Tips & Tools

Types of Interviews

Based on Purpose

Screening Interview -- used to quickly and efficiently eliminate unqualified or overpriced candidates. Conducted by professional interviewers, recruiters, or personnel representatives seeking information regarding educational and experiential background using a highly structured question and answer format.
Selection Interview -- used after some type of screening process. Usually conducted by a professional practitioner who will be the candidate's supervisor. It is generally less formal and less structured than the screening interview. Questions tend to be open-ended with subsequent questions based upon candidate's responses to previous questions.

Based on Format

One on One -- usual interview procedure. Screening and selection interviews usually include one interviewer and one candidate. At times, a second company representative may join in or candidate may have a series of interviews that involve several meetings with different people within the organization, one at a time.
Search Commitee or Board Interview -- group consists of many interviewers and one candidate. Used by business and industry for selection of high level corporate officers. Typical of a selection committee search in higher education.
Group Interview -- group consists of many candidates and one or more interviewers. Frequently used as a screening procedure by smaller companies and by graduate and professional schools. Used to assess leadership skills and ability to work in groups.

Based on Style

Question and Answer or Directed Interview -- highly structured; interviewer comes prepared with list of questions. Used by recruiters and professional interviewers to seek facts. Generally is format for screening interviews.
Open-Ended or Non-Directive Interview -- generally informal and less structured. Used by professional practitioners to assess candidate's skills, experience, and personality attributes. This is the usual format for selection interviews.
Stress Interview -- staged to determine how candidate will perform under stress. It may be typified by long periods of silence, challenges to candidate's opinions, or a series of interruptions.