Interviews: Types of Interviews and how to Nail them

24th May 2016   | 5 min read
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Everyone in their life time will encounter an interview for a job. It’s not always the kind that you get dressed up for, polish shoes and stand up straight or practice sitting up straight and crossing your legs perfectly. However, understanding interview dynamics, planning properly is not just important, but crucial as first impressions are bound to last. Understanding that even bidding for a job as a self-employed person is still doing an interview of sorts, requires that you know how to go about it. So having a set mind frame prepares you best as you think about getting ready for a job interview.

Preparation is prime! An interview isn’t an adrenaline rush adventure after all.  Whenever getting ready for job interviews, prepare you situation action result (SAR) stories. Assume that everyone has copied and pasted a couple of generic skills and strengths onto their CV and so interviewers are not keen on listening to you re-echo these lies. Knowing these stories by heart and remembering to always answer an interview question with an SAR, not just a grocery of skill will set you apart from the rest of those being interviewed. Interviewers will understand your contribution to assignments and what sets you apart from other people.

So what are the different interviews you are most likely going to come across in your job search process?

behavior

Behavior based interviews

This is the most common type of interview. It is based on the premise that your past behavior is going to be a foundation and performance level for you future. Behavior based interviews are usually an hour long. Therefore using SARs is important and each story should be between 3-5 minutes and not more. The use of eye contact to the interviewer or interviewers will be a plus during the interview. Most Government interviews are behavior based interviews.

phone

Phone Interviews

These can be out of the blue and might catch you with your pants down. However thank God for a caller ID that helps compose oneself. The purpose of the interview is to see whether one might consider a face to face interview, so they must be treated seriously. Impression is key in this instance because the call is never long. But that doesn’t mean all phone interviews are for a face to face meet. Some are part of the interview for the candidate and could lead to failure in cases where you put a language on your application, and this interview will be taken in that language. Availability and flexibility is also looked out for by the interviewer, therefore picking up calls from strange numbers might become a must as you await the interview.

structure

Structured interviews

These are face to face interviews. The candidate will be probed and probed and probed some more. The interviewers in this case are looking for dedication, teamwork, leadership and personal characteristics. In this case, thinking before answering is a good skill set. Asking questions where the question isn’t understood and using SAR stories will be needed during the interview.

case

Case Based interviews

These interviews are for higher ranked professionals. The interviewer presents a business case and the candidate has to solve the problem. This tests the candidate’s technical knowledge and skills, problem solving, strategic thinking, leadership skills and the ability to perform under pressure. Sometimes if the candidate has not been in a job set like this before, prior knowledge of the company and its dealings help plan better for the interview.

situation

Situation interviews

These types of interviews, the candidate is asked about certain situations and scenarios. Unlike case based interviews with one specific outcome, this type of interview has more than one outcome and therefore any answer is probably a test and follow up questions can be developed along the answering pattern. Skill set and personality must come through during this type of interview.

stress

Stress interviews

These types of interviews are few and far between. These are interviews for senior executive positions and the candidate will always be put on the spot. However some junior positions that deal in stress related environments positions, this technique can be used. This will test how well the candidate can handle oneself under stress. This might cause the candidate to feel threatened or ticked off. The need to arouse emotion will be used as a form of technique and thus a higher level of calmness is needed to bring out the different attributes like creativity, organizational skills, thinking on the spot and attitude.  A question like ‘what do you think is wrong with the organization’, can be presented.

Second and Third interviews

Do not assume prior knowledge of the candidate after the first and second interview. These interviews are used to collect more information about the candidate. Be sure to ask each interviewer what the important responsibilities and challenges of the job are and what their management style is. As the interview progresses, you might be required to give more input into what actions you might take on the job in the next 30, 60 or 90 days. Please remember this doesn’t mean you have acquired the job, but you are one step closer to attaining as a preferred candidate.

meal

Meal Interviews

Eating in front of a stranger who could potentially be your boss could be unnerving. Ordering moderately priced meals and using dining etiquette is necessary to impress in this situation. Dinning etiquette like not speaking with your mouth full, not slurping and using the right cutlery is necessary. Of course alcohol is a no even when presented to the candidate. For foods options, a recommendation from the interviewer or waiter might help in cases where lack of knowledge of food types is eminent.

Information is always key when going into an interview. Ultimate success is being organized and prepared for whatever is coming your way. Dressing appropriately, but also carrying a positive attitude and smile are good for each candidate.

Best of Luck.

joanitah
 

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175 COMMENTS

  5. I always fine it hard to describe my self in brief if am told to do so. What should you mention first and last

    • Basically talk about who you are, your strengths, interests and hobbies in relation to the job opportunity you are applying for.

    • Basically talk about who you are, your strengths, interests and hobbies in relation to the job opportunity you are applying for.

