Job interviews come in many varieties, each with its own distinct purpose. From one-on-one conversations to group interviews and panel discussions, the types of interviews can be overwhelming so it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the different types of interviews and the best ways to ace them.
How did you feel when you received an interview call from your dream company or any company at all?
You might have felt excited but there’s also a dash of nervousness because you don’t know what the interviewer might ask you. But if you know what kind of interview it is and what is expected of you, it will lessen your worries tenfold. In this article, you’ll get to know different types of interviews and the ways you can handle them with ease.
What you can expect from this article:
- What is an interview?
- Why interviews are conducted?
- 7 different types of interviews
- Knowing what to expect can help you prepare and make a great impression
- FAQs
What is an Interview?
To describe what is an interview, we’ve to understand the original meaning of the word. The word Interview came from the French word ‘EntreVoir’ which means to glimpse or see something. Now in simple terms, an interview means having a discussion where one person is the interviewer and the other person is the interviewee.
An interview is a selection process where the recruiter tries to understand what the candidate possesses in terms of skills, personality, attitude, and behavior. Employers do a simple chit-chat with the potential candidate and ask several questions to obtain information. An interview is a great way to verify if the candidate was true to his nature as per what he claimed in his job application.
Why Interviews are Conducted?
Interviews are conducted mainly for a few reasons:
- To see if the candidate is the right fit for the organization and if his thoughts and values align with the organization or not.
- To search for the best candidate who can fill the vacancy.
7 Different Types of Interviews
Here are 7 different types of interviews that will help you understand how to tackle and prepare for individual interviews respectively.
1. Structured Interviews (Directive Interview)
Structured interviews are usually those interview processes where everything is organized. The employer has a fixed set of questions that he asks all the candidates. This help employers grade the candidates without being biased as they’ve to answer the same question which is not experienced based.
Interviewers can ask you different types of questions which are based on the job role. They can ask either job-related questions or behavioral-based or situational-based questions.
Usually, structured interviews are closed-ended unlike unstructured interviews or semi-structured interviews which don’t help much to understand a candidate. So, if you’re going to have such type of interviews, ensure that you stay true to your answer and keep your answers crisp.
If you’re searching around for some examples of common interview questions and answers, we got the exact article for you. Read through 9 Common Interview Questions & Answers For Freshers (2023) to know how you can tackle those common interview questions that your future boss might throw on you. Don’t give them a chance to catch you off guard!
2. Unstructured Interviews (Non-Directive Interviews)
Unlike structured interviews, unstructured interviews are open-ended and the interviewer does not have a predetermined set of questions to ask the candidate. The interviewer instead relies on a conversational approach to assess the candidate’s skills, experience, and fit for the role.
This type of interview is designed to provide a more informal and relaxed atmosphere, allowing the interviewer to gain a better understanding of your personality and potential.
3. Situational Interviews
Situational interviews are those types of interviews in which the interviewer presents the candidate with a hypothetical situation related to the role they are applying for and asks them how they would respond.
The interviewer then assesses your problem-solving and decision-making skills, as well as your ability to handle pressure and respond to challenges in the workplace. The goal of a situational interview is to gauge your ability to apply your skills and experience to real-life scenarios.
4. Informational Interviews
An informational interview is an informal conversation with someone who works in the field or industry you’re interested in. You can use it to gain firsthand insights into what a particular job entails and learn valuable career advice.
Informational interviews are a chance for you to ask questions, assess which career path may be best for you, and make networking connections that could benefit your job search.
5. Screening Interviews
Screening interviews are brief conversations that aim to determine if a job candidate has the qualifications and characteristics the employer is looking for.
It typically takes place over the phone or via video call, usually with a recruiter or hiring manager. During the interview, you’ll be asked questions about your background and experience, motivation for applying for the role, and skills relevant to the job.
These kinds of interviews are also known as phone or video call interviews.
6. Traditional Interviews
Traditional interviews are one of the more common types of interviews and typically occur in person. They involve a series of questions about your background, skills, and experience that allow the employer to better understand your fit for the role.
Additionally, you’ll be asked behavioral questions to assess how you would handle certain situations on the job as well as problem-solving scenarios. To make a good impression in a traditional interview, it is important to come prepared with questions to ask the interviewer.
While we’re talking about traditional interviews, you must be wondering what kind of questions recruiters ask in a traditional interview. Check out our article on Top 10 Traditional HR Interview Questions and Answers to get your queries solved!
7. Group Interviews & Panel Interviews
Group interviews and panel interviews are similar in that more than one interviewer is present. In a group interview, multiple candidates will answer questions asked by the recruiter or hiring manager at the same time.
Group interviews could be used to compare different candidates and see how they interact with each other as well as members of the team. In panel interviews, multiple senior people from the company ask questions of the candidate(s) one by one.
It’s important to have an excellent knowledge of the role, organization, and industry if you’re attending this type of interview so you can be sure to make an impression.
Conclusion
Knowing what type of interview you’re going into can help you focus and prepare accordingly. Each type of interview requires a different set of skills and approaches, so familiarizing yourself with different types will be beneficial to your job search, and make sure you’re making the most out of each opportunity to have a great job interview.
Since you’ve made this far, we’ve listed some related articles that can interest you:
FAQs
Q1. What are the 7 most common interviews?
Ans. The 7 most common interview types are:
- One-on-one Interview
- Phone Interview
- Video Interview
- Group Interview
- Panel Interview
- Behavioural Interview
- Technical Interview
Q2. What are the 7 steps in an interview?
Ans. The 7 steps in an interview are mentioned below:
- Research company & position – Ensure that you research the company you’re applying for and the job role as well. It’s important to understand what the company is about and your job responsibilities. You need to make sure your value and the company’s values and ethics align.
