Interview Tips - Types of Interviews

There are many interview styles

Employers most often make the final decision to hire based on one or more interviews. Interviews are the best way for employers to verify qualifications and to evaluate how the person will "fit" into the organization. Different companies use different types of interviews.

• Informational interviews
• Telephone screening interview
• In-person screening interview
• Selection interview

Informational interviews

Informational Interviews are not job interviews. However, they are a good opportunity to get additional leads and referrals that will help you tap the “hidden job market” even when there are no current job openings.

Telephone screening interview

Employers use this type of interview to eliminate candidates based on essential criteria such as employment objective, education, or required skills. Since these interviews can often occur unexpectedly, it is important that your job search records are organized and kept where you can reach them at a moment's notice.

In-person screening interview

This interview is used to verify your qualifications for the position and to establish a preliminary impression of your attitude, interest, and professional "style." This interview is most often conducted by a professional screener from the company’s human resources department. At this stage, the screener’s goal is to determine if you are a candidate for meeting with the decision maker.

Selection interviews

These types of interviews are conducted by a decision maker. He or she meets with with you to discuss your qualifications in detail and assess whether a working relationship can be established. You might be asked back to speak with the same person and/or with other managers or members of the work group. Each time, your ability to establish rapport and present yourself as the right person for the position is critical to achieving the next step. Even if there is only one decision maker, the opinions of the others will be sought and will probably have an effect on the outcome.

There are various types of Selection interviews:

Type of Selection interview	Description
Work sample interview	Gives you a chance to show samples of work you’ve done or demonstrate your skills. If you’re a graphic artist, for example, you show the pieces of work in your portfolio. If you’re a salesperson, you make a sales presentation. If you’re applying for a job as an office worker, you word-process a business letter.
Peer group interview	Provides an opportunity for you to meet and talk with your prospective coworkers. Just as in other interviews, the peer group will be evaluating you, determining how you "fit."
Group or panel interview	Consists of three or more people, all firing questions at you. Direct your answer to the individual asking the question, but strive to maintain some eye contact with the other members of the group.
Luncheon interview (also known as "The Meal")	Assesses how well you can handle yourself in a social situation. Company representatives may include the hiring manager, a human resources department member, and one or more peer employees. Choose your meal carefully. Make sure it is easy to eat, so you do not have to worry about spills.
Stress interview	Involves being asked offensive questions that are designed to deliberately make you uncomfortable. Keep your cool, take your time in responding to the questions, and when it’s all over, reward yourself.
Video conference interview	Uses video-conferencing technology to allow people from different locations to interview you without traveling. Practice in front of a mirror or have a friend videotape you to help ensure that you can effectively communicate via camera.

this article was quoted from iseek.org

Types of Interviews

After reading this segment, you will be able to:

• Identify the predominant types of interviews used by employers

Introduction

Since the interview is the last phase in the selection process, employers use interviewing styles that assist in revealing those attributes of the candidate that are most essential for the job and most beneficial to the organization. Interviews can be conducted one on one, in a panel, or as a group. Interviews can be informal or formal, relaxed or stressful, directed or undirected.

The key to preparing for an interview is to find out before the interview how the interview will be conducted. You can do this by asking the following questions when the interview is being scheduled:

• How many people will be interviewing me?



• Will I be the only person interviewed at one time?



• What kind of questions will be asked?



• How can I best prepare for this interview?

Becoming familiar with different types of interviews will give you a chance to be better prepared.

Assorted Interviews

Here are descriptions of the most common types of interviews:

The Exploratory or Information Interview

The exploratory or information interview is used as a screening and fact-finding tool for you, the candidate. This interview is used to

• find out about a company as a potential place to work, including its corporate culture, organizational structure, and future growth,



• learn about an occupation, including the educational requirements, experience needed, and responsibilities involved in doing a job, and



• find out about the hiring trends, positions available, and application procedures.