  7. Millions thanks for this one in particular & for sure had i gotten this bwino early i wouldn’t messed in some recent interview.Merci beaucoup

  9. Thank you so much for your commitment towards making us all better equipped.i am particularly grateful because the article affects me[soon to be graduate from makerere university]

  12. Thanks for the wonderful presentation about interviews. Interviews are part of us as we grow throughout our careers but as you have noted dressing code as well as adequate preparation are vital if one is to succeed.

  15. I am positively bump acted by this indeed. Thank you for the continuous suport and thought. Long live brighter Monday.

  17. Thank you so much for quality solutions concerning the interviews that do let us down in most cases am blessed.

  20. Some good and informative piece to read.Please let us know why aptitude tests are set and for what categories of prospective employees they are for.

    • Aptitude tests are usually set for almost all employees and they are basically meant to test you logic, how knowledgeable you are and how fast you can think.

  22. Where does group discussion interview fall in this case and how can you nail it down, a case scenario i was faced with this early this year it wasn’t easy making through a crowd of candidates because the first discussion was something not related to my field/ area of expertise.

    • Group interviews are usually meant to test your interpersonal and communication skills as well as how you work in a team.

  31. Thks one day my boss called me for dinner with anew employed manager we went to agood restaurant and be and the pretended that taking beer was part of the order I insisted on asoda two weeks after they stopped 4peaple coz of beer becoz they mentioned it later that we were under ameal interview.its u guys that helped me to mentain my job.

  37. This article has identified some areas which i had neglected. so it has improved my skills on how to handle interviews.

  38. It is helpful accessing jobs easily based on mastery of these tips.
    Please keep updating job seekers on these very crucial tips.

  40. Good interview tips. I have not remained the same after reading the passage. There are certain things that i have been taking for granted during interviews, which i have now understood.
    Thank you so much for the advice.

  43. Thanks so very much for this hidden tricks I had not known before. Though in all the interview I had attended, I have never failed them.

  46. Aah well brighter Monday team thank you very much for the educative channel you’ve layed for us. Actually, i have been victim all along for not aligning ma cv with the jobs as expected but now i believe this lesson is going to be of greater impact to ma career advancement. Thanks alot

  52. BM, i have not read through the article extensively but what i know is that the few sentences i have read was very enriching and please keep feeding us with new ideas and articles on jobs. Thanks a lot…!!

  55. Hey brighter Monday . if am asked a question out of my field and I fail them and I do well in my field of study . dose it mean I have failed that interview

    • It may not necessarily mean you have failed. But we advise that you are as knowledgeable as you can be about various aspects before you go in for an interview.

  56. Thanks alot brighter Monday ….i feel am now more ready for any interview. Please keep us updated

    • We advise that you first of all research about how much people holding that similar position earn both in and out of the company, how much you previously learned as well as the capability of the company to pay you a certain amount of money.

  58. when you are asked to write a cover letter stating your salary requirements; is it applicable to sate the amount or there is another way of stating it.

  59. Thanks a bunch Brighter Monday for such unique but easy tips to follow. Indeed have been taking interviews for granted. For instance I didn’t understand the difference btn Case based inter.and Situation interview. Meal interviews very strange to me never knew about them. Thx and keep on giving us more tips.

  60. Thank you very much. Am sure this is going to help me alot down this job search road. Am grateful

  64. Quite interesting and educative! A big thank you and keep it up! I will always be on the look out for more.

  67. thank you so much for your effort for this, in a condition where you are asked why do you want to leave your current job and move on with another job? how should l reply this kind of question in a way that will make the interviewer understand my point of view?

  68. I HAVE APPLIED FOR OVER 20 JOBS BUT JUST GET NO UPDATE IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND ANYWAY OF ATLEAST KEEPING US UPDATED

    • Hello, when one applies their application goes straight to the employer or person they are applying to. Hence we do not have much say in who is picked or not therefore cannot give you the required feedback. However, we are encouraging employers to do so and we encourage you to keep applying.

  69. BrightMonday you are certainly much appreciated. Can we have this insights quite frequent as they are very beneficial to some and or most of us.

    • Thank you very much as well. Yes we will. You can also simply visit our website and click on the career center button to get more advice.

  72. Wow brighter-Monday am so grateful for this opportunity to be updated. Thank you and keep it up please

  76. I have really learnt a lot from this info because one time i was put on a simple interview for internship but fortunately passed it and am now doing it with them;thanks for your information.

  80. Its been all nice as far as physical interface and telephonic interviewers are concerned. Can you shade more light on Skype interview please

  81. Thank you , but however am always challenged when it comes to the expected salary. This question is sometimes tricky. Please advise because you might say more (higher) than expected and you miss the job.

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