- Preparation & self-reflection – Prepare for the interview. Create a game plan to conquer the job role you applied for. For that, you need to research the company and talk to the recruiters for insight news. You can do so by contacting them on LinkedIn. Before appearing for the interview, you can self-reflect on your skills and what you’re bringing to the table. Go through your resume twice and ensure that you describe your achievements clearly.
- Greetings & Introduction – Introduce yourself in a crisp manner. Speak slowly while greeting the interviewers. Briefly tell them about yourself and your past work experience. Keep it short.
- Question & answer exchange – Next step is a question and answer round which is the main concept of interviews. The interviewer will ask you a series of questions that you need to answer properly. You can also ask them questions about the company and company culture when asked.
- Discussion of skills & qualifications – In this step, the interviewer will discuss your skills and qualifications. Ensure that you don’t lie about your degree and the skills you’ve mentioned in your resume as it might give a negative impression.
- Closing & follow-up – The interview will end with some following questions about the job role and responsibilities. Later on, you can follow up with HR and vice-versa accordingly.
- Evaluation & reflection – You’ll be graded and evaluated based on your performance in the interview. So, make sure you prepare well.
Q3. How to prepare for the interview?
Ans. We’ve listed some top-tier interview preparation tips that can help you pass interviews without any hassle:
- Research the Company – Take the time to thoroughly research the company you are applying for. Learning about their culture, mission statement, and core values will help you showcase your knowledge and enthusiasm when answering questions about why you applied for that role. Ask yourself what qualities, skills, or experience you possess that makes you a great fit for them, and make sure to get ready some example answers that emphasize those points.
- Come Prepared – Before going into the interview, make sure to read over your own resume a few times so it’s fresh in your mind in case they ask any questions about it. It’s also important to bring as many paper copies of your resume as there may be multiple people interviewing you, and having one for each person is an easy sign of professionalism. Have printouts of any projects, articles, or other relevant documents that are specific to the job as well so you can refer back to them if needed
- Practice Interview Questions – Don’t be afraid to practice potential interview questions either with a friend or in front of a mirror so you can go into the real thing looking and feeling confident and prepared. Don’t try to simply memorize canned responses though; think deeply about each question and understand why it is being asked so that you can give accurate thoughtful answers tailored specifically to your experiences and abilities about this particular role.
- Be Professional– On the day of the interview make sure that both your physical appearance and demeanor convey professional competence while remaining personable enough as they will likely be making an assessment on how well you could fit into their work environment – after all, they are hiring not just primarily based on skill but based on chemistry too!
- Know Your Strengths/Weaknesses – When asked ‘What would you say is your greatest strength?’. Focus on tangible things rather than vague phrases such as ‘I am motivated’ – for instance, “I was able to improve customer service ratings by 25%.” Make sure though not just focus solely on promoting yourself but also show self-awareness by being honest about describing some weaknesses too like owning up that communication isn’t always your strong suit but airing how hardworking and good at problem-solving offset it is!
- Listen Carefully (To understand what exactly is expected!) – Understand exactly what role or titles they use when talking regarding positions offered so there’s no misunderstanding or confusion later down line – even jotting down keywords during conversations might help if needed. It’s also important not just to answer a question directly but expand upon them because this indicates curiosity which shows that having an interest in working and looking closely at particular problems idea exploring further options/alternatives can lead to!
- Ask Any Questions You May Have At The End – Lastly don’t forget to show appreciation interest kindness main goal one preparing for the opportunity should be taken to learn the job position and company in itself until sign the employment contract. Write a list that includes a good handful of queries you to wants to raise. At last, leave smiling saying really hope to hear accept the role offer soon!
Q4. What are the 5 top interview techniques?
Ans. Nailing interviews can be hard — but not when you know the top five techniques! Here, apply these 5 top interview technique tips on making yourself stand out and landing the job of your dreams.
1. Perform Research Before the Interview – Many people think performing research is only necessary after a job offer has been made. However, doing some research beforehand can be very helpful and make you stand out in front of hiring managers. Researching the company’s mission statement, values, culture, and recent news stories will help you form meaningful questions during the interview and give you a better understanding of why you would be a good fit for this position.
2. Be Prepared to Answer Common Questions – Many interviewers ask standard questions that assess your knowledge, experience, and fit for the role. It’s important to prepare answers in advance so that you are not caught off guard or tongue-tied during the interview. Common questions include:
- What are your greatest strengths, weaknesses, and accomplishments?
- What is a difficult work situation you faced and how did you handle it?
- Why do you want this job?
- Prepare concise yet informative responses that relate to the position and highlight the qualities that make you an ideal candidate.
3. Show Confidence, Not Arrogance – Sure, being confident in yourself is important — but it’s important to make sure you come off as someone who’s willing to collaborate and work with a team. You can do this by relating your achievements not just to what you did, but to how the team or company benefited from your efforts. This will show hiring managers that you are humble and eager to learn and grow with your organization.
4. Ask Questions to Demonstrate Interest and Knowledge of the Role – Asking questions demonstrates to the interviewer that you are engaged and have put thought into the conversation. It also shows the interviewer that you have done some research about the role and company and can make educated guesses as to what skills or qualities may be required for it. Before your interview, make sure to look over the job description so that you can ask relevant questions during your meeting.
5. Follow Up With a Thank You Note – A thank-you note can help you stand out in the mind of your interviewer. Writing a thank-you note should not be overlooked — it is a key part of the interview process which separates the truly interested candidates from those who may have just applied to many positions without conducting necessary research into their company and role. Make sure you tailor your thank-you note to each interviewer, restating why you are the right person for the job and thanking them specifically for their time.
