seek attention, do others turn to you instinctively, or
do you compete for authority? The interviewer also wants
to view what your tools of persuasion are: do you use argumentation
and careful reasoning to gain support or do you divide and
conquer? The interviewer might call on you to discuss an
issue with the other candidates, solve a problem collectively,
or discuss your peculiar qualifications in front of the
other candidates. This environment might seem overwhelming
or hard to control, but there are a few tips that will help
you navigate the group interview successfully: Observe to
determine the dynamics the interviewer establishes and try
to discern the rules of the game. If you are unsure of what
is expected from you, ask for clarification from the interviewer.
Treat others with respect while exerting influence over
others. Avoid overt power conflicts, which will make you
look uncooperative and immature. Keep an eye on the interviewer
throughout the process so that you do not miss important
cues.
The Tag-Team Interview
Expecting to meet with Ms. Glenn, you might find yourself
in a room with four other people: Ms. Glenn, two of her
staff, and the Sales Director. Companies often want to gain
the insights of various people when interviewing candidates.
This method of interviewing is often attractive for companies
that rely heavily on team cooperation. Not only does the
company want to know whether your skills balance that of
the company, but also whether you can get along with the
other workers. In some companies, multiple people will interview
you simultaneously. In other companies, you will proceed
through a series of one-on-one interviews. Some helpful
tips for maximizing on this interview format: Treat each
person as an important individual. Gain each person's business
card at the beginning of the meeting, if possible, and refer
to each person by name. If there are several people in the
room at once, you might wish to scribble down their names
on a sheet of paper according to where each is sitting.
Make eye contact with each person and speak directly to
the person asking each question. Use the opportunity to
gain as much information about the company as you can. Just
as each interviewer has a different function in the company,
they each have a unique perspective. When asking questions,
be sensitive not to place anyone in a position that invites
him to compromise confidentiality or loyalty. Bring at least
double the anecdotes and sound-bites to the interview as
you would for a traditional one-on-one interview. Be ready
to illustrate your main message in a variety of ways to
a variety of people. Prepare psychologically to expend more
energy and be more alert than you would in a one-on-one
interview. Stay focused and adjustable.
The Mealtime Interview
For many, interviewing over a meal sounds like a professional
and digestive catastrophe in the making. If you have difficulty
chewing gum while walking, this could be a challenge. With
some preparation and psychological readjustment, you can
enjoy the process. Meals often have a cementing social effect-breaking
bread together tends to facilitate deals, marriages, friendships,
and religious communion. Mealtime interviews rely on this
logic, and expand it. Particularly when your job requires
interpersonal acuity, companies want to know what you are
like in a social setting. Are you relaxed and charming or
awkward and evasive? Companies want to observe not only
how you handle a fork, but also how you treat your host,
any other guests, and the serving staff. Some basic social
tips help ease the complexity of mixing food with business:
Take cues from your interviewer, remembering that you are
the guest. Do not sit down until your host does. Order something
slightly less extravagant than your interviewer. If he badly
wants you to try a particular dish, oblige him. If he recommends
an appetizer to you, he likely intends to order one himself.
Do not begin eating until he does. If he orders coffee and
dessert, do not leave him eating alone. If your interviewer
wants to talk business, do so. If she and the other guests
discuss their upcoming travel plans or their families, do
not launch into business. Try to set aside dietary restrictions
and preferences. Remember, the interviewer is your host.
It is rude to be finicky unless you absolutely must. If
you must, be as tactful as you can. Avoid phrases like:
"I do not eat mammals," or "Shrimp makes my eyes swell and
water." Choose manageable food items, if possible. Avoid
barbeque ribs and spaghetti. Find a discrete way to check
your teeth after eating. Excuse yourself from the table
for a moment. Practice eating and discussing something important
simultaneously. Thank your interviewer for the meal.
The Follow-up Interview
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 second 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. Be
prepared for anything: to relax with an employer or to address
the company's qualms about you.
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