Interview is an objective-oriented oral communication in which the applicant and interviewer exchange information. The job interview is particularly important because the applicants who attain this stage are viewed to be as most promising candidates.
For effective job interviews, interview planning is necessary. Giving for minimum interruptions, the physical location of the interview should be both private and pleasant.
The interviewer has empathy, pleasant personality and ability to communicate & listen effectively. By reviewing data gathered from other selection tools.
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He or she should be familiar with the applicant’s qualifications. On the basis of job description, job profile should be built in preparing for the interview.
Types of Job Interviews
Following are the types of job interviews on the basis of degree to which they are structured.
The unstructured (Nondirective) Interview
An interview where investigation and open-ended questions are asked is known as unstructured interview.
This kind of interview is comprehensive and applicant is encouraged by the interviewer to do much of talking.
Behavior Description Interviewing
The past behavior of the candidate in particular situations is probed by specially designed questions that are used in this kind of interview.
Hypothetical & self-evaluative questions and judgments about the applicants’ personalities are avoided in this interview.
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Applicant responses are rated by using bench mark answers derived from behaviors of successful employees which are prepared for this purpose, because questions asked in this interview are job related so they are legally safe.
The Structured (Directive or Patterned) Interview
The structured interview is defined as an interview composed of series of questions related to job that is enquired systematically from every applicant for particular job. Typically following are four kinds of questions are included in structured interview.
- Situational Questions
- Job-sample Simulation Questions
- Job Knowledge Questions
- Worker Requirements Questions
Methods of Job Interview
Following are the ways through which interviews may be conducted.
One-On-One Interview
The interviewer encounters one-on-one with the applicant in the typical employment interviews. Meeting alone with the interview is mostly less threatening, as the interview may be a great emotional occasion for the applicant.
Group Interview
In the presence of one or more organization’s representatives, several applicants interact.
Board Interview
Many representatives interview one candidate.
Stress Interview
In order to ascertain how applicants will response to stress on the job, anxiety is created intentionally.
Content of the Job Interview
The particular content of employment interviews differs increasingly by level of job concerned and organization. Following should be included in the content of the interview.
Occupational Experience
By ascertaining the abilities, skills and willingness to handle responsibility, a person’s occupational experience is explored.
Academic Achievement
The individual’s academic background takes on greater significance when the important work experience is absent.
Interpersonal Skills
Chances for success are slim if the person cannot work well with other workers. This is particularly true in recent world with enhancing accent being placed on the utilization of teams.
Personal Qualities
Personal qualities usually noticed during the interview contain speaking ability, physical appearance, adaptability, poise, vocabulary and assertiveness.
How to Avoid Common Interviewing Mistakes
Following are the common interviewing mistakes that should be avoided.
Snap Judgments
During the first few minutes of interview, the interviewer jumps to a result about the applicant in this case. In order to avoid this mistake, structured interview is one way along with the proper training of the interviewers.
Negative Emphasis
The interviewer will almost always view the candidate negatively when he has get the negative information about the candidate through reference or other sources.
In order to avoid this mistake, the reference or other information should be kept away from the interviewer. And if possible, reference checks have been done by different people who would not share the information until later.
Poor Knowledge of Job
Good selection of candidates have not done when the interviewer have not better understanding of job needs.
The jobs should be understood by all interviewers along with the clear understanding of what is required for success in those jobs.
Pressure to Hire
Poor selection decisions may be made when the interviewer is informed that he or she must hire particular number of persons within short time frame. Whenever possible this kind of pressure should be avoided.
Candidate Order
The candidate should look either much better or less satisfactory when an adequate candidate is preceded by a poor or outstanding candidate.
This can be countered through allowing time between interviews, interviewer training and structured rating forms with structured interviews.
Influence of Nonverbal behavior
Interviewers consider those candidates stronger who exhibit stronger nonverbal behavior such as energy level and eye contact. Structured interviews and training of interviewers can minimize this mistake.
