Interview: structure, types and features

A good education, solid professional experience and so on are important. But most jobs are interviewed anyway. Potential applicants need to know what types of such a procedure exist and what are its features in different cases.

The answer to this question is not difficult if you put yourself in the shoes of the employer. From his point of view, the goal interview favors an assessment of the suitability of candidates for jobs. They are evaluated according to a variety of criteria.

There are several parts to this procedure. Usually there are:

• the beginning of the conversation;
• general questions and initial acquaintance with the candidate;
• elucidation of the adaptive personality traits;
• determination of the intellectual characteristics of a person;
• determination of compliance with future professional responsibilities;
• block with non-standard questions;
• ending the conversation.

There are several types of interviews.

Most often it is he who is meant by the word "interview". This format assumes nThe closest confidential contact of a recruiter (boss) with a candidate. We manage to quickly discuss an extensive set of issues. But the subjectivity of the appraisal on the part of the recruiter is great. And it will take quite a lot of time.

It's not just about the situation when invited for an interview 2 or more people (in fact, a group format). There is also a panel subspecies, when 2 or more interviewers are involved in the procedure. This technique should not be confused with the mock group interviews often found in network marketing. In reality, it is designed to assess leadership qualities, the ability to organize work.

In the past, a telephone was used for him. Skype and other messengers are now actively used. Contrary to popular myth, appearance and manners in this format are judged almost more picky than in a traditional office interview. They try to use remote interviews not only for nonresident or foreign applicants. It is considered an excellent primary selection method.

In addition to types, interviews are divided into the following types.

This method isn't all that unusual; it is very often used to evaluate candidates for leadership. They offer one or another conditional situation from which it is required to find the optimal way out. This technique is appreciated because it allows you to see a person's way of thinking and understand how ready he is to act correctly.

It looks more like an interview in the usual sense of the word, but as an acquaintance. The job seeker has a lot more to say than his employer. A common option is to ask you to talk about your life. In this kind of storytelling, it is very difficult to build templates and use "homemade". Moreover, the interviewer always controls the course of the conversation and can direct it in the right direction.

The bottom line is focusing on the life of the candidate. But here the role of the interviewer is already more active.... They may be asked to tell about the motives for choosing an educational institution and specialization in it. Naturally they are also interested in:

• motives when choosing a previous job and leaving it;
• what a person considers unsatisfactory, unfaithful in his life over the past few years;
• relationships with other people;
• management experience and so on.

As it is easy to understand from the name, in this case knowledge, skills and abilities of various kinds are checked. Due to time constraints, they are interested in general competence. For example:

• for an accountant basic economic terms and definitions are important;
• for the secretary - types of documents and organizations, their approximate structure;
• for engineer and designer - fundamentals of higher mathematics, resistance of materials, standards.

You don't need to be an expert in psychology to understand that in a complex, ambiguous situation, people behave differently than at rest. Stressful interview designed to shake the usual peace, determine the stability of the candidate. Every employer wants to prevent breakdowns due to instability, unpredictability of behavior.

Let's consider the main stages of a full-fledged interview.

The role of this stage is not only to agree on the optimal timing of the conversation or immediately postpone it to another day. Already by the manner of speaking, presenting oneself during a telephone conversation, they judge a person. Of course, this "works" in both directions. The applicant for the position can evaluate a potential employer already at this moment. Yes, you can say as much as you like that the procedure is preliminary, but it is the first impression that is always stronger.

If you are invited for a job interview, it’s too early to rejoice. It is imperative to think over to the smallest detail how to show yourself. And it is important to do this regardless of whether the boss (recruiter) has a preliminary conversation with candidates, a second or final interview. It is obvious that you need to tidy up your clothes and shoes, take care of hygiene - or not come at all. But it's not only that.

A good candidate, regardless of the position and the degree of his chances of taking it, will try to learn more about the company and its leadership. It is useful even at the stage of telephone conversations or during correspondence to find out:

• the exact location of the place where the interview is scheduled;
• features of the access system;
• corporate dress code;
• employees with whom to communicate;
• possible test tasks;
• necessary documents and materials.

A high-quality presentation means that the employer will receive an answer to the questions:

• how competent the candidate is as a whole;
• what technologies, skills and techniques in the profession he owns;
• what life positions does he adhere to;
• how purposeful and diligent.

Of course, you must arrive exactly at the time when you are scheduled to appear for the interview. It is worth finding out in advance the features of the route, taking care of the serviceability of your personal car, and calculating the travel time. Better - with alternative options. If suddenly there is a delay due to unforeseen circumstances, you need to immediately call and warn... These principles will improve your chances at both your initial interview and your follow-up interview.

Most often, the conversation lasts from 10 to 40 minutes (about 75% of cases). In 10% of cases, it takes 40-60 minutes, and the probability of an interview of 61-90 minutes is less than 1%. And very long conversations await applicants for top positions in the organization, but not ordinary employees.

