VARIOUS TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

Transcription

1 VARIOUS TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

2 An interview serves as a platform for exchanging information between the applicant and the interviewer in the context of the position in hand. There are several types of interviews that you may have to go through, depending on the post that you have applied for. For the various interview types it is likely that a set of interviewers with special skill sets, like those who are capable of eliciting detailed personal information or those who just do a random question answer session etc., are appointed it s always helpful to know which types of interviews you are going to, as it makes preparation much easier. But in case you are not aware of what type of interviews it will be, you will have to judge it for yourself during the course of the interview as to what information to ask and provide. * The different types of interviews are known by different names though they can be basically divided into five categories namely: * screening * selection * Panel * Extended (Serial) * Phone * Informational (exploratory) * Case This guide delves into the nature of each of the interview type and gives you interview advice in terms of what is more suitable for one type of interview than the other. Different Types of Job Interviews: What are Job Screening interviews? Screening interview is the first step in the different types of interviews. This Prescreen interview filters out the inappropriate applicants and hence most of them would not go through the next round Preparation for a Phone Interview: Telephone interviews are not the best method of interviewing for either party. During phone interview, the interviewers will be making an evaluation of you based on miscellaneous information and impressions. How to prepare for a Screening Interview Screening interviews are ideally meant to find a position even though nothing may be open at the time of the interview. In screening interviews, the applicant sets up the interview to screen the employer of potential positions, either current or near future. How to attend Extended Job (Serial) Interviews Long job interviews also referred to as serial interviews, start from a HR manager, then going to the vice president of the department or a group of employees from the post and so on. All end up asking usually

3 the same questions with a different perspective in judging the candidate s answers. Their perspectives are based on how do the candidate s answers affect their personal position? What is a Panel Interview? Panel interviews as the name indicates are carried out by a group of interviewers. The group job interview questions will be in an unrelated sequence meant to derail your concentration. What is the Selection Interview? The selection interview is the most crucial. The selection interview is a great opportunity for one to create an impression on the interviewer by displaying ones personality traits to the best advantage. Though all the interview rounds are equally important, the selection interview is the most crucial.it is here that the employer evaluates you in full detail ranging from matters like your work history, education background your potential, determination and goals and basically anything and everything relevant for the particular post. The selection interview is the most detailed interview that one has to go through. The selection interview is a great opportunity for one to create an impression on the interviewer by displaying ones personality traits to the best advantage. The Interview and Selection Process can be done by either a recruiter or another employee of the employment department or by the manager of the department. Regardless of who does the interview, these selection interviews are probing. Selection interview Questions: It is in these interviews that one has to display the winning edge with the quality of the questions and the comments about the company. In a platform where all the other candidates have the same qualifications and skill sets, it is here that one has to impress the interviewers. As a selection interview guide we recommend you to ask such questions like the goals of the company and department, the company s philosophy, the job description, how it might be enhanced and other key issues. Attitude regarding specific work situations and how you relate to co workers and supervisors, and you may also be asked to state your personal long term goals. The interview and the selection process entail eliciting complete information by both parties leaving nothing to be discussed further. The salary and benefits are usually discussed in this interview, if not already discussed in the screening interview. What is a Behavioral Job Interview? Behavioral interviewing is a growing mode of job interviewing. Employers such as AT&T and Accenture have been using behavioral interviewing for about 15 years now, and because increasing numbers of employers are using behavior based methods to screen job candidates, understanding how to excel in this interview environment is becoming a crucial job hunting skill.

4 The premise behind behavioral interviewing is that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in similar situations. Behavioral interviewing, in fact, is said to be 55 percent predictive of future on the job behavior, while traditional interviewing is only 10 percent predictive. Here is one list of sample behavioral based interview questions: * Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way. * Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills. * Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem. * Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it. * Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone's opinion. * Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree. * Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete. * Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done. * Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks. The Case Interview If you're a business school student at the undergraduate or MBA level chances are you already know something about how to handle a very specialized kind of job interview the case interview. Many business school courses revolve around case analysis, and many business students have become pros at picking business cases apart. The case interview is employed primarily by management consulting firms, as well as investmentbanking companies, and is increasingly being used by other types of corporations as at least part of the job interviewing process. Some firms use case interviews only for MBA level job candidates, while others use them for undergraduates, as well. The finance interview Do you know what movement of the yen/dollar rate has been in the last year? What is happening with the financial situation in Portugal? Who the CEOs of the Big 4 in Finance consulting are? Why would you work in an investment bank rather than in an insurance company? Would you invest in a 5 star restaurant in the center of Rome or in several smaller ones around Italy? Getting invited to an interview in the finance and banking sectors is the easy part of finding a job. What follows is one of the toughest interviews you can imagine. These are some of the basic questions which might fail you if you are looking for a job in the finance and banking sectors: Why do you want to work in this sector? The recruiter is looking for information on your predisposition and evidence that you would fit in this competitive and dynamic environment. To give a

