After working hard for months to land an interview, you were all set to ace it. You even rehearsed answers to common interview questions. And you were pretty confident that your preparation is going to pay off. But as it turned out, it was a group interview. You had to take the interview with three other applicants. As a result, you failed to make an impression. This happened because you neither prepared nor aware of different types of interviews.
As a candidate, you should prepare yourself for all types of interviews. You never know what employers might have in store for you. They might take a case interview in the next round. It would be best if you knew what a case interview is.
Being aware gives you an idea of how to approach an interview. It also gives you an advantage over other candidates.
In this article, we will talk about the types of interviews. We will discuss how you can prepare to succeed in all these interview types. We will also talk about the pros and cons of these interview types. And we will look at these interview types from the candidate’s point of view.
Types of Interviews Based on Different Methodologies
Behavioral Interview
Employers want to know how well you can perform under pressure. And behavioral interviews help them determine that.
During a behavioral interview, the interviewer will not ask many short questions. Instead, the intention is to ask questions that have anecdotal answers. They will ask questions about your past work experiences. And they will carefully listen to your long answers. You have to ensure that you are eloquent enough with your answers.
The idea behind these interviews is that a candidate’s past behavior matters. How did you react to a crisis in your previous job? Can you explain your approach to dealing with such situations? These are the questions you must be able to answer.
The key to performing well in a behavioral interview is analyzing your performances. Review the significant projects you have worked on before. Make a list of the excellent work you have done in your previous job. It will also help you gain some confidence before the interview.
Try to be as honest and open in your answer as possible. There aren’t many types of interviews as tricky as this one. With behavioral interviews, candidates need to be on their toes.
Formal Interview
A formal interview is a meeting between an employer and a potential candidate that always takes place in a professional setting. It is the traditional form of an interview that has been the norm for decades. A formal interview will usually occur in the employer’s office building, and the interview structure is strictly professional.
Informal Interviews
Informal interviews are more like a casual conversation. The conversation does not always revolve around professional topics.
Hiring managers choose to take informal interviews to understand a candidate better. Informal interviews are very different from formal interviews.
During an informal interview, candidates must listen to every word and speak with confidence. The conversation is not limited to yes and no answers. Hence, candidates need to be eloquent.
Informal interviews give candidates a lot of space to unwrap themselves. They can discuss their career aspirations and past professional experiences.
Employers also get the chance to know what they can expect from the candidate. And candidates also get to discuss everything about the job. Informal interviews follow no strict interview structure. This often leads to conversations going on longer than planned.
Informal interviews are also among the most common types of interviews used today.
Case Interviews
Case interviews allow employers to test your problem-solving skills. They are also known as competency-based interviews.
The interviewers give you a business scenario, and you have to manage the situation. If you have an analytical mind, case interviews can be your strong point. And if you are not familiar with the industry trends, it can be a weakness.
The key to cracking case interviews is staying updated with industry trends. You also have to be clear about the problem you have to solve. Ask as many clarification questions as you have to. Do not shy away from letting the employers know if there is any confusion.
You might have to give case interviews when you apply for consultant jobs. So, another vital case interview tip is to be careful about what you say. Consultancy is all about giving advice, and every word you say should be well-thought.
Last but not least, you should not be vague in what you say. Make sure that all your answers are well understood.
Working Interview
Similar to a case interview, in a working interview, the employer assigns the candidate a task or tasks to see how he/she performs. A working interview is based on an entirely different approach from traditional interviews that mostly involved questions regarding the job.
A candidate who possesses a wealth of theoretical knowledge might fail to put that knowledge to practice to become a valuable employee.
So, instead of bombarding the candidate with purely theoretical questions, a working interview tests their basic skills. As mentioned above, this interviewing method is commended for how effective it is for both parties.
Group Interviews
Group interviews are of two types. One of them involves an interviewer and several candidates. The other has a panel of interviewers and one candidate.
As a candidate, you must be able to speak with confidence. But your listening skills are also put to the test during a group interview. It would be best if you also had a few questions of your own.
Your behavior is also crucial in a group interview. Make sure you are your professional best throughout the interview. And try to be as involved in the discussion as possible.
Types Of Interviews Based on the Location
Video Interviews
Today’s business world is a connected one. You can apply for a remote job a thousand miles away from your home. But how will the employed decide whether to hire you? That’s where video interviews come in. They are one of the most common types of interviews today.
Video interviews have become quite a thing in recent years. A whopping 60% of hiring managers and recruiters use video calls and conferencing. Today’s technology makes video calls an easy and affordable option. As a result, the use of video technology in the recruitment process has kept on increasing.
Your body language matters a lot, even in video interviews. Make sure you maintain eye contact and wear a confident smile. And your internet connection should also be stable.
Here, you can watch more suggestions on what’s good and what’s bad.
The Off-Site Interview
Interviews don’t always take place in an office building. Some employers also opt for off-site interviews. These interviews take place in public places such as restaurants.
There can be many reasons why employers would want to interview you in a restaurant. Sometimes, employers want to keep the hiring process secret. So, they choose to take off-site interviews.
From the candidate’s point of view, off-site interviews can be a bit tricky. Candidates often make the mistake of approaching these interviews casually.
Make sure you are your best professional self during an off-site interview. If the interview is in a restaurant, remind yourself about table manners. And as with all interviews, you must be careful about your attire.
As we know, off-site interviews occur in a casual setting. But you must prepare as if it were a traditional interview. Ensure that you do your homework and prepare some questions of your own.
Off-site interviews give candidates ample time to make an impression on the employer. Make sure you put all this time to great use!
Keep practicing! Case interviews are among the trickiest types of interviews.
On-the-spot Interviews
We have discussed a lot about preparation. But there is one interview type that does not give you time to prepare.
Here, we are talking about on-the-spot interviews. Employers sometimes take on-the-spot interviews, and candidates begin panicking. How to make sure that you take on-the-spot interviews in your stride?
Start preparing answers to common interview questions. Rehearse your answers and practice talking about yourself. Employers do not ask many tricky questions during on-the-spot interviews.
So, you will be fine if you have been practicing common interview questions. Remember, you must try answering all questions professionally.
It will help if you start working on your interaction skills. You can practice personal interaction with your friend. Make sure you rehearse your answers every few days.
Good Preparation Will Get You Through
Employers come up with all kinds of recruitment systems. The different types of interviews we talked about are a part of that. As a job seeker, you must prepare yourself to ace all these.
From formal interviews to off-site interviews, make sure you know how to approach each of them. After all, you only have yourself to blame if you lack preparation.
Being familiar with different types of interviews also helps candidates. They can prepare according to the interview they have to give.
But there is no replacement for preparation in an interview. It can be a group interview or a behavioral interview. It can be a video or phone interview. You cannot succeed if your preparation is not up to the mark.
So, are you preparing for an interview? And what types of interviews do you prefer? Know your strengths and work on your weaknesses to ace any interview!
Christian has over ten years of experience in marketing agencies. Currently, he has been dedicating his time to a tech startup and also writing for major publications. He loves podcasts and reading to keep up with the latest trends in marketing.