Group Interviews

While an uncommon interview type for most positions, group interviews do take place. They may be most likely conducted for jobs in education and counseling. If you find yourself being interviewed along with several other applicants for the same or a similar position, you are in a group interview. We are aware of instances where a group interview is conducted as a screening interview to winnow the number of applicants for jobs where the applicant pool is very large—such as for flight attendants for airlines. A group interview is sometimes used in the later stages of job interviews because the employer trys to gain data not thought available in a one-on-one setting.    

In group interviews the employer wants to observe first-hand how applicants interact with one another. The interpersonal skills and personality traits that surface can speak volumes about how the candidate may interact on the job as a manager, with colleagues, or with clients. Often a question will be posed to the group or the group will be given a problem to solve. If the applicants exhibit positive leadership behaviors in the group setting, employers tend to think they will take charge and be a leader in the workplace. If a candidate seeks to draw other people into the discussion and attempts to build consensus, and keeps the group focused on the task at hand, the inference is the candidate will behave in a similar manner in working for the firm. 

In group interviews, the content of the discussion is usually of secondary importance. Of more importance to the employer is the behavior taking place. This is behavior-based interviewing at its most basic level!

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Panel Interviews

Panel interviews occur infrequently—less frequently these days than they once did. But you need to be aware of them since it is possible you may encounter one. In a panel interview, you are interviewed by several people at one time. Whether intended or not, the panel interview produces greater stress for the job candidate. After all, you have more people to analyze and respond to simultaneously which puts you in an inherently reactive situation. Some panel interviews are intended to put pressure on the applicant—part of what the employer wants to discover is how well the interviewee maintains composure under stress.  

If you find yourself the center of a panel interview, take a deep breath and try to remain calm. Take each question one by one, ask for clarification if the intent of the question is not clear or the scope extremely broad. Ask for the opportunity to respond to the important question posed by one interviewer before being pushed into a response to a question by another one of the panel members. Chances are the content of your answers is less important in this situation than your ability to remain unflustered in the face of stress.

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Series Interview

Like sequential interviews, serial interviews consist of several interviews. But whereas a decision was made after each of the interviews in the sequential interview process as to whether a candidate would be called back for another interview, serial interviews are set up as a series from the beginning and no decision is made concerning the candidate until the entire series of interviews has been completed.   

Usually the interviews are scheduled with a variety of people. They may consist of several types of interviews and be held over one or several days. A candidate may meet with a vice-president of the company early in the day and then have a series of meetings with a couple of department managers during the morning. A lunch meeting may be scheduled with additional managers, after which the candidate may return to meet one-on-one with a series of additional people. The evening may be free or may continue with dinner at a nearby restaurant or in someone's home. The next day may bring additional interviews or an opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate his or her skill in some way. A candidate interviewing for a faculty position may be asked to teach a class, an advertising executive may be asked to present part of an advertising campaign, or a salesperson may be asked to sell a product.  

If you find yourself engaged in a series of interviews, make sure to treat each interview with each different person as if it were your first.

After talking all day with a series of individuals, some candidates become mentally fatigued and don't focus as well on their accomplishments or their dynamism wanes. Remember this is your first interview with this individual. Remain focused on getting the information about the position that you will need to sell yourself and later to make your decision when you are offered the job. Be sure to answer questions fully—even though this is the third time you've been asked that question in the same day. Continue to sell your strengths and maintain your dynamic presentation as you respond.

If you find yourself engaged in a series of interviews, make sure to treat each interview with each different person as if it were your first.

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Sequential Interviews

For many positions—especially those beyond entry-level—there will be more than one job interview. Multiple interviews are the rule, rather than the exception, for higher level positions. In fact, one Haldane client was interviewed 14 times by the same company before he was hired! Sequential interviews are simply a series of interviews with a decision being made either to screen the candidate in or out of further consideration after each interview. The candidates who make the cut are called back for another interview. Although each interview is frequently a one-on-one interview, the candidate could meet with more than one representative of the company at the same time. The candidate could meet with different interviewers in subsequent interviews or meet with the same person who conducted the previous interview. Usually if there are several interviews, the applicant will meet additional persons from the organization rather than just the same person over and over again. However, the previous interviewer may be part of a future mix of individuals.  

When sequential interviews are planned, the first interview(s) will usually deal with job issues—the fit between the applicant and the open position. Terms of employment, such as salary and benefits will not likely be discussed, and certainly not in depth, until an offer is, or is about to be made. This can work to your advantage as you have additional opportunities to value the position as well as opportunities to share your accomplishments with the employer. 

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One-on-One Interview

Face-to-face, one-on-one interviews are the most common type you will encounter. The applicant and the employer meet, usually at the company offices, to discuss the position and the candidate's skills, knowledge, and abilities—in other words the ''fit" between you and the job opening. While a screening interview is likely to be conducted by someone in human resources, subsequent interviews are more likely, though not necessarily, conducted by someone from the department where the position is open. 

This person may be a department manager for lower and mid-level jobs and someone from upper-management—perhaps a vice president—for high level positions. If the interview is conducted by someone from the department with the open position, you can expect the interviewer to ask many specific job-related questions. If the interviewer is from human resources, the questions may be more general.

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