The Art Of Interviewing

We’ve all heard that “proper planning prevents poor performance”.  This as true for job interviews as with anything else.

Six Interview Types

Here are some tips for recognizing and handling six different interview scenarios.

Screening – These are conducted by HR staff who are trying to thin out the herd. Tip: Treat the interviewer with the same respect as a top decision maker and work to build rapport.

On-on-One – This covers any and all “alone time” with a hiring decision maker.  Tips: These interactions can sometimes be informal and unstructured.  Don’t let your guard down.  Be prepared with quality, open-ended questions of your own. 

Group – Meetings with more than one person.  Tip: You want to build rapport with all parties and don’t assume that the person asking the questions is the primary decision maker.

Behavioral – The purpose of this type of interview is to understand how you have behaved in the past when faced with work challenges similar to those in the job.  Tip: Prepare by recalling stories of some of your most challenging situations and rehearse telling the stories.  Include the outcome and lessons learned.

Telephone – These are most often used in the screening process.  Tips: Eliminate the potential for background noise (no barking dogs please).  Use a land line, if possible.  Stand up when you speak. Your voice will sound stronger and more confident. And smile.  Your smile transmits through the phone line more than you realize.

Stress –  These are designed to determine how you handle pressure.  So your objective is to demonstrate that you can maintain your composure and avoid being overcome by emotion.  Tip: If your talent or qualifications are challenged, calmly question “why do you say that?”

Time To Practice

Don’t assume that you’ve mastered these tips by simply reading them.  Consider committing your key interview answers to writing.  Prepared candidates are more likely to advance through the screening processes despite lesser qualifications.