Every job requires a specific kind of skills and talent, thereby recruiting managers worldwide to try different interview techniques to find the "Best-Fit" for an opening job position. Types of interviews vary from one job to another. A structured interview is typical in an IT department because hiring managers assess skills based on a planned questionnaire and its answers (that are already defined). 

However, when you apply for customer-service, recruiters will stick with a behavioral interview to know how well you can handle different kinds of customers.

In the recruitment world, knowledge is critical. One must know about different types of interviews. Getting an idea about type helps you understand the format and what to expect from your interviewer. Thereby, you can prepare your mind ahead of time. 

Let's start exploring details of different interview types. 

1.Face-to-Face Interview

It's undoubtedly one of the most common types of interviews. Everyone already knows about it. Some people also call it a "personal interview."

This Interview can be either structured or unstructured. Structured one means everything is defined and thoroughly planned, from questions to answers. A non-structured one lets a candidate speak up more, and it's more like a discussion where one question or answer leads to another. 

It can be formal or casual. In a formal setting, you need to go to an office and follow the proper dress code. Get an idea of what to wear to an interview. Do preparation, and then answer questions. 

In casual or semi-formal style, you will go to a lunch where the environment might be casual but still need to do all the preparation. The dress code for this Interview is business casual.

Pros:

•  It lets a recruiter assess the skills and abilities of a person effectively.

Cons: 

• Time-consuming, especially when tons of applicants are available. 
• Recruiters spend more than 30 minutes with every candidate.

2. Walk-in Job Interview

It's another common interview type where you don't need to send an application. Instead, it's like an invitation to go with your resume and sell your talent during the Interview. The recruiter will check your resume and then ask you a question related to your job. If you do good, there will be a second interview (face-to-face).  

Recruiters opt for this kind of Interview when they want to replace a resigned employee or don't have much time. Therefore, they invite everyone to bring their CV to the office where the interviewer checks their resume and conducts an interview. 

Like any other job interview; you need to do Interview preparation and take care of all essential things to get hired or at-least impress the recruiter for a second interview call.

Pros

• No need to do application screening. 
• On-spot screening can be done.

Cons

• Require more time.

3. Group Interview

Recruiters go with group interviews when they have many applications and want to give everyone a fair chance. In a group interview, they assign tasks to everyone, or they ask one question, and every candidate takes part in discussions and assignments.

Know: 9 Tips to Nail a Group Interview 

Companies prefer group interviews because it sparks up competition among every candidate. They can shortlist the best ones without wasting time. 

A hiring manager opts for group interview techniques when a job requires teamwork. Besides, he wants to assess candidates in a competitive and stressful environment like how he would react and how he manages all.

Pros: 

• One day is required to select the best candidates for jobs. 
• A wide range of skill assessment is possible, especially teamwork and interpersonal skills.

Cons: 

• Face to face assessment isn't possible.
• Not suitable for every job kind.

4. Phone Interview

When a recruiter has a tight budget in hand and can't afford to invite everyone at the office, the simplest method of candidate screening is a phone interview.

This Interview's time scale is shorter than face-to-face, and you won't have to spend a full day on one Interview. Recruiters can interview many candidates on the same day.

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When time and funds for an interview is limited, phone interviews are undoubtedly the best method to go with.

Pros

•  Inexpensive method
• Less time consuming

Cons 

• Recruiters can't check the body language of a candidate.
• Connectivity issues are common.

5. Video Interview

In this era of modern technology, tons of recruiters rely heavily on a video interview. It's far better than a phone interview to see the candidate and assess his body language. 

SKYPE, ZOOM, and Google Hangouts are among the best applications a recruiter can use to conduct a video interview. 

Even when you are not going into an office, this type of Interview is the same as any other formal job interview. You will dress up, choose a distraction-free background, and do interview preparation.

A hiring manager prefers this method because it lets them hire remote workers easily. Online HR managers always opt for a video interview. 

