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Job Interviews

by Debra Wolf

What to Expect for Different Types of Job Interviews

In the case of job interviews, you will run up against a broad variety of interview types. Each has a purpose.

Screening

This is an initial elimination process, to narrow the field of candidates. It may take place in person, or by phone, with either a Human Resources representative or an outside recruiter hired by the organization.  

If it takes place by phone, don’t be caught unprepared! If you are in the middle of lunch, a pick-up basketball game, or a meeting at your current job – ask to reschedule! Get a specific time. Make sure you have paper and pencil to jot notes. Make sure you are in a quiet place where you can gather your thoughts and speak audibly.  

What Do They Ask You During the Screen?

At the earliest stage, HR or the outside recruiter is involved in screening candidates before they speak to the job supervisor. HR will work from basic questions and information using your job application, school records, or resume. Their goal is to assess basic qualifications and experience, and to get a ballpark idea of expected salary range.

Phone Interviews

The phone interview may be your screening interview, as mentioned above. Or, if you are applying to an out-of-town job, it may be your first interview.

When you are applying for an out-of-town job, the phone interview is scheduled like any other normal first interview. Plan on 30 minutes to an hour, as with a face-to-face interview. Be sure you are fully prepared, in a quiet place where you will not be interrupted, and handle yourself the same way you would in any first interview. The only difference? You don’t need the suit.

First Interview / Supervisor

Your first face-to-face interview is critical. Initial impressions count. Be on time, prepared, and professional. Keep in mind that the supervisor is interviewing many people, and is on a tight schedule. Clear, concise answers will be appreciated.

Your main purpose for being there:  

• Do you have the qualities to do the job?
• Will you fit in?

Be sure to communicate your strengths, your skills, and your ability to contribute. Use specific examples. Be enthusiastic. Feel free to ask relevant questions, when it is your turn to do so. Don’t discuss salary or benefits at this point unless the entirety of the interviewing process is going to take place at one time!

What hidden agenda may also be at play? Depending upon where you are in your career, the supervisor will assess your potential to advance through the organization. But he does not want to feel as though you are threatening his job. If you are potentially “overqualified” for the position, tread lightly.

More on this topic in our Interviewing Strategies section.

Second Interview

When you make it this far, you are under serious consideration. The second interview is intended to probe experience in more detail, and to get additional perspectives from others. The second interview may involve the same supervisor, his peers, his manager, or a team member.  

Preparation, professionalism, and establishing rapport remain essential. So is consistency with what you said in the first interview!

Make sure you know the role of the person conducting the interview, and what your working relationship would be with that individual. Role and working relationship matter a great deal; they impact the nature of the questions you will be asked, and how you should shape your answers. For example, when speaking with management, your ability to contribute to longer term organizational goals is being assessed.

In some instances, the second interview may take place with peers or subordinates. Again, tailor your answers as well as your questions around the working relationship.

A good tip? Ask yourself: How can I help make this individual more successful? If your contribution will make your manager look good, lighten her load, or help her move up the ladder, you are a more attractive candidate.

Multiple Interviews

You may be required to go through more than a second interview. Instead, you may have several interviews scheduled with a number of different people, or, you may be called back to the company over the course of a week or two, to meet with a variety of people.

What does this mean? It may be because one or two interviewers are uncertain about your fit in the organization, and want more input on the decision. It may reflect the culture of the company – collaborative, and team-oriented. Or, the job you are applying for may require dealing with a variety of other people, and so, those other people want a say in who gets the job. 

Whatever the number of interviews, be sure you have the name, job, and contact information for each person you see. Typically, business cards are given when you sit down with someone, but not everyone will have a card to give you. So keep good notes!

As part of your preparation for a second interview, it is always good to ask if you will be seeing one or more individuals that day. This information tells you if you need to bring extra resumes or project samples, just in case they are needed.

When set for a single day, multiple interviews can be tiring. Keep good notes on who you see, their role, their hot buttons, and any action items that may come out of the meeting. And if you need a break, ask for one. Interviewing for 6 or 7 hours straight is tiring. Superhero stamina is usually not a job requirement!

