15 Different Types of Interviews w/ Example Questions & Tips

A job interview can be a nerve-wracking experience especially if you’ve never faced any interviews or interview rounds before. Oftentimes, the top challenges that you might face when being interviewed include:

• Not knowing what to wear 
• Being asked tough questions 
• Not doing research on the position and the employer 
• Forgetting to thank the employer after the interview

Among those, a lack of understanding of the job interview and its types can play havoc with your interview process. While more and more companies start to use different kinds of interviews to help them evaluate candidates better, each follows a different format and has unique characteristics. 

In this article, we will explain the 15 types of interviews you may experience as a job candidate and how to ace an interview. 

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 1: Traditional Interview

This is the scenario you’ll face most often: you sit down with a solo interviewer, who can be the manager, team leader, or sometimes the business owner, and answer a series of questions given by them. The purpose is to determine whether you’re a great candidate for the job.

Who is most likely to face a traditional interview:

• Candidates with extensive work experience in the field 
• Candidates who apply for in-person work 

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 2: Behavioral Interview

This type of interview technique is generally associated with a specific situation in the past in order to assess how you conduct yourself in a professional environment. Having plenty of work experience before, you need to provide the answers that can demonstrate your strengths, skills, and abilities as an employee.

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 3: Structured Interview

For this type of interview method, interviewers ask you and other candidates the same questions so that they can make comparisons and assessments of all responses. It means that the interviewees sitting here are two candidates having similar expertise and background.

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 4: Semi-Structured Interview

The semi-structured interview is an interview in which the interviewer will not strictly follow a list of predetermined questions, meaning that you will have to be prepared for the unexpected. Instead, they will ask more open-ended questions or raise the questions spontaneously in a free-flowing conversation.

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 5: Unstructured Job Interview

The major difference between structured, semi-structured, and unstructured interviews is that the questions asked by the interviewer will be either fixed or changed based on your responses.

Fresh graduates and entry-level candidates might find unstructured job interviews less intimidating than formal ones as this style of interview tends to focus on open-ended questions, meaning they cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” response.

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 6: Video Interview

Here comes the most common interview format for those seeking remote work regardless of whether you're an entry-level or experienced professional. Think of it as a traditional in-person interview but conducted via computer screens instead. One winning tip for this kind of interview is to sit in a quiet room with a stable Internet connection. 

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 7: Phone Interview 

This is normally the first interview round to see if you’re a fit to come in for a full interview. Phone interviews are common for all job roles and in all industries, in which you may be asked to introduce briefly yourself and explain why you applied for this position. Similar to video interviews, make sure you sit in a noise-free place to interview on the phone. 

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 8: Panel Interview

For this type of job interview, you will speak with several people from the company at the same time because they can see you from different perspectives.

The interviewing committee usually includes the hiring manager, an HR representative, and other people you may interact with regularly in the future like the department head and the team leader. 

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 9: Group Interview

By definition, group interviews are interviews where multiple candidates are asked questions at once. Each of the interviewees will take turns to respond to the same question given by the interviewer. 

Who is most likely to face a group interview:

• Students seeking internships
• Candidates looking for positions in which the company is hiring multiple people for the same job (i.e., sales, customer service, etc.)

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 10: Informal Interview 

Here comes a different interview style - less formalized and more laid-back compared with a typical job interview. Informal interviews usually take place during the initial screening process, when recruiters just want to get to know you better. Hence, they can help you find suitable job openings.

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 11: Case Interview 

Unlike the various types of interviews mentioned earlier, a case study interview puts you in a hypothetical role where you have to deal with a specific situation or task you might handle if hired. For this type of interview, skills that employers are expecting you to demonstrate include critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.  

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 12: Job Fair Interview

Job fairs are useful for a range of students, especially those seeking internship programs and recent graduates looking for full-time employment.

Representatives from different companies treat a job fair interview like a mini interview that lasts only 10-15 minutes. For this kind of interview, you should not only answer their questions but also take the chance to learn more about the position and the company. 

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 13: Technical Interview

If you're considering a career in the tech industry like engineering, science, or software development, be well prepared for a technical interview where employers will dig deeper into your technical abilities and expertise in your chosen field.

For this type of interview, other skills that are highly valued also include critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work well under pressure. 

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 14: Competency-Based Interview

This type of interview technique is also known as structured, behavioral, or situational interviews. As its name implies, a competency-based interview aims to test a variety of your skills through a list of set questions based on actual events.

This interview format is widely used by employers across all sectors but is particularly favored by large graduate recruiters, who may use them as part of an assessment center.

🧑‍💻 Interview Type 15: Final Interview

As the last step of the interview process, a final-round interview will focus on comparing you to the potential candidates considered for that role. During this one, you are likely to meet with the CEO and/or other members of upper management so they can see how you respond in a group setting and how well you fit within the company culture. 

A final interview can take place in different interview styles – most commonly, a case interview or a semi-structured interview. 

Regardless of the differences in various types of interviews you might be facing, there are 5 winning tips you can use to succeed in all. 

1. Research the company.

Here comes a secret weapon that may give you a huge advantage during your interview - researching the company. That way, you will learn about the company's culture, mission, and values, which allows you to determine if this is the right workplace for you. You will also be able to prepare better for your upcoming interview since you know who they are and what they're looking for in the candidate. 

2. Review the job description carefully. 

It's important to do so not only when writing your resume and cover letter, but also prior to any interview rounds. Reading the job description over and over will help you better understand what the company expects from you in terms of background, expertise, and even cultural fit. Based on the job description, you can also predict what questions you might be asked by the interviewer and determine which type of interview technique to use. 

3. Do mock interviews.

By definition, a mock interview is a practice job interview held with a professional career counselor or even someone you know. They can be your friends, your former senior colleague, or your school advisor who can help you learn how to answer common interview questions, develop interview strategies, improve your communication skills, and reduce your stress before an actual job interview. 

4. Ask proper questions.

As your job interview comes to a close, take the time to ask the interviewer some questions, for example:

• What are you looking for in a candidate?
• What is the most challenging part of this role?
• Is overtime expected?
• How many days can I work from home? 

The reason is that you can ensure the company is a good match for not only your qualifications and interests but also your personality. On the other hand, not asking any questions could make the hiring manager feel you are unprepared or disinterested.

5. Be professional.

Here are some dos you need to maintain before, during, and after each interview round:

• Arrive at least 5 minutes prior to the interview. 
• Dress appropriately.
• Turn off the phone ring. 
• Pay attention to what the interviewers say and don't interrupt them.
• Avoid talking about irrelevant or controversial topics such as financial status, family plans, political affiliation, religion, etc.
• Send a thank you email after the interview.

--- Originally written by May Luong ---