It does not matter in what format the meeting with the employer is to be held - whether it will be a conversation with the head of the organization, or with the head of a branch (structural unit), or with a recruiter. You need to behave politely and correctly from the first seconds. Both servility and excessive pride and self-glorification are unacceptable. In doing so, it is important to demonstrate goodwill, a positive overall attitude, and confidence.

If you already have another job, you need to clearly think about how to take time off for an interview. A few recommendations:

• if possible, make an appointment outside of normal business hours;
• try to replace lunch with an interview;
• motivate caregivers with health problems, difficulties in children or parents;
• declare yourself a witness to an accident or other incident.

But regardless of these subtleties, the practical result is still important. People are naturally interested in signs that make it possible to determine whether they have decided to be invited to a new job or whether they did not (and will not take). Undoubtedly positive signals will be:

• an enthusiastic conversation between a recruiter or a boss;
• offer of a guided tour of the territory;
• the interview is taking longer than planned;
• the conversation leans towards wages, bonuses, and the benefits of working in an organization;
• ask if there are any recommendations.

Failure is usually expressed in the following points:

• bad mood of the interviewer;
• his inattention to the interlocutor;
• a conversation going on clearly uncomfortable;
• early termination of the conversation.

Even if there are suspicions that they were not hired, you need to make a gesture of goodwill. Namely - send a letter of thanks after the interview. Time and effort wasted on you. This alone deserves respect.

A man's or a girl's conversation with a department head, CEO, or recruiter is not the whole story of the interview. Much depends on the profile of the employee being hired. So, if there is a vacancy in the specialty of a programmer, experienced managers will not try to assess his professionalism with “five magic questions”. But they will definitely ask about the most interesting of the projects that I had to deal with. When talking about an independent project, you will be asked to explain how different roles were combined by one person.

If the programmer says that he worked in a team, the recruiter will ask how everything was built there. They may also ask about:

• hobbies;
• desire to change this or that moment at the current place of work;
• idea of ​​the ideal place to work.

Some organizations even conduct interviews for the position of a loader. You do not need to go to it in business clothes, as it would be logical to do when interviewing a sales representative, lawyer, marketer or economist. It is more correct to come in a normal working form. It should be in perfect order. Important: the offer to smoke is nothing more than a test of willpower and discipline; good is the candidate who refuses.

But a conversation with recruiters awaits not only people of the above professions or, for example, a loan officer, but also top managers. Potential executives are expected to know at least as deeply information about the company as long-standing low-level employees. Sometimes you will have to show off your knowledge of organizational theory, workflow, market specifics in general and competitors in particular. In the same way, only in less detail, they ask those who have sent resumes to the territorial manager, restaurant manager, analyst.

But the future sales assistant needs to behave just as prudently. Here's some advice:

• tell from all professional activities only about successful sales;
• speak clearly and loudly, in a well-placed voice;
• answer the question about the knowledge of previously sold goods in detail, indicating small nuances.

It is important for a designer to demonstrate a willingness to solve not only complex standard, but also atypical tasks. Very often, many questions are asked that are designed to show the flexibility of thinking. There are also questions about building logical chains when there is a lack of initial data. They may be asked to formulate so many atypical ways of using simple things. There are many options, but the essence is the same - the designer will have to constantly think.

Those who are going to take the position of a system administrator can be asked questions about:

• electrical safety equipment;
• causes of common electronics failures;
• the main features of popular electronic devices;
• repair, PC adjustment.

An interview for a courier usually comes down to an assessment:

• ability to communicate;
• resourcefulness;
• the ability to keep your mouth shut;
• experience;
• personal life.

The realtor is usually asked about:

• work experience;
• accumulated skills;
• a typical way of rest;
• reason for dismissal;
• the nuances of the housing market;
• career growth expectations.

To evaluate the chief engineer, they are interested in:

• the ability to develop plans for technical development;
• the ability to improve the quality of technology;
• creation of competitive products;
• compliance with design standards and requirements.

Those who have applied for the position of secretary, administrator of a beauty salon, or a medical representative are required to thoroughly know the paperwork. In a beauty salon, it is extremely important to represent the features of cosmetics, and a medical representative is obliged to understand drugs and special equipment.

The interview of those wishing to become a nanny and a teacher can equally be aimed at finding out pedagogical literacy.But in the first case, the ability to control oneself and work patiently with the child is also important.

An interview for a merchandiser often involves a knowledge test:

• shipment;
• storage;
• circulation of various goods.

Like other specialists (the same waiter), the merchandiser may be asked about the attitude towards the former employers. In this case, you must answer either politely or neutrally. As for the conversation with the driver, recruiters are keenly interested in driving experience and the presence of bad habits, knowledge of the area.

Useful knowledge of languages, car repair skills, freight forwarder skills. An interview for a florist involves not only a thorough knowledge of flowers and the flower market, but also a test of creativity. They will definitely ask you to make a bouquet.