Pay attention to anticipating timeframe, and allow some slack! People get tied up, and things can run late. You don’t want to have to leave before an interview is completed to catch the last train, to make a doctor’s appointment, or get to carpool or day care. Be sure to schedule accordingly.

Team or Group Interviews

Group interviews are typically used in two scenarios:

• Your subject matter expertise will be assessed by a variety of individuals, and doing so in this meeting format is expedient
• You are being “tested” on your ability to function well in groups.

As with any other interview – be prepared, be professional, and put yourself in the shoes of those interviewing you. What is important to them? What will make you a valuable member of the team, and a good fit in their work environment?

If the individuals who are interviewing you would be your staff, be sure to give them a feel for what kind of manager you will be. Listen attentively. Don’t interrupt. And read between the lines. Listen for clues as to problem areas in the past, and challenges you may be facing in the future. Keep their agenda in mind – they want a boss who will value them, and give them opportunities to learn and advance. Rapport is an essential ingredient of this type of interview.

The Case Interview

The Case Interview is prevalent in certain fields, particularly in consulting. You will be presented with a scenario, and asked to analyze it. The case interview may involve discussion, as well as written work and presentation in front of a group of people.

Depending on whether you are applying to your first consulting position or a senior level position, the case interview can be different. For those just graduating from college, the case interview primarily tests a candidate’s ability to reason logically, ask intelligent questions, prove quantitative ability, and handle a stressful situation. Practice makes perfect for case interviews.

Books like the Vault Guide to Case Interviews and others give you many examples to read and practice. We suggest pairing up with a friend who is applying to a similar position, and take turns practicing the case interview.

At the post-MBA level, the same qualities as mentioned above need to shine, but you also will need more specific knowledge based on your past experience. Recognize that this is a test of subject matter expertise, your reasoning process, and ability to perform under stress. Draw upon past experience, and similar scenarios.

Coffee Shop Interview

Sound like fun? It can be – but remember, even in a coffee shop, it’s still an interview. You might meet at the local coffee bar for a number of reasons. These days, plenty of people are working from home offices, or other remote locations. The coffee shop meeting is becoming as common for some small companies as it is for a first date! And in a way, your goals aren’t so different.

First date? You want to put your best foot forward, ask relevant questions, and get a gut feel for who’s on the other side of the table. You’re balancing a desire to impress with the need to reflect who you really are. You’re also evaluating the person you’re talking to – what kind of “fit” you two would make. Is a job interview really so different?

The coffee shop environment makes you more relaxed. It’s a “low pressure” scene, but not a no pressure one. Don’t let the informal environment throw you off. It doesn’t mean jeans (unless the interviewer specifies – and then you still might want to consider khakis). It doesn’t mean you forget your professional demeanor – from handshake to sitting properly. You still have the same goals – show yourself and what you can do for your future employer in the best possible light. And find out if this is the job, the company, and the environment for you.

Dinner or Lunch Interview

Interviewing over a meal? Piece of cake!

Well, not necessarily. The lunch or dinner interview may come in the middle of the process, or towards the end. It typically means you’re past the initial hurdle of rapport. But interviewing over a meal is about social skills and multi-tasking, as much as anything else.

Typically, this kind of interview will take place if you are going to be in sales, consulting, management, or some other role where you may have to wine and dine clients or partners.

What do you differently from any other interview?

Nothing. But there are more distractions. So remember the rules of the coffee shop interview. Don’t let the environment throw you off your game. While at this stage this is more about rapport, you’re still there to show yourself in the best light, focus on the interviewer’s questions, and stick to your themes and goals.

Some other particulars?

• If wine is served with dinner, don’t overdo it.
• Don’t order the most expensive thing on the menu! But don’t go for the cheapest either.
• Avoid foods that are overly messy, will give you gas, or otherwise spell potential disaster.
• Enjoy the meal – just remember the reason you are there.

The Referral Interview

You didn’t go through normal channels. You got the interview because you networked, or you know someone in the company. Or maybe your uncle is a big client, and picked up the phone.

