Styles of Job Interviews
At last, you got an interview! It's been a long while since you've done this.
But you're not too nervous until a friend tells you to be prepared for behavioral interviewing. And to stay calm in case it's a stress interview. And to get ready for case-study questions.
What's all that? How many ways can someone interview you, anyhow?
It's not as bad as it may sound. In fact, some of the newer styles of interviewing can be enjoyable. They let you say exactly what you know how to do, and what you've succeeded at in the past.
Interview styles boil down to two main kinds. One kind asks about who you are and what your work style is. Another kind asks about your skills and your ability to do the job. Most interviews combine these two styles.
For most jobs, stress interviews are rare. The interviewer - or more often a team - tries to unnerve you to see how you will act under stress. The key here is the same as in all job interviews. Stay calm, take your time, and focus on your skills.
Let's look at who will interview you, and when. Then we'll set out two major interview styles you can expect.
Who Interviews You
There are many possible combinations here. The most common are:
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- One person vs. a team of several people
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- The person with the authority to hire you vs. someone else
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- One interview vs. more than one, with different people
If the interview process is not clear, it is always OK to ask about it.
If you are applying to a smaller company or organization, you are likely to have only one interview, or maybe two, each with just one person. There is probably not a separate human resources department that screens you first. Instead, your first appointment is with the hiring manager, the person with authority to hire you.
Or, your meeting may be with a manager who then recommends you to the business owner. The top person may be the only one with hiring authority. They will want to meet with you before the company makes you an offer.
In larger organizations, you may meet first with a human resources specialist. Their job is to make sure you have the qualifications for the job you've applied for. Some say that their job is to screen you out. That's probably extreme. But if you meet with human resources staff, be sure to explain your background so that your fit with the job you want is clear.
You usually meet with one person first. In a second interview, you may meet with some of the people you'd actually be working with. They will give impressions about you to the hiring manager. For a team interview, avoid surprises by asking in advance about how many people will be there. Ask what you can read or prepare in advance.
Interviews about You and Your Work Style
Interview questions about you and your work style can range from the very general, "Tell me about yourself" to the more specific, "How do you work on a team?" or "Help me understand why you've had so many jobs."
These questions often feel like the toughest to answer. There is usually so much you could say. Tailor your answers to show how you can do the job and how you can fit in to the work place.
The key is to listen for the concern behind the question. Answer that concern. Give yourself time to think out your answer. Ask for details. Say what you understand the interviewer wants to know and see if that's correct.
Turn tough questions around to your skills. Try to think of one or two specific skills that show who you are, how you've worked successfully on a team, or what you've gained and learned in changing jobs.
Interviews about Your Skills and Your Ability to Do the Job
Employers try to understand your skills in two basic ways. They ask how you would handle a situation in the future, or how you have handled a situation in the past.
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- How You'd Use Your Skills in the Future
To get an idea of how you would use your skills in the future, interviewers give you a real situation. They usually do this in a short question. For example, "What if you could order any inventory-control software you wanted. How would you choose?" Such a question aims to learn what your software knowledge is. Even more importantly, it focuses on how you use your knowledge to work with others and to make decisions.
More rarely, interviewers present you with a real task - also called a case or a case study - to complete. Usually you do the task right there, taking an hour or two. Sometimes you take the task home and complete it over several days. For example, a case study might give you some specifics about a business. Then, it asks you to research and list the pros and cons of five inventory-control software options, and make a recommendation.
Some jobs ask you to take an ability test, to make sure you know certain software, for example, or how to operate a certain machine. Aptitude tests show if you can quickly learn the tasks of a job.
- How You've Used Your Skills in the Past
Behavioral questions ask for evidence that you have a certain skill. You tell brief stories about an actual past situation in which you demonstrated the skill.
Behavioral interviewing is becoming more popular. Some interviewers believe your past work actions are the best predictors of your future actions.
Before the interview, do all that you can to find out which skills are most important to the job. Ask about both knowledge skills (what you have to know) and process skills (how you have to work to be successful).
Prepare two or three examples from your past work for each skill. Be as specific as you can. Talk about what you did - not what others did. Aim to talk for two to three minutes on each example. The interviewer will probe for more details as needed.
It's fine to pause to think about or take notes on what you will say. You can also ask, "Is this the right level of detail?" or "Am I answering the question you have in mind?" You can rephrase the questions to make sure you understand it.
Behavioral interviews commonly begin with "Tell me about a time when." For example, they ask about:
- Your negotiating skills: Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a co-worker or supervisor and what you did about it.
- Your perseverance: Tell me about a time when you accomplished something that you did not first think you could do.
- Your problem-solving ability: Tell me about a time when you used a systematic approach to analyze a problem and consider alternate solutions.
- Your commitment to company policies: Tell me about a time when you needed to follow procedures that you didn't agree with.
Additional Resources
Career
Resource Library on Interviewing
America's Career InfoNet, from the U.S. Department of Labor,
guides you to the latest tips on successful job interviews.
WetFeet.com's
Interviewing Articles
WetFeet sells recruiting services to businesses and provides many
free articles to job-seekers. Use their "cheat sheets"
on different kinds of job interviews.
