Let’s review the different types of interviews that you must prepare for.
Although the fundamentals of framing your interview answers remain the same for all types of interviews, a slight difference lies in how you must tailor your approach.
Starting with phone interviews, these interviews are used by companies to screen candidates and narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person or video interviews.
Many candidates feel that phone interviews can be less intimidating than in-person interviews because they don’t have to worry about their body language, eye contact, dress codes, or any other nonverbal cues.
However, it can also become challenging as candidates cannot assess the interviewer’s reaction to their answers and don’t know how to handle the occasional silence that is actually a normal part of phone interviews.
Plus, it can become slightly difficult for you to build rapport and connection without using body language.
To combat these challenges, you must put in extra effort to convey your enthusiasm and charisma through the tone of your voice, and you must understand that rabbling on with your answers just for the sake of avoiding a silent moment during phone interviews is a big no-no.
Instead, to make sure that your interview goes smoothly, you must follow practices like
- Double-checking your phone connection, battery, and wifi before the call
- Sitting in a place with no distractions and noise
- Setting notes aside for reference
- Keeping your answers to the point and concise
- And also, keep a glass of water within reach to clear your voice if needed.
Next up is the in-person interview, which is the classic interview format.
These interviews can last for 30-45 minutes and are usually structured into four parts:
- Introduction
- Employer questions
- Candidate’s questions
- And closing
And along with your answers, you must work on your body language, eye contact, and dress code to make a good first impression on the interviewers.
You can check out our separate modules on how you must dress and make a good impression during interviews.
Moving on to video interviews, this type of interview has become more common in recent years and is a hybrid between the traditional face-to-face interview and telephone interviews.
You can prepare for video interviews the same way you prepare for an in-person interview.
And in addition to that, you must ensure to:
- Test your webcam and mic before the interview
- Do a trial run to ensure that the video interview link working
- Find a quiet location without any distraction
- Ensure your background and attire are clean and professional
- Adjust the webcam’s height and distance to make sure the interviewer can see you properly
- Double-check your internet connection, power backup, and also the room’s lighting
You see, it’s important to get into the same mindset as if you were going into the offices for an in-person interview and prepare accordingly for video interviews.
Next up is the panel interview. Panel interviews are usually conducted for senior-level positions in large companies.
In this type of interview, you will be interviewed by a group of 3-4 interviewers who will take turns to ask you questions.
Companies prefer panel interviews to save time and to see how candidates perform in stressful situations.
During panel interviews, you must engage everyone with your answers by alternating eye contact between the interviewers.
And try to find out as much as you can about the interview before your scheduled date.
How many interviewers will be in the panel interview? Which department do they belong to?
When you know what to expect, you’ll be less likely to feel nervous or stressed.
Also, be prepared to get interrupted between your answers during panel interviews. When it does happen, ensure that you don’t react rudely.
Instead, you must politely reply by saying that you’d like to complete your previous answer before you move on to the next one.
And at the end of the interview, ensure to thank each one of them and send individual thankyou letters.
And lastly, we have group interviews.
During group interviews, multiple applicants are interviewed at one time.
It could be around a boardroom table with the interviewer asking questions to the group or the group could be asked to work on a task to complete.
In this type of interview, the recruiters will assess you on how you work and interact with others.
Do you boss the other group members around? Do you balance between talking and listening? Do you respect other people's perspectives? Are you comfortable jumping into a new group and a new environment?
While preparing for group interviews, ensure that you’re clear about where you stand in terms of your group dynamics. What role do you play in a group? Do you step up with ideas?
Have a game plan outlined in your mind so that you know how you’re going to stand out from the crowd without seeming overbearing.
Ensure not to interrupt other candidates and be cognizant of how you interact with the group.
Focus on maintaining a good presence of mind and pay attention to who the interviewer is asking the questions.
And there you go. These were the five types of interviews you should prepare for and a few different things you must focus on with each type of interview.
