Everyone is always in search of a good job opportunity. But, to be able to land that coveted job, you need to appear for multiple interviews and different kinds like an open interview or else:
We at Totempool have penned several articles highlighting the different types of interviews and the skills needed to crack them. In this piece, we shall focus on open interviews. What exactly is an open interview, and how do they fit into a firm’s recruiting strategy? Let us find out.
What Is an Interview?
Before getting to open interviews, let us see what an interview is. An interview is a conversation or a discussion that takes place between a potential employer and an applicant.
An interview is typically the last stage of the hiring process. Before the interview, a candidate submits his education and work documentation. Once he meets the basic minimum criteria for the job, the hiring process begins.
Psychometric tests, quantitative ability tests, and case studies filter the candidates further. Finally, a few selected appear for the interview rounds. An interview generally consists of questions around:
- Education and employment history
- The job role and day to day responsibilities
- Compensation and Benefits
An interview is also a chance to test if the candidate knows all that he claims on his resume!
There are different types of interviews. Here we will go into more detail about open interviews.
What Is an Open Interview?
Open job interview, also known as the walk-in-interview or open house interview, is an event where an organization opens its door to the public and allows them to apply for a job position. It’s usually held by companies just opening, expanding, or relocating.
Another situation when the company is looking for new employees is during the time of graduation. Then, they usually send an official invitation to all graduates inviting them to participate in the open job interview event.
An open job interview allows multiple applicants to come at once and attend formal yet short interviews with potential employers face-to-face. Applicants approach employers one at a time for about 5 minutes each. They are then allowed to ask questions and express their interest in working for that company.
Do many questions arise while applying for the interviews, such as who can attend open interviews? Who is eligible to participate in an open interview? Who can apply in open job interviews? The answer is anyone can apply for such interviews.
Let’s discuss this in detail.
What Are the Types of Open Interview?
There are two types of open interviews: on-site and telephone interviews.
Open on-site interviews- These interviews happen directly at the company’s office, where all open positions are listed to be open for open interviews.
Open telephone interview- The applicants dial a specific telephone number to reach the company’s open hiring department. They can have an open phone interview with one of their representatives to go over all the open positions.
What Is the Purpose of Open Interviews?
The primary purpose of having this interview is to speed up and reduce costs during the recruitment process. This is done by involving as many applicants as possible and making this process face-to-face via group meetings.
Large companies typically use this type of recruitment with hundreds or thousands of jobs that need filling at once because it saves time and money by allowing many people to be seen at once.
The job interview session is based on key-to-key interviewing. It means that during an open job interview, each manager will have a chance to meet the applicants one by one and decide whether they want to hire them or not.
The interview process is complicated, but despite this fact, it is a very effective way for employers to make the best decision in hiring. The key benefit is that recruiters will be able to see lots of potential employees quickly and choose the candidate they want.
Pros and Cons of Open Interviews
Pros
1. Attending these job interviews saves time both for employers and applicants.
2. Employers get more information about the candidates via short presentations. Applicants are given a chance to say what they want to learn more about the company and ask questions directly.
Cons
1. It becomes difficult for applicants to stand out among other potential employees if they are not given an individual interview time slot.
2. When many people join for open interviews, there is no time to provide adequate information that some applicants might be interested in about the company and position available.
10 Ways to Ace Open Interviews
Many job seekers believe that open interviews are just for college students. But open interviews are open to anyone of any age looking for a job.
The advantage of open interviews, as opposed to traditional one-on-one interviewing, is that more people can be interviewed within the same time frame.
Some people have difficulty knowing what to wear or how they should act in an open interview setting, so these 10 tips on how to ace open interviews may help you get started.
1. Present yourself professionally.
The first step in preparing for open interviews is to figure out how you should dress. Appropriate attire for an open job interview might include nice pants and a shirt with a collar, or perhaps business casual attire if the open interview is more casual.
It may help you if you research what people wear on the job or at an open interview before you go.
It is vital that your first impression not be that of fear or confusion, so make sure you prepare with the basics. Maintaining a professional look is one of them.
2. Get all information about the open interview ahead of time.
Open interviews can be vastly different from one company to another, so you’ll need to do your research before you go.
Familiarize yourself with what they say on their website about open interviews. Get a feel for whether this open interview is an event where people are hired regularly or just an informational event for learning purposes.
