An interview is a structured conversation where one person asks questions, and the other one answers. The word “interview” refers to a one-on-one conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee in common parlance.
The more you know about the interview style, the better you can prepare. Here is a list of some common interviews:
1. The Traditional Interview
This is the most common interview type: You sit down with a solo interviewer and answer a series of questions designed to help her figure out if you’re a great candidate for the job. You sit with an interviewer/s, face-to-face and answer a bunch of questions which helps them evaluate whether you are a perfect fit for their job.
A traditional interview has been very common. The length varies between half an hour to one and a half hours. You are usually asked many questions from some Common Interview Questions section and probably a few behavioral questions related to the job. If you clear this interview, you might be invited for another round of interviews to evaluate your eligibility for the job further.
2. The Telephone Interview
A call is a first-round screening to see if you are eligible to come for a full interview. Companies can initiate a telephone interview before inviting you in for a face-to-face meeting to get a better understanding of the type of candidate you are. You should do just as much preparation for a telephonic interview as you would for a face-to-face interview because your first impression is important. Make sure that you speak confidently, at a good pace, and try to answer all the questions that are asked.
Phone interviews are a more cost-effective way to screen candidates. A typical telephonic interview can range from 10 to 30 minutes. Also, do not forget to ask about the next step.
3. The Video Interview
With the pandemic, video interviews are becoming common. They’re becoming a regular part of the job application process for many companies. They take the phone interviews to the next level.
From choosing the right outfit to making sure that you have no technical difficulties, you’ll want to be absolutely ready.
4. The Panel Interview
The panel interview is popular among the public sector companies. The purpose of conducting such an interview is for staff members to meet the candidates and to keep the number of interviews a candidate has limited to one or two. This interview can take place if you’ll be reporting to several people or working with a team.
In a panel interview, you will be in a room with usually three to ten people. These interviews involve several people sitting on a panel with one as chairperson. You can answer the tough questions once, but it can also be tricky to make a strong connection with each panelist interviewing you.
Sometimes a person can ask you a series of questions, and other times only some panelists will ask questions while the rest of them listen. The questions can be traditional, behavioral, or both.
5. The Second Interview
You will be called for a second interview if you have passed the first interview. The company would like to know more and decide further if you are eligible to work for them.
To ace your second interview, you need to review your first interview. There is a possibility that you might be asked the same questions as the first interview, so you could better your answers this time.
Research about the company by checking their website, their clientele, recent news, etc and find out what the company is talking about.
these interviews may also be longer, some lasting half/full-day. Try finding out about the agenda for the day as this will make you feel less nervous about the process.
6. Behavioral-Based Interview
These interviews are also known as Critical Behavioral Interviewing (CBI). This type of interview is more complex than the usual interviewing techniques. Be structured in your answers and explain your examples in terms of the situation, the task, the action you took, and the outcome achieved.
Behavioral interviews provide the interviewer with information about how you think, respond and behave in certain situations. A great way to answer behavioral interview questions is to provide the interviewer with information known as the STAR Method: Situation, Task, Action, and Results.
Conclusion
Some interviews may be formal, others may be informal. However, it is important to remember that you are still being evaluated on whether you are a right fit for the company or not, so prepare well, and keep your answers clear and to be point.
Track2Training 