You wrote a pointed cover letter, your resume came across clear and focused, and now you’ve been offered an interview for that dream job.
The interview is the opportunity for you to shine and elaborate on your resume. Those one or two pages can now become a 45-minute conversation, so be ready to talk about you for an extended period with well-practiced responses with examples.
A job interview is also the moment your personality is assessed for compatibility with the company. There can be a great deal of anxiety when it comes to meeting a potential employer. It is important that you are always prepared to deal with any interview style to help remove any unnecessary stress that could prevent a successful outcome.
See four of the most common interview styles.
Individual
Interviewing face-to-face is the most common form of an interview. It’s about getting a strong feel for the candidate by putting all the attention on them directly. However, it also allows for the interviewee to engage in an open conversation and to ask questions in return.
For the interviewer, it presents the opportunity to interpret verbal and non-verbal cues with you, such as body language. It also allows the prospective employer the chance to get to know you better, as there are no other distractions.
A strong candidate can keep the conversation going for quite a while so expect 30-60 minutes of interview time.
Group
Group interviews are less common, but they are used. They’re also more cost-effective for employers as they can interview several people at the same time. You might find this technique in retail stores or high-pressure jobs.
A group interview is truly like the real world version of The Apprentice. If presented with a task to complete, the purpose of this interview style is to see how you interact with others. It may also ween out who is the weakest in a challenging dynamic.
Another great trait of this technique is that it can reveal how candidates might cope with stress and when faced with conflict.
If you want to be a top candidate, there are a few things you should always do. Stand out by being confident, respectful, a good listener, and looking for an opportunity to lead. Instead of just listening and being distracted by others, show your engagement by stating things like, “That is a great idea, who else agrees with that?”
You should expect a group interview to last 30-45 minutes, or longer if a task is involved.
Behavioral
This kind of interview is a common technique that utilizes the STAR method. There are little opportunities for traditional or straightforward questions like “what is your worst quality?”
Behavioral interviews want to delve deeper into your personality. The idea behind behavioral interviews is that your past performance will predict your future performance.
Prepare for this interview style by focusing on past scenarios you may have been in, and relaying that in a structured form.
If interviewing for a customer service position, you may be asked to give an example of a time when a customer had a complaint about the service they received. In this kind of interview, you will need to draw on your strong story-telling skills. Break down your response with the STAR method, presenting the situation, the task ahead of you, the action you took, and the result.
It’s recommended that you keep an answer under two minutes, and present a positive outcome to keep everyone engaged.
Competency
As the name implies, this is an interview style that wants to test your ability to do the job with questions tailored to the skills and competencies listed in the job description.
Competency-based interviews allow employers to assess your key skills and find out how you would handle certain situations and responsibilities required in the role.
It’s important that you try and anticipate what kind of competencies you will be assessed for. The best way to do this is by scanning the essential requirements and responsibilities listed in the job posting and crafting potential questions around these competencies.
For example, if you’re interviewing for a customer service position, the interviewer is likely to ask questions on your communication competency. You may be asked one of the following:
- Give me an example of a time you had to explain something complicated to a customer.
- Tell me about a time when you gave excellent customer service.
- How did you deal with a customer complaint?
Job interviews are the gateway to landing the position. Prepare well, conduct the interview professionally, and follow up appropriately to increase your chances of getting the job.