Your contact got you in the door. But then what? Don’t drop too many names. Don’t rely too heavily on your connections. You’ll irritate the recruiter, the hiring manager, and possibly your future colleagues. Even if you get the job, you’ll start out with some obstacles to overcome.

Best bet? Be qualified. Be prepared for the interview, and do all the other “right stuff” that says you’re the best person for the job.

The Out-of-Town Interview

Not every job is in your home town. If you’re interviewing with a company that is out of town or out of state, your first interview is likely to be by phone. Once you pass with flying colors, your second and subsequent interviews may be scheduled at the job site location.

Your prospective employer should offer a few choices of dates for the trip. Clarify the logistics of purchasing airline tickets (for example), reimbursement (including car rental, mileage, meals), or if their travel agency is going to handle it all for you. Be sure you know the details of hotel, and so on. Confirm everything through email.

For an out-of-town position, some employers will schedule more than one full day of interviews. You may be faced with two long days filled with new faces, names, and things to remember.  

Be sure you are well prepared to go the distance from A to Z – everything from a typical “second interview” to the close.

Large employers may pay for you to see them out of town more than once. This means your full day(s) of interviewing are spread over two trips.

All the usual interviewing tips apply: be prepared, be professional, and make sure to follow up when you return home. Include the issue of relocation in your closing negotiations.  

The Out-of-Country Interview

While this is very similar to the more standard out-of-town process, it has a few special challenges. Your initial interview(s) may be by phone, and may be in a language which is not your mother tongue.

Be prepared with dictionary if needed, paper and pencil, and a quiet place so you can really focus.

You may subsequently meet in your area with a representative of the organization, before being flown overseas for more extensive interviews, and typically, the close.

Be sure you speak clearly and carefully, if you are speaking to someone in a language that is not their first language. And if you are being interviewed in a second language, make sure it is one you've practiced beforehand.

When flown out-of-the country, it may be for two to three days of very intensive interviewing. You will get tired! Be sure to allow for some amount of the following in your scheduling:

• Jet lag
• Culture shock
• Potential issues with change in diet and sleep patterns
• Fatigue in speaking a language that is not your first.

Try to schedule the traveling to the job location for the weekend, to minimize the above effects. Use the Internet, friends from that country, your local Consulate, books, or other sources to hit the highlights of what is accepted business etiquette and professional attire in that environment. Familiarize yourself with it before you leave. Remember that you could go all the way to the close, as with any out-of-town interview. That means you may be negotiating compensation, relocation, expatriation issues, and other working conditions when you are tired, jetlagged, and speaking a foreign language.

Be prepared for that! And remember – you can always return home with an offer in principle, and get back to the ultimate decision maker with final negotiations and terms by telephone. This gives you the advantage of a bit of rest, home soil comfort, more research and discussion with friends and family, and the ability to do any monetary conversions on pay when you aren’t exhausted or translating numbers in your head.

Be sure to remember lead times for visas, passport, and other special logistics when dealing with the possibility of an overseas position.

Executive Interview

You’re nearly there. For some positions, it takes executive blessing to get the nod. Anticipate big picture questions about the direction of the industry, your long term plans, or what you think of the organization’s strategy in a particular area.

Stay calm, confident, positive, and focused. You’re almost there.

Closing the Deal

This may be the second interview, or the eighth interview. It depends entirely upon the job, the organization, and the particular situation.

Whether you’ve been going around for four months or just four days, you’ve gotten to this point because you have the stuff to do the job. This is the time to close the deal.

At this stage, you already have an offer in principle. They’ve made it clear they want you, and you’ve made it clear you’re interested in accepting the position.

This is where you discuss and negotiate:

• Salary
• Perks and benefits
• Working conditions and any special exceptions
• Relocation if applicable
• Start date and other logistics.

Once you’ve reached this point, it’s yours to lose. Negotiating compensation is usually a large part of this meeting. The preparation you’ve already put in – knowing the industry, talking to others connected with the organization, knowing your own worth – will all help get you there. And in the mean time, if negotiating compensation packages is new to you, www.salary.com is a good resource to get you started.