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What types of interviews can I expect?

The 1:1 Interviews

As the name implies, the interview is generally conducted by one person, though sometimes there may be two people – one to ask the questions, the other merely to take notes.

You might undergo several such interviews following each other.  This may be because each interviewer is focusing on particular / specialist skills or is from different departments or it may be that the organisation wants to ensure that it gets assessments from more than one person.

This type of interview is generally conducted at assessment centres (as there will be other activities for them to get assessments of one candidate), or as a first stage interview.

Panel Interviews

In this type of interview, you are questioned by several people sitting on a panel. The actual number of interviewers can vary (4 to 5 members are not uncommon!), but there is usually a chairperson to co-ordinate the questions, a specialist who knows about the job in detail and a HR specialist.  Try to identify the roles of everyone on the panel as this will give you an indication as to what type of questions to expect.

Such interviews are popular in the public sector. They can be daunting but remember that every candidate has to go through the same process – try to treat them in the same way as you would a 1:1 situation.

For a panel interview, initially answer questions directly to the person who asks the question but also try to include everyone with appropriate eye contact as you give your answer.

Sometimes you might find some conflict or different values emerging from different members of the panel.  This is the time to use your diplomatic skills – best advice is not to get involved and treat all equally and fairly.  Yet sometimes you will need to express an opinion that is important to you but may not go down very well with some of the members.  It may be a “trick” question to see how you stand your ground or it might not.  But as for all interviews, it is as important for you to satisfy yourself that you want to work there as it is for the panel to find out if they want you!

Group Interviews

Occasionally (but very rarely), you may be interviewed by a panel together with other candidates.
The same principle applies as for other interviews, though you will need to ensure that you allow other candidates to respond to questions put forward to them i.e. not competing against one another!

Telephone Interviews

These are becoming more popular as companies try to streamline their selection process.  Sometimes they are outsourced to specialist recruitment organisations.  There are several types of telephone interviews:

• Just like a normal face to face interview but without the face to face!  It might be unannounced or pre arranged.  If a company rings you to conduct a telephone interview without having made an appointment, politely say that it is not convenient and arrange a date and time for them to ring you back.  It is important that you are in the right frame of mind to be interviewed; otherwise it could be a recipe for failure.
• Structured response questionnaires in which you select answers to specific questions using your touch tone telephone.  These are usually done to a freephone number using a personal PIN number (to identify you) and the answers are recorded for later analysis.  Such questionnaires can consist of up to 80 questions – so choose a time and a place where this can be done comfortably without pressure.  Be genuine and don’t try to double guess the answers – a good questionnaire will have several ways of finding out!

An increasing number of organisations currently use telephone interviews as their first stage of selection.  These can range from a basic check to see whether you match the selection criteria, to a very probing interview. Some people find the process challenging because the usual visual clues are missing, so it’s difficult to assess how you are doing.  Try to relax and act as you would in a face-to-face interview.

• Be ready 10 minutes before the interview time.  Get into the ‘interview mentality’.  Have your CV / application form and a checklist in front of you of the skills or qualities the employer requires so you can clearly focus on what they want.
• Don’t forget to switch off your mobile phone (if on a landline) as you don’t want distractions.  Make sure your environment is free from interruptions (make arrangements in advance and if you live with others let them know that you are expecting a telephone interview call).  If using a mobile, make sure it is fully charged.
• Answer the telephone confidently and professionally – a dozy sounding “Wassup man?” or “What did you say your name was?” or “Which company are you from?” is not going to help you – remember first impressions count!
• Think of the tone and volume of your voice – be as enthusiastic as possible, because the interviewer only has your voice to go on and remember, a smile can be “heard” down the line.
• Think of your posture.  The way you sit can help you relax, breathe properly and project your voice and yourself more effectively.  Imagine the posture you would have for a face-to-face interview.  Some people stand up and dress as they would do for a face-to-face interview as this gives them confidence.
• Have a glass of water handy in case you dry up!

Interviews using video / webcam on Skype / MSN / Yahoo

Increasingly, companies have now started using web / videocam to conduct an interview.   This is similar to telephone interviews except that you are now able to see each other.  The format of the interviews can follow any of the types of interviews as explained above.  These interviews should be treated as seriously as face-to-face interviews.

Some of the tips explained in the section on telephone interviews are applicable though you will now have to consider dressing formally and do choose an uncluttered environment!  You must still project yourself as a professional.

 

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