The Traditional Face to Face Job Interview
When preparing for a job interview, the obvious interview to prepare for is the one to one face to face job interview.
Often the interviewee meets with one company manager and the interview is conducted one-on-one, with the interviewer asking around 10 questions over a period of 45 minutes.
Questions will be asked on the skills and experience required for the position you are applying for. To prepare for the traditional job interview, read the job spec and write a list of potential interview questions.
From this you can prepare your interview answers. Ensure that you use real experiences as part of your interview answer.
Panel Interviews
Panel interviews can range from 3-5 interviewers, generally made up of managers and HR staff.
The interview is similar to the traditional face to face, one to one interview, but the panel will take it in turns to ask the interview questions.
You can prepare in the same way as you would with the traditional job interview. When answering questions, ensure to look at and engage all the panel members.
Telephone Screening Interview
To save cost employers will often screen applicants over the telephone (often in telesales/customer service roles) the employer will ask you to describe your experience, but the key here is how you communicate and listen over the phone.
For telephone interviews, talk slower, leave pauses and use your tone to influence. These interviews often only last between 10-20 minutes.
Role Play Interviews
Many employers will ask groups of applicants to role-play or to complete some type of challenge.
Employers prefer this style of the interview to see if interviewees have the skills they described on their CV.
To pass this interview, you need to pretend that the situation is real and act as if you were at work.
Role play type interviews have been around longer than most people think, as an example; receptionist having to undertake a typing test before they are offered a position.
