Job Interviews: The Five Most Common Types

A job interview is ideally the occasion that both you the interviewee and the interviewer use to assess and measure each other to see if the other is the right fit (as the employer or employee). Employers have a number of select methods that they use to conduct effective interviews. The method used may be determined by factors such as the type of job and where the applicant lands in the job selection process. Here are five of the most common types of job interviews you should know about.

1. The Traditional Job Interview

This type really does not require much explanation. It is the most common type of interview and possibly the one most interviewees envision when they are going to an interview. For this interview setting the interviewee would usually meet with one individual for a one-on-one session. The interviewer would use a broad range of questions to assess the interviewee, and then evaluate his or her performance during the interview to determine whether or not they are eligible for the job. The interviewee’s performance would include his or her ability to communicate, as well as how they demonstrated their suitability for the job.

2. Behavioral Job Interview

This form of interview is used to determine how well the interviewee performed in certain work environments. The interview process will most likely entail the posing of questions to the candidate that are meant to get them to demonstrate to the panel their knowledge and abilities that are related to the job or whatever quality they mean to observe. The interviewers will try to gauge the response of the candidate by using specific examples and/or stories from their own past. They will then observe the candidate to see how well he handles himself in such a situation. A behavioral interview is based on the concept that behavior in a past situation is likely to repeat itself in the future.

3. Panel or Committee Job Interview

Another relatively common form of interview, this involves the candidate meeting with several members of the interview panel all at once or in a series of meetings. This type of interview can often prove to be a bit more difficult than a one-one-one interview. The candidate can feel a bit intimidated having to face several different potential senior workers and employees during one interview session. Companies usually use this interview method to save time. Members of the panel may include the HR manager, other management personnel and other employees.

4. Screening Job Interview

This type of interview usually precedes a traditional interview. It can be considered an elimination meeting as it can serve to quickly eliminate less desirable candidates so that the target group is narrowed to a smaller number.

5. Stress Job Interview

Now this interview method can be rather aggressive and confrontational. The interviewer’s intention is possibly to measure the candidate’s ability to work under pressure. It may also be meant to measure his or her character, but the interviewer should tread carefully as they would not want to overdo it and turn off their prime candidates. Remember they too will measure the situation make a decision as to whether or not they would really like to work in such an environment.

The screening interview can be used to precede all interviews so that you get a short list. The techniques for the behavioral interview would also prove useful when combined with the panel interview. Each member of the panel would be able to observe and give their feedback on the behavior or each candidate.