203: Different Types of Job Interviews and How to Prepare for Each

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Last week, I talked about how to prepare for the interview as an internal candidate. Today, I’m talking about the different types of interviews you might encounter – and how to prepare for each.

I like to give attribution where it’s due, and I got much of this content from thebalancecareers.com.

Many companies will tell you what type of interview you’ll be having; if they don’t, you should ask what to expect. As I think you’ll see as I go through these types of interviews, you may experience a combination of two or more types of interviews for the same job – even in the same interview.

Types of Interviews

Behavioral Interviews

Interviewers use behavioral interviews to determine how you’ve handled various job situations in the past. The idea is that your past behavior predicts how you’ll act in the new job. You won’t get many easy “yes” or “no” questions, and in most cases, you’ll need to answer with an anecdote about a previous experience.

Case Interviews

Interviews that include the interviewer giving you a business scenario and asking you to manage the situation are called case interviews. They’re most often used in management consulting and investment banking interviews and require you to show off your analytical ability and problem-solving skills.

For example, you may be asked how to determine how big the market might be for a new type of tennis ball. That’s not much information so you’d need to ask questions such as who the target consumer is—professional tennis players or weekend tennis enthusiasts. Another question might be about how much the new tennis balls cost and how or where they are sold: in stores or online.

Remember that answering a case interview question like this really isn’t about being right or wrong. The interviewer is more interested in how the applicant arrives at his or her solution.

As such, a case interview is back and forth dialogue. The interviewee is expected to interact with the interviewer and ask clarifying questions in a logical, sequential order to solve the given problem.

Competency-Based Interviews

Interviews that require you to give examples of specific skills are called competency-based interviews or job-specific interviews. The interviewer will ask questions that will help them determine if you have the knowledge and skills required for the specific job.

Competency-based interview questions can be posed as behavioral questions, especially to evaluate things like conflict management, critical thinking, and flexibility.

Some competency-based interviews will ask you to complete a timed assignment.

Tips for preparing for a competency-based interview:

• Check the job listing for examples of required skills and abilities. For example: accountability, ambition, approachability, compliance, conflict management, critical thinking, delegation, flexibility, inclusiveness, influencing, initiative, resourcefulness, risk-taking, etc.

• Next, list situations in which you have demonstrated each of these competencies. Once you have prepared a list of situations, review it. By thinking of examples before the interview, you will be able to answer questions quickly and concisely. 

• For each skill, write down the situation, the actions you took to handle the problem, and the ultimate results. This is a modified version of the STAR interview response technique. Using this technique will help you give a brief, coherent, and structured response to interview questions. 

Final Interviews

The final interview is the last step in the interview process, and the last interview before you find out whether or not you’ll get a job offer. This type of interview is usually conducted by the CEO or other members of upper management.

The key to a final interview is to take it as seriously as all the preliminary interviews—just because you were asked in for a final interview doesn’t mean you got the job yet.

Group Interviews

Employers may hold group interviews because they’re often more efficient than one-on-one interviews. There are two types of group interviews: one involves an applicant being interviewed by a group (or panel) of interviewers; the other involves one interviewer and a group of applicants.

Jobs involving high-stress, fast-paced work, or customer interaction also commonly require group interviews. If you perform well during a stressful interview, you may be more apt to perform well in a challenging job.

Informal Interviews

Hiring managers may begin the screening process with a relaxed, informal conversation instead of a formal interview. This is more of a casual discussion than a typical job interview. On a similar note, a chat over a cupt of coffee is another less formal type of job interview.



Off-Site Interviews

Employers sometimes schedule job interviews in a public place, like a coffee shop or restaurant. Perhaps there is no local office or maybe they don’t want current employees to know about the possibility of a new hire. In any case, it’s good to be prepared for off-site interviews.

Panel Job Interviews

A panel job interview takes place when you’re interviewed by a panel of interviewers. You may meet with each panel member separately or all together. And sometimes there will be a panel of interviewers and a group of candidates all in one room.

Phone Interviews

While you're actively job searching, you may need to be prepared for a phone interview at a moment's notice. Companies often start with an unscheduled phone call, or maybe you’ll get to schedule your call.

Restaurant Interviews

One of the reasons employers take job candidates out to lunch or dinner is to evaluate their social skills and to see if they can handle themselves gracefully under pressure. Remember you’re still being observed when you participate in a job interview at a restaurant, so use your best table manners, choose foods that aren’t too messy.

Second Interviews

You passed your first interview, and you just got an email or call to schedule a second interview. This interview will be more detailed and may be several hours long. The interviewer will delve into your experience in more detail than the first round, as well as how you would fit in with the company culture.

Structured Interviews

A structured interview is typically used when an employer wants to assess and compare you with candidates in an impartial way. Essentially, the interviewer asks all the candidates the same questions. If the position requires specific skills and experience, the employer will draft interview questions focusing exactly on the abilities the company is seeking.

Semi-Structured Interview

A semi-structured interview is a job interview in which the interviewer does not strictly follow a list of questions. Instead, the interviewer will ask open-ended questions, allowing for a conversation rather than a straightforward question and answer format.

Unstructured Job Interviews

An unstructured interview is a job interview in which questions may be changed based on the interviewee's responses. While the interviewer may have a few set questions prepared in advance, the direction of the interview is rather casual, and questions flow based on the direction of the conversation. Unstructured interviews are often seen as less intimidating than formal interviews.

Video Interviews

Perhaps you’ve applied for a remote job, or you’re interviewing for a position in another state (or country). Software programs such as Skype, Zoom, and FaceTime make video calling easy, and video interviews are becoming common.

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