It is important for the nurse:

• teamwork skills;
• interaction with "difficult" doctors and nurses;
• the ability to resolve unforeseen situations;
• readiness to quickly master new information, methods of treatment and rehabilitation.

Most of the promoter interview comes down to formalities. The only thing they can focus on is their communication skills and the ability to establish contact with strangers. At the same time, excessive openness is not encouraged.

Those who have submitted a resume for a librarian will have to check their knowledge of librarianship, the procedure for storing publications and their issuance. They will also be interested in how much applicants read, what they prefer among literature.

It is always useful to study ready-made examples of dialogue on the Internet and in ordinary literature. But this is not all that will allow you to succeed. Vice versa, having memorized ready-made formulas purely mechanically, people doom themselves to failure. LAny seasoned recruiter can recognize this in seconds.

A job seeker who decides to sell himself at a higher price (and this is the main goal) must firmly remember that ideal communication is communication in a natural manner. Any insincerity, falsity, stretch immediately puts an end to the idea. You will often have to face ridiculous questions. You need to answer them politely and as consistently and logically as possible. Remember, this may be part of a scenario designed to undermine the candidate's calm. You have to communicate constantly, be silent and wait, collecting your thoughts - definitely a failed strategy.

If they ask why they should hire a particular candidate, they will have to focus not on professionalism, but on psychology. This question is asked to see if a person is able to detach from their self-presentation. It is worth preparing for the answer to this question: describe the most serious failure. Employers must study the biography of applicants. And that's why the best strategy for communicating with them is honesty. It is also necessary to show the ability to negotiate and make reasonable compromises.

When applying for a job, anyone should know many other subtleties. So, if the employer clearly makes it clear that he is not ready to discuss salaries, bargain over bonuses and allowances, then it is better not to focus on this topic and not try to "push" his demands at any cost. It is highly advisable to remember the content of the resume and not disagree with it in your answers and monologues. It is very important to validate all the skills that are on the resume. People without work experience are encouraged to characterize educational and social activities - any accomplishments that show the person on a good side will improve the experience.

Even if there is no such experience, they will ask a question about life and career goals. When applying to a large organization at the international or federal level, it makes sense to talk about the prospects for development and career growth.This question can be asked both to promoters and couriers, and even to cleaners and plumbers. In such a case, you can speak directly - I want to get a job and have a stable income. Important: whatever the question, it is very useful to answer it in such a way as not to ask for additional clarifications and requests.

After every bad interview you need to carefully analyze the questions and your answers. This will allow you to avoid repeating mistakes in the future. Everyone understands in this spirit - "what did not suit and how to behave correctly."

Combining interviews with your main job is difficult. But if you can't free up enough time, then you can, as a last resort, try to arrange a meeting on a weekend, a holiday. Or a Skype interview.

You can also meet during working hours, coming up with different reasons and pretexts. But then in a new place they may ask about the reasons for such an act. And he can immediately create a negative impression. Only maximum honesty and openness can help out. Sometimes you should not risk it, but entrust the main part of your job search to an agency. True, such an effective solution can be quite expensive. But here you don't have to choose too much.

After a long hiatus, any candidate is clearly viewed as not very valuable. This is an objective truth, confirmed by the experience of hundreds of thousands of people. But there is a great way to have a beneficial effect even in such a rather difficult case. We need to tune in to the fact that a recruiter or a potential boss is not a fierce enemy, but an equally normal person. And the main thing that he wants is to get a full-fledged employee for a vacant position..

This attitude will allow you to find the right way out of even the most awkward situations. It is very useful to focus on those additional skills and competencies that were mastered during a break from work. It is also necessary to emphasize the experience of freelancing, which has at least little to do with the essence of the work ahead. Even relatively small projects and achievements should be named - each of them can become a decisive factor. Recommendations from former managers and former colleagues, from customers will also become an advantage.

It is very helpful to show motivation by demonstrating:

• knowledge of the latest industry standards;
• possession of up-to-date software and technical tools;
• knowledge of the latest changes in legislation and regulations;
• knowledge of the names of recent celebrities in the professional field.

Sometimes an insidious test awaits at the interview - to talk about the negative aspects. Here you need to go along a very thin line. A pale and unconvincing story is not very impressive, and a very bright one makes a person a very nasty candidate in the eyes of a recruiter. A normal mature person will not hide his flaws, but he will not focus too much on them. He will simply say: there are such and such weaknesses, but I am working on them; and will try to formulate everything so that the disadvantages themselves seem to be advantages.

A few more recommendations:

• not talk about negative aspects that are not directly related to work;
• immediately comply with the dress code of the company;
• prepare your questions for the recruiter (this will express interest);
• maintain eye contact with the interlocutor;
• be sure to be interested in working conditions;
• end the meeting by politely saying goodbye.