WK 12B- Interviews

Types of interviews

• Counseling interview

• Employment interview

• Exit interview

• Grievance interview

• Group interview

• Informational interview

• Interrogation interview

• Media interview

• Performance review

• Persuasive interview

Counseling interview

• Held in order to provide information/advice 

• Information seeking

Ex: course selection, career selection 

Employment interview

• When you are seeking a career 

Exit interview

• Takes place after you are leaving a job 

• Last day, employer wants to get feedback on the company, or just turning in keys 

• Sometimes formal, sometimes informal

Grievance interview

• Involves some type of complain

• Addressing complain 

Group interview

• Panel 

  • More interviewees than interviewers 

  • Common in jobs where companies want you to perform in group settings 

Ex: airlines 

• Board 

  • Being interviewed by a board 

  • More interviews than interviewees 

  • Interviewed by more than one person at the same time 

Ex: Senate hearings, issue and CEO of company/head of agency is interviewed by senators at the same time

types of interviews are defined by

the purpose 

Informational interview

• Not seeking advice but gathering information for your own purposes 

Ex: you are deciding which college to go to and you meet with a member of staff/faculty when you visit the college 

Interrogation interview

• Some types of offence requiring investigation, evidence inquiry, etc. 

Ex: you are speeding and police officer pulls you over 

Media interview 

• Some type of interaction in media setting 

Ex: reporter at your door, you arrange a virtual interview 

Performance review 

• Indicates how you met the goals in the previous review, setting new goals

• Aka annual review, evaluation review 

At Rutgers called personnel reviews 

Persuasive interview 

• Fulfill unmet needs 

• Ex: making a pitch the you deserve a raise 

Stages of interview

• Opening phase

• Question Phase

• Closing Phase

Opening phase

First few minutes of interaction 

• Rapport (handshake, first seeing each other, told to sit down) 

• Orientation (interviewer provides sense of how interviews take place) 

• Motivation (where interviewer makes a pitch to make sure they get the most honest answers possible - puts interviewer at ease and also makes sure the interviewer gets info they want) 

Question Phase

• Preparation is key on both sides 

  • When you hear the question try to figure out what information is being sought. Why are they asking this question? 

  • What information are you going to share?

  • Anticipate questions and their answers

Closing phase

• Summarize major points covered 

  • What was discusses/key takeaways

• Make sure all important topics covered 

• Give interviewee chance to ask questions 

• the kind they ask is very important to show how much they know/researched about the company  

• Thank participants for time & cooperation 

• Include agreement on follow up 

  • Make sure they are clear on nest steps (both sides) 

Types of interview questions

Open ended questions

Hypothetical questions

Closed questions

Loaded questions

Leading questions

Third person question 

Verbal and nonverbal probes

Open ended questions

Broad, but aimed to get as much information from interviewee as possible 

• Also Give them a lot of control 

Hypothetical questions

• What if scenarios to see how interviewee would respond 

Direct question

• Typically answered with one or two words 

• Specific and yes or no questions 

Closed question

• Similar to multiple choice questions 

• Provides answer choices for you 

• Limits the answers a bit more 

• Right answer could be hinted at 

Loaded questions

• Questions intended to generate an emotional response from interviewee

Leading questions

• Imply but don't guarantee correct answer 

• Gives more control than closed question 

Ex: “We are looking for creative people here. What do you have to offer?”

• Pitch how you are creative 

Third person question 

• Put a third person in the situation/question to put less pressure on the interviewee

Ex: “What does your group think about the proposal?”

Verbal and Nonverbal probes 

• Not direct type of questions but used during interview to get convo going 

Ex: “Tell me more.” “I see.” 

It does matter which questions you pick

Depending on the type of question you ask/are being asked the control shifts from interviewer to interviewee

• Type of questions you ask are guided upon how much information you have on individual you are interviewing 

• To ask a closed question you need to have a lot of info about interviewee

• Closed question you don't need to know much about interviewee and can build up 

Organizational Structure of the Interview 

4 types/ways of organizing interview questions

• Funnel Sequence

• Inverted Funnel Sequence 

• Hourglass sequence

• Diamond sequence

Funnel Sequence

• The interview starts with open ended questions, finishes with a closed sequence 

• Open to closed 

Inverted Funnel Sequence 

• closed to open 

• You have a lot of information about interviewee so you can start with closed question  

Hourglass sequence 

• Open closed open

• You get an unexpected response from funnel sequence 

• Have to reopen question after they get unexpected response

• Diamond sequence 

• Closed open closed

• When you use inverted sequence and get an unexpected response 

• Have to start reclosing questions

How to prepare for a successful interview 

Prepare Mentally & Physically 

Impression management 

Interviewer responsibilities 

Lawful Questions 

Prepare Mentally & Physically 

• Use impression management techniques 

• Create a positive impression 

• Have positive attitude 

• Dress for the occasion 

Impression management 

• Speak rapidly and forcefully 

• Look directly at interviewer 

• Nod head in positive manner 

• Gesture and smile often 

• Lean forward, maintain comfortable postures

• Use nonverbal code to advantage 

  • Use it to demonstrate confidence (you want to/ are happy to be there) 

Interviewer responsibilities 

• Contact interviewee before interview 

• Plan the environment 

• Organize the interview carefully (opening, question/response, closing) 

• Ask only Lawful Questions 

Lawful Questions 

• All questions must be job related 

• The same basic questions/premise of question must be asked of all applicants 

If not met, question considered illegal 

You can ask if a person is considered a US citizen? 

Interview challenges 

• tough/controversial questions

• You can try to find what interviewer is trying to gain/what info they want 

• Could walk out 

Arrest/conviction

• Different bc arrest doesn't imply conviction

• No law where employer can’t ask about arrest and conviction 

  • Should give candidate opportunity to explain