Carefully select the questions you will ask so that you can obtain practical information. Be prepared to leave your résumé for future reference. As for any interview, be sure to follow up with a thank you letter.

To find out how to conduct an information interview, read Information Interviews on this Website.

The Directed Interview

The directed or directive interview involves the interviewer using an outline and asking specific questions within a certain time frame. The interviewer works from a checklist and takes notes. This type of interview is impersonal and seeks to reveal facts.

The Undirected Interview

The undirected or non-directive interview is unstructured and allows candidates to discuss their qualifications openly. This interview gives candidates a measure of control over the interview, providing for an opportunity to concentrate on strengths and to show leadership and organizational abilities.

The Panel Interview

A panel involves a number of interviewers. The composition of this panel could include:

• The supervisor



• The manager



• A union representative



• A human resources officer



• An employment equity officer



• Employees from the department that is hiring

Typically, members of the panel will ask one question that represents their area of concern. To succeed at this type of interview, it is best to anticipate and prepare for questions on a variety of issues related to the organization and to the occupation. Thorough company and occupational research will help you to prepare for such interviews. For more information on doing employment-related research, visit Researching Employment on this site.

The Group Interview

The group interview is used by some large companies or organizations for graduate intakes when several graduates are interviewed at one time. This interview can last from two hours to a day or longer and usually includes a group problem-solving exercise.

The interviewers may ask questions in an unstructured manner; therefore, the questions and comments may be unrelated to one another. This type of interview is used to:

• Observe how candidates react under pressure



• Evaluate how individuals interact with people with different personalities



• Test for communication skills



• Assess the "fit" with the group

It is wise to seek the advice of someone who has experienced this type of interview before engaging in this process.

The Sequential Interview

Some interviews are sequenced over a longer period, such as a half or full day. These interviews are used as an assessment tool. The first stage may begin with a panel interview, followed by a tour around the company (during which the assessment continues). The interview sequence may then conclude with another interview when you may be asked questions that test your creativity or your "fit" within the organization.

Further, you may be invited to more than one interview; for instance, the first may be an overall screening, followed by some form of assessment, then a post-assessment follow-up.

The Stress Interview

The stress interview intentionally creates and promotes discomfort. The interviewer may have an abrupt or brash attitude. Alternately, the interviewer may stare, be silent, and spend time taking notes. The purpose of this type of interview is to test the candidate's ability to be assertive and handle difficult situations.

The Behavioural Interview

In behavioural interviews, candidates are asked to respond to questions that require examples of previous activities undertaken and behaviours performed. To succeed at this type of interview, be prepared to give accounts of how you have dealt with difficulties on the job. The purpose of this type of interview is to predict future performance based on past experiences.

Become familiar with various types of interviews, as you may encounter interviewers who blend styles to suit the interview objectives and to test for employment readiness.

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What is a press release?

A press release (also called a news release) is a document issued to the media, financial community, trade and industry analysts, investors and consumers to announce a product, partnership, acquisition, event, personnel announcement, or other newsworthy item. Public companies issue press releases to the financial community when they need to disclose "material" information simultaneously. Editors, reporters, and journalists depend on press releases to alert them to unique products, trends and changes in the business landscape. Press releases, normally written by a company's public relations professional or by a company's public relations firm, are delivered to journalists and analysts for review. If the journalist or analyst finds the announcement of value they may contact the company for more details and/or an interview. This may result in the company being mentioned in an article or broadcast.

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How do I write a press release?

For an announcement to be considered newsworthy it must have a broad, general interest to the target audience and a strong news angle (e.g. material information, new development, drama, human interest, local angle, consequence, etc.). In addition, your release needs to be written in a journalistic rather than marketing style. It should be objectively written as though a reporter were writing the story for you. Most importantly, your release needs to "inform" people, NOT just sell them something.

