Job interviews – the different types

Hopefully once you have submitted your CV or even once you have been headhunted the next process is to get an interview. The best advice is interview preparation and the first step is to understand the different types of interviews so you can judge which you are likely to be given:

Face to Face

Perhaps the most traditional interview type, this is generally conducted one on one between you and the employer/headhunter. You must focus on the questions being asked, take your time to think about your response but not for too long and maintain a good level of eye contact.

Interview Panel

The interview in this situation is conducted by anywhere from three to ten interviewers, an excellent opportunity to show off your group presentation and management skills. You should aim to make eye contact with the person asking the question but your response should be directed to the whole panel.

Telephone Interview

Especially for headhunters, this can be the first round of eliminations! A specific time will be scheduled for the call and you must ensure that you will be somewhere where you will not be interrupted or distracted. As they will not be able to see you it is up to your voice to convey the right impression and your enthusiasm for the job and so you should try to sound confident but not cocky.

Group Interview

Dependant on the job vacancy a group of potential candidates could be called together to be interviewed all together at once. This can be used by the interviewer(s) to see how each interact with different people and respond to a more stressful situation. You should ensure that your knowledge of the company/job role is up to date/relevant so your responses will be reasoned and knowledgeable.

Stress Interview

Not the most common of interview techniques but possible for a management/director level job. The interviewer may use rudeness or sarcasm to test your ability to handle stressful and awkward situations and they may even cast aspersions on your abilities, experiences or skills. You must remember that this is not a personal attack, keep your cool and do not raise to the bait. By staying calm and collected you should be able to be assertive, responding positively and make your point without losing your temper or composure.

Share with:


Uncategorized