SCREENING INTERVIEW

A screening interview is a type of job interview that is conducted to determine if the applicant has the
desired qualifications needed to do the job for which the company is hiring.

Typical questions during a screening interview include:

Tell me about yourself?

Describe your work history?

Why are you interested in this job?

What are your salary requirements?

Tips for a Successful Screening Interview

Review the job description – What are the requisites for the job and what are the main responsibilities

Make every word count - Screening interviews are brief so you must make every word count.

Review phone interview tips – Find a quiet place to talk without disturbances & distraction

Know your resume - Share succinct descriptions of your previous jobs & stories that prove your abilities.

Be straight-forward – Provide exact information that the interviewer needs

Follow up with a thank you note – The interviewer will be short-listing candidates for the second
interview. Immediately send the interviewer an email thank you note.

Structured Interview
A structured job interview is a standardized way of comparing job candidates through pre-set questions.

The employer creates interview questions focused on the skills and abilities the company is seeking.

Each interviewee is asked the exact same questions, in the exact same order.

Interviewer gives a set of pre-determined questions to the candidates.

Note: These are usually conducted face to face but might take place on the phone.

Strengths: These are controlled interviews and fairly quick to conduct and give an equal opportunity to
the respondents to show their skills.

Limitations: These are inflexible and restrict candidates’ responses.

Unstructured Interviews
In unstructured interviews questions asked from the respondents are not set in advance.

Informal interview

Discovery interview

Open ended questions

Friendly environment/conversation
Strengths: Less formal open ended questions are usually asked in a friendly environment.

Flexible exploratory qualitative questions are asked so the candidate to elaborate & explain.

Limitations: Interviewer has little control and process can be time consuming. Different questions are
asked from the candidates thus process is non-standardized. Panelists may not agree on evaluation of
the candidates. Panelists must be good listeners and allow candidates to speak openly.

Face to face interviews

Face to face or personal interview refers to one on one discussions between the interviewer and
interviewee.

This method is utilized when a specific target population is involved.

Personal interview normally takes place after a phone screening interview.

Strengths:

You can thoroughly assess the individual

You have opportunity to dig deeper

You can read their body language

You can test the candidate’s commitment

Limitations:

It’s time-consuming

Interviewer bias will affect the decision

It’s costly

Interview Tips:
Video conference interviews

Kind of conference call that connects the candidates with companies that are in different locations

Just like any other face to face interview

Video conferencing interview has multipoint

Interviews Are Recordable, Convenience, Save Time

Telephonic interviews

A telephone interview is an interview for employment conducted on phone

Screening for in-person interviews

For the recruiter it is a well prepared process

For a candidate it is on moment notice

Tips:

Confirm the phone interview

Choose an interview space

Landline/Mobile network

Avoid distractions

Do not start with “Hello” or “How are you”

Start the conversation with (Mr./Ms. And last name of the person)

Do not jump ahead or interrupt the interviewer

Take notes, give short answers, focus on listening

Medium pace should be used for the conversation as it is not one-on-one interview
Panel interviews

A panel interview is one that is conducted by a group of two or more interviewers.

Assessment Process:

They may include:

Intelligence, personality and other tests.

Group exercises including discussions and team activities.

In-tray exercises where you read, interpret and act on documents.

Skills tests like using word processing software.

A presentation

A detailed interview 

How to ace it?

Make sure you study the job specifications 

You're likely to be asked for examples of when you demonstrated certain skills or experience.

The golden rule of a panel interview is to engage with the whole panel, not just one specific member of
the group. 

When you're asked a question, maintain eye contact with the person asking it

Be optimistic but careful not to come across too confident and over presumptuous.

Strengths:

Better assessment than one on one interviews:

No room for partiality or personal preference:

It makes the candidate familiar with the team as well company’s work culture

Limitations:

There are chances of time delay:

It builds pressure on the candidate:

Domination of the single interviewer sometimes causes trouble:

Every single answer might have different views from everyone:

Group interviews

Group Interview

You invite multiple applicants to be interviewed at the same time

Multiple interviewers ( panel or group) meet with and interview a candidate

Group Interview General Questions:

How would your colleagues describe you?

How would you describe yourself?