You might even want to call the open interview coordinator beforehand, so you know exactly what to expect when you walk in the door. This will also help show that you’re interested and capable of doing whatever it is they’re looking for at that open interview, which will give you a leg-up
A few simple Google searches can yield a wealth of information about open interview employers that might help you quickly get through the process.
You may want to look into certain things beforehand: how long open interviews last, if attendance is mandatory, if they will provide lunch, and what kind of companies typically hire at open interviews in your area.
3. Research about the company you apply for.
For starters, go through the organization’s website you are applying for. It is essential to research the organization and understand its requirements and its workings.
This will give you an idea of what to expect during an open interview and what they will ask you. It would help if you did your homework to understand how the company works to be prepared for the questions asked during the interview.
4. Be confident and prepared.
It is essential to be open and confident during an open interview. They say first impressions count, so you must be open, confident, and well-spoken. You must convey your passion for the job at an open interview.
Do some mock interviews beforehand in which you can either ask friends, family members, or anyone good in communication skills.
Practice conversing with them about the industry you are applying for an open position in an organization.
5. Practice basic interview etiquette.
Organize yourself well. Have all documents ready with the required information and take printouts if needed. Show up early for an open job interview.
For example, for an open position, you must show up at least 10 minutes earlier if there are traffic congestions en route, etc.
Check with the receptionist where your open job interview will be taking place the day before, so you do not have any confusion on the day of the open job interview.
Having positive energy when walking into an open job interview room shows confidence, passion, and enthusiasm which can ultimately help secure an open position in an open job interview.
Greet your interviewer and maintain eye contact while having a conversation. Maintain a good posture and open your arms when shaking hands.
6. Prepare a list of questions for open interviews in advance.
Open interviewing is all about open doors; applicants should take advantage of them by asking questions.
The open door isn’t there just to be looked through while you stand stationary in front of it; it’s there to be walked through while you walk away with new knowledge.
It helps to have some questions ready in advance, especially if there isn’t anyone else interviewing with you at the open interview.
If they don’t tell you anything beforehand about what you will need to know on the job, prepare by asking questions about the company’s work, open positions, benefits, and open interview schedule.
With this in mind, do not leave the interview room without asking any questions you might have prepared beforehand.
7. Make sure to have a general idea of what employers are looking for in potential employees.
It is important to go into open interviews with an understanding of what will be expected of you on the job, especially if it isn’t immediately clear from reading any documentation or talking with anyone beforehand.
Some open interview employers might want someone who has passed the first round of interviewing at other places, while others require years of experience to get through open interviews successfully.
Employers like open interviews because they can weed out candidates more quickly and effectively than they would through the usual application, telephone interview, and in-person interview process.
Open interview employers want to know what you’ll be like as an employee, and they need applicants who will mesh well with their open interviewing culture.
8. Arrive on time, or early if possible.
An open interview is not an open-door-to come whenever you like; punctuality is key. The open interview process does include open doors for applicants who are on time (and often early). Being early is not a bad thing either, so keep this in mind when your watch sounds off.
9. Keep your documents and resume handy.
Even if nobody asks you to open up your resume, open interview employers may ask other types of open interview questions that will require it. You’ll probably need to open up your documents at some point, too (for the open interview employer to see what you’ve got). So it is crucial to keep your resume with you at all times.
10. Follow up afterward with a thank-you note.
Finally, follow up after every interview experience with a thank-you note. This will not only show that you take a genuine interest in the open interviewing position, but it may also remind the open interviewer of you and your suitability for any open positions. This open interviewer advantage might land you another open interview.
In Conclusion
Open job interviews are an excellent way for candidates to meet employers.
Before attending open interviews, conduct research on open interviewing companies. It may even be advisable to contact former open interviewees about their experiences.
Remember open job interviews can be nerve-wracking at times. However, there is nothing to worry about! Take deep breaths and remember that doing this will help keep stress levels down and help secure an open position in an open job interview.
It is also essential to prepare yourself for open interviews because they are tough. And many interviewees sometimes feel unprepared for open interviews. This is why research is key! And now that you’ve read the article, you’re almost there. All the best!
Ranu Kumari is a Professional Writer and a Marketing enthusiast who currently runs her own Marketing Consultancy, LatitudeBOX. She has written promotional articles for multiple brands and has published her work in Scopus indexed journals. She is passionate about expressing her thoughts and ideas to connect with her readers in a voice that they understand.