Types of Interview

Which types of interview are there?


If you've not had an interview for a while, it's worth knowing that organisations use different types of interview for different types of job. Some of the most common are:



Competency-based

These interviews focus on the skills and attributes needed for the job. You'll have to relate your skills and experience to the job in question.



Technical

These are for technical positions such as IT or engineering jobs. You will probably be asked to display your technical knowledge of a certain process or skill. They may ask you to do this by talking about your previous experience or by asking you hypothetical questions, such as "what would you do if you were working on this project?"



Face-to-face

This is where the interviewer meets with the candidate in person.



Telephone

Some organisations use these as the first stage of screening. You may be warned in advance or contacted out of the blue. First impressions count, so you should prepare for a telephone interview just as much as you would for a face-to-face interview. But unless it takes place on a videophone, you won't need to put your interview suit on!



Panel

This is an interview where more than one person interviews you. Usually, one person chairs the interview and panel members take it in turns to ask you different questions. You should direct your answer mainly towards the panel member that asked the question.