Why do you want this job?

What do you have to offer the company?

How do you work in a team?

Tips:

Be prepared

Be confident and respectful

Bea good listener

Be a leader

Be yourself

Follow up

Specific Things That Group Interviewers are Looking for:

Your appearance

Your Presentation skills

Your communication skills

Advantages of Group Interview:

Saves time and widens the pool

The cream rises to the top

You can compare applicants side by side

You can asses interpersonal skills and teamwork

You can interview all the applicants at once

Less individual pressure on candidate

Disadvantages of Group Interview:

Less time to get to know individual candidates

Not every personality type will shine

Your interview panel might need new skills

More difficult to administer effectively

Some Candidates work better individually

Dominants personalities will quash others

Behavioral interviews

This approach is based on the belief that past performance is the best predictor of future behavior.

Question can be asked:

Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.

How do you handle a challenge? Give an example.

Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it?

How to prepare:

Identify the skills and strength.

Reflect on your past experiences.

Sequential interviews
These interviews are those in which the applicant is interviewed sequentially by several persons
(interviewers)

A sequential interview is conducted by two or more interviewers, separately or in sequence

The candidate either moves from one location to another or stays in one room and while different
interviewers join them

Sequential interviews involve a number of ‘first impression’ opportunities so be aware of how you
present yourself each time

Each one rates the applicant on a standard evaluation form and these ratings are then compared before
the hiring decision is taken

Each interviewer rates from his/her own point of view, asks different questions and forms an
independent opinion of the candidate

At the end of the process, the interviewers meet to evaluate each applicant and make their decision.

Strengths:

It gives the organization the opportunity to get different perspectives on the interviewee, and to see
how the interviewee presents to different kinds of people.

It also stops the interviewers being influenced by the reactions of other people.
Tips:

First impressions count in each interview

Answer all questions even if you been asked same on in another interview

Stress interviews

A stress interview is used by an employer to put a candidate under intense pressure, to assess how a
candidate handles work overload, how they deal with multiple projects, and how good they are at
handling workplace conflict

Types of Questions:

Odd questions: 

"What percentage of the Earth's water is contained in a cow?"

Showing contempt: 

"Is that all you can come up with? Let's move on"

Throwing you off balance: 

"How do you like me so far?"

Questions on difficult work situations: 

"How would you handle a situation where you knew that your boss fiddled his expenses?"

Quick fire: 

The interviewers asks questions in quick succession, not letting the candidate complete his/her answers

Big interview panel: 

The candidate faces a panel of many interviewers (6, 8, 10 or more) who constantly ask questions

Series of interviewers:

Several interviewers come into the room one after the other, leaving no rest time for the candidate

Letting the candidate ask the questions:

 "What can we do for you?", "What do you want to know?"

How to Handle:

Know who will be interviewing you

Refrain from being offended. Interviewers are interested to see how you handle criticism.
Always act professionally, and keep your cool.

Answer questions clearly and do not backtrack on responses if it appears you did not provide the right
answer.

You can by time by clarifying the question asked the nature of the answer desired.

You don't necessarily need to focus on the "right" answer, rather way you go about solving the problem.

Be open, honest, direct and polite, but don't every allow the interviewer to emotionally intimidate you.

Ask for information when it's lacking, and state any assumptions you use

Situational interviews

A technique that is used to asks a job applicant to explain how they responded to the certain situations
in the past under a variety of circumstances or workplace scenarios. 

Also involve problem solving questions.

A look at the future of the candidate.

Through this technique employers tests

Problem solving ability.

Knowledge, intelligence, Application.

Expertise required .

Appraisal interviews

An appraisal interview is an exchange between a manager and an employee that is designed to evaluate
the employee and create a career development plan

Contents discussed in appraisal interview:

Discuss work and performance of the past year – tasks,  work conditions and cooperation

Resolve problems and misunderstandings

Mutually voice acknowledgement and critique in a factual matter

Agree on measures to boost development and further education

Mutually agree on long term goals and focus points

Appraisal Interview is a One‐on‐One interview which:

Takes place at least once a year

Requires both parties to prepare for it

Is semi‐structured

Is carried out by the employee and the direct supervisor using specific contents