5 strong answer you would have to provide significant details of how you have demonstrated interest or competence. It is not enough to simply say you are a hard working, team oriented responsible person. You would need to give clear and specific examples within your answer which defines you as a person and as a professional suitable for the job. Who are our competitors and what makes our company different? Any recruiter would be expecting that you have done your research and you have a clear knowledge both about the company and about your fit within the corporate culture. Make sure you are ready to compare at least with 1 2 competitors. Some key differences might come from their annual reports, values, mission statements, employee policies, sectors and markets, etc. What important developments do you see in the future in this industry? The recruiter is inviting you to think and shine with knowledge and analytical skills. You would need to be familiar with the economic situation, recent legislation, new tendencies, etc. On the other hand, some questions can get very specific. They tend to test your constant commitment and interests in the field. Some top finance and banking institutions are known for asking: Where did the DOW close yesterday? It might happen that you do not know the exact number, but make sure you are within a range of trade within the last 3 days. If you know you are going to a finance/banking interview there is no excuse to miss on reading the financial press. If you really want to impress the interviewer, you should know where the S&P 500, NASDAQ, Russell 1000, FTSE, Nikkei, Hang Seng and Dax closed as well. Which is your favorite stock and why? You cannot afford to be general and qualitative at your answer. Know your numbers and make sure you apply some fundamental financial / technical analysis. At least talk about the P/E ratio and where it stands relative to its peer group. It would also help if you think about price/growth, EBITDA/enterprise value, leverage ratios, etc. Describe a specific fundamental concept in the field Recruiters can ask you about valuation, trading a security, executing a sell side transaction, etc. It is vital that you present a response that demonstrates your firm understanding about the concept, its importance and its application. Make sure you discuss: 1. the definition; 2. the definition of the additional terms of the definition; 3. the application of the concept in a global context. At some stage of the recruitment process, there will be a competency based interview and a behavioral interview (listed below). Make sure you are ready to demonstrate what skills, knowledge, motivation and personal characteristics make you effective at work and give specific and unique examples of how you have performed in the past. This is the only way you can stand out from the crowd. In the following articles we will talk about the most required competences. The Competency Stress Interview This interview is designed to test you psychological stability and your ability to remain calm under pressure. During the interview the recruiter can put you in uncomfortable situations, ask you irrelevant or unexpected questions or even not listen to you. There are different tactics they might use: they could try to catch you off guard with unexpected behavior (taking their shoes off in the middle of the interview); they could ask you direct and uncomfortable questions (sometimes professional but also

6 personal); they could have an aggressive attitude and literally scream at you for the color or your shirt; or they could ask you puzzling questions such as How many devils fit on the tip of a pin?. This interview aims to see if you can handle pressure, demanding clients or unpleasant situations with dignity. As this is not an easy interview to pass, and you would not be warned in advance what to expect, we would advise that: You go highly prepared for the interview. During a Stress interview, the recruiter could be interrupting you repeatedly, so you need to know what you want to say and how. You ignore the theatre and focus on the factual presentation of your skills and assets so that you can best answer the questions. You have your Unique Selling Points (your strongest assets) very clearly defined. Do not miss the chance to put them on the table, even in a stress situation. You make sure you understand the question and ask for sufficient clarifications before you answer. This will both give you some time to think and also it is often exactly what is expected of you. You remember it is not personal, it is only theatre; thus, take it with calm and cold blooded professionalism you should not respond harshly or defensively. The Competency (Behavioral) Interview A competency, or behavioral, interview will study closely your actions to identify patterns in your professional behavior. Competencies are not a substitute for technical knowledge. They are behavioral traits that have been identified as essential for success at the job. The questions that usually come out on such interviews ask you to explain specific situations from your previous professional (or academic) life and define how you have dealt with them. They would usually start with Tell me about a time that. The recruiters would ask you to describe situations when you displayed attitude, actions, and knowledge required at the position at stake. The theory behind competency based interviewing is that you are highly likely to repeat past behaviors, both in a professional and in a personal environment. Based on your answer, the recruiter is trying to infer how effectively you would handle future problems if they were to offer you a job. Some of the common key competencies that you might be asked to talk about include: teamwork, responsibility, commitment to career, decision making, leadership, problem solving, organizational skills, etc. In order to best perform during a Competency Interview, we would advise you to keep in mind the following things: Study well the job offer you are applying to. Identify the competencies that the offer requires and be ready to give examples of your past experience where you displayed these specific competences. Prepare at least two personal examples per competency. It is very important that the situations you are describing are related to you and are not the experience of someone else. The interviewer is interested in your abilities, not those of your team, your manager, your company, etc. Thus, even if you are describing a team situation, make sure that you state very clearly what role you played in the team s achievements, what was your added value to the project s results and how you have supported your manager and the Business through the achievement of your goals.

7 Recruiters would drill down all the details from the story you are telling. Be ready to talk about your examples in very much detail. Be very specific in describing the situation, the timing, the sector, the reason, the solution, etc. Do not worry if when asked a competency question you need a couple of minutes to formulate a smooth answer. It is normal to ask the recruiter for a few moments to think and once you are ready with a good example, tell the story. A competency interview gives you the unique opportunity to directly relate and explain how your already proven competencies and experience match the particular requirements of the job. Although you can use experiences both from your personal and professional life, we would strongly recommend that you remain on the employment (or academic) level. In summary, all interviews, regardless of type, require research and rehearsing. The more prepared a candidate is, the more confident, perceived as knowledgeable and untimely less stressful the experience can be.