Pros 

• Cost-effective method
• offer the same setting like an office

Cons

• Connectivity issue is common

6. Behavioral /Depth Interview

It is one of the most common types of job interviews whose primary purpose is to evaluate every candidate's behavior. When a job relies heavily on a person's behavior, this kind of talk is necessary. 

It's good to know that video, walk-in, and face-to-face interviews might have some questions in which recruiters try to assess an applicant's behavior.

Find out: How to End a Cover Letter to Win a Job Interview 

You need to know all about behavioral interview questions and their answers. Recruiters try to check your skills such as communication, leadership, problem-solving, organization, etc.

A hiring manager will ask, "Tell me about a time..." or "Can you recall a day when you had to."

Pros 

• Behavioral assessment becomes super easy
• Recruiters can find the best-fit based on skill set

Cons

• Time-consuming

7. Situational Interview

In this type of job interview, recruiters put candidates in different situations and then assess his response. It could be any situation. The best way to answer situational interview questions is to make the most of the STAR technique.

The purpose of this Interview is to find a candidate who can handle different job-related situations quite well. 

Pros

• Evaluation becomes simpler

Cons

• Take more time than other types of Interview

8. Informational Interview

Sometimes, you want to get a job in a specific company. You connect with the headhunter or hiring manager of that company through LinkedIn or cold-email. After this connection, you schedule an interview.

The purpose of an informational interview is to gather all the information related to the company and the job position you are interested in. It's possible that there is a job opening, and you plan a meeting with the headhunter to shine in an interview. 

There might not be an opening, but still, you want to collect information for future use. You go there with job-related questions like what skills are a must for that job, how you can get that job, etc.

I am sharing an email Template for Asking About an Informational Interview 

It's a kind of Interview where you try to get a job without asking for it.

Pros

• You can gather information about your dream job.
• The best method of networking and connecting with recruiters

Cons

• You may not get that job.
• Unless you have confidence and communication skills, you won't get a good response.

9. Panel/Board of Interview

This type of Interview is common for a top and senior-level job position. A panel of top and middle-level management takes part in this job interview. Every person asks job-related and other questions from one candidate at a time.

No doubt, it is a full-of-pressure kind of Interview because when you look around and see more than one person assessing every move and word, then you become confused.

However, it would help if you kept your self-confidence intact; else, you won't get a job offer.

Pros

• A fair assessment of every candidate
•  no chance of personal bias

Cons

• Need to adjust the interview date according to availability of executives
• Time-consuming

10.Stress Interview

It's a rare job interview, but many recruiters use stress techniques to determine the best fit for a position. When you are applying for a job where you need to work under pressure or cope with lots of stress or provide solutions to multiple problems, you need to be well-prepared for a strain or pressure interview.

A hiring manager will apply all pressure tactics to break you. So, be ready for it. He will use different techniques, such as:

• Not letting you complete your sentence - Interruption again and again
• Asking a question that can make you uncomfortable
• bombardment of multiple series questions
• criticizing your answers
• contradicting your viewpoints

No matter what the recruiter will do or request, you won't have to lose your temper. Keep reminding yourself, it's nothing but a testing phase, and you have to keep your insanity at all costs.

Pros 

• Best Technique to find a candidate for a stress-oriented job

Cons

• Make the environment tense

11. Testing Interview

Many companies have applied proactive interview techniques. Instead of asking questions, they believe in putting you inside the company and see how you perform. The recruiter will assign you a task to test your skills. Like a developer needs to handle a bug, a writer needs to create a sample, a salesperson has to sell something, etc.

A task-oriented job interview is designed to evaluate skills and then find a person based on performance. A candidate who performs better than others is certainly the one company would hire.

Pros

• The modern way of evaluation
• Candidate screening is possible in less time.

Cons

• Sometimes, a task isn't good enough to evaluate candidacy. 

Wrap Up

You have got an idea of different types of job interviews. You don't know for sure what kind of job interview you have to experience. Getting a picture of all those kinds lets you understand every situation you might have to encounter in your professional life. Make up your mind for every worst situation and be ready to shine with your skills and talent.