Headline Formats

In most cases your headline is the first thing an editor sees when reviewing your release. An effective headline can make a difference between an editor covering your story or hitting the delete button. To create an effective headline consider the following pointers:

• Limit your headline to no more than one line. Many newsrooms have a limit on how many characters they can receive in a headline and their systems are programmed to "bounce out" releases that exceed this limit.
• The headline should provide an editor with a tantalizing snapshot of what the press release is about. This is critical as many journalists view releases over their wire system by headline only, then pick and choose when they want to view the full text of the release.
• The headline should include the name of the company issuing the release.
• Do not include the terms "Company", "Incorporated" or "Limited" or their abbreviations unless they are necessary to clearly identify the organization, i.e. Tandy Corporation vs. Tandy Brands.
• Do not use exclamation points or dollar signs.
• Attribute critical, controversial, or judgmental statements.

Writing Style Requirements

Writing a professional and effective press release can be difficult. Here are a few guidelines to consider when crafting your release:

• Get to the point quickly and back it up with quotes and evidence.
• Use proper grammar and punctuation. Check for typos, and don't just rely on spell check!
• Address who, what, when, where, why and how in the press release.
• Double check phone numbers and URLs.
• Read your release aloud to see if it makes sense.
• Include quotes to convey opinion or affiliation.
• Don't forget to put your contact name, release date, dateline, web site URL and phone number in your release. Also make sure you are available for phone calls after sending the release out.
• Your release should be written objectively, as if the writer has no affiliation with the company.
• Do not use pronouns such as I, we, us, our, your, etc. except in direct quotes. Write in third person.
• Do not use puffery statements or hype (i.e. we make the best widgets East of the Rockies), but do inform the reader of your status in your industry.
• Always include standard boilerplate information about your company in the last paragraph. The headline for this section should read "About (insert your company's name here)."

Length Requirements

Your release should be concise and to the point. You should be able to convey your message in two pages or less. Releases that are less than 50 words in length tend to be advertisements and cannot be run as a news release.

Bullet Points

Yes, but sparingly.

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When should I issue a press release?

A press release can be used to announce a variety of information. Consider the following examples:

• New product
• Significant modification to an existing product
• Changes in corporate identity, such as company name or logo
• Joint venture
• Changes in corporate structure (new division or subsidiary)
• Corporate opinion (opinion on industry trends)
• Features
• Events (open houses, tradeshow involvement, speaking engagements, award ceremonies)
• New funding
• Personnel changes
• Corporate philanthropy (volunteer work, donations)
• Hiring of agencies (public relations, accounting, law firm)
• New partner
• Significant new customer
• Media advisories
• Milestones (customers served, years in business)
• Round of funding received by the company
• Increase in market share or revenue

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When should I submit my release as a feature?

If your press release does not contain breaking news, you may want to consider submitting your release as a feature distribution. Feature releases often get play in the "lifestyles" or "living" section of newspapers and are designed for verbatim pickup. You can distribute your release as a feature any day of the week or you can take advantage of topical packages

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Journalism Definition

Journalism is a discipline of gathering, writing and reporting news, and more broadly it includes the process of editing and presenting the news articles. Journalism applies to various media, including but not limited to newspapers, magazines, radio, and television.

While under pressure to be the first to publish their stories, news media organizations—each adhering to its own standards of accuracy, quality, and style—usually edit and proofread their reports prior to publication. Many news organizations claim proud traditions of holding government officials and institutions accountable to the public, while media critics have raised questions about holding the press itself accountable.

The digitalization of news production and the diffusion capabilities of the internet are challenging the traditional journalistic professional culture. The concept of participatory or citizen journalism proposes that amateur reporters can actually produce their own stories either inside or outside professional media outlets, and thus end the monopoly the press holds over information production.

News-oriented journalism was described by former Washington Post editor, Phil Graham, as "a first rough draft of history", because journalists often record important historical events as they are happening, but just the same, they must produce their news articles on short deadlines.

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