Main Interview

This will be more formal and more detailed than a screening interview and is usually face-to-face. It may be part of a multistage interview process, potentially involving tests and assessment centres. Advance notice will always be given of what the process entails.

Preparation and Interview Tips

• Be prepared for more in-depth questions - these may be about yourself (Strengths or Weaknesses), about your application (Background, Training, Experience) or about your knowledge of the company (What do you know about ABC Ltd? Are you familiar with our products/services/market?) 
• Have your revision and background research done - good answers should be at least 30 seconds, unless you are asked a closed question that requires a simple yes or no answer. 
• Be prepared to elaborate on your answer if you are asked to say more in response to a particular question 
• If you are asked a question that you don't understand, get clarification from the interviewer 
• Be honest - if you don't know the answer, don't waffle 
• Create a good impression by having some questions prepared to ask the interviewer - go for questions about the business, training and development opportunities or career progression. 

Panel Interviews

A panel interview will have two or more people asking the interview questions. The panel will typically be a mixture of representative of the organisation i.e. a Personnel Specialist, a Technical Specialist and a Manager.

Panel interviews can be fairer than one to one interviews as they don’t depend on one person’s opinion, but they present the challenge of engaging with each panellist equally.

During the course of a panel interview each panel member may ask questions around a particular theme (generally their own area of interest/expertise).

Preparation and Interview Tips

• Where possible, try to find out in advance who will be on the panel and their particular role in the organisation. This can help to inform how you answer their individual questions 
• Give your attention to whoever is speaking and when answering a question, direct your response to the person who asked the question, but give occasional glances to the other panel members 
• Don't be thrown off if one of the panellists starts scribbling notes or looks bored. Panel members may not be experienced interviewers.

In a group interview situation you will be with other candidates for the job. This is a chance to set yourself apart from the group - to demonstrate your particular skills, for example: leadership potential, communication skills, or how well you work with others.

This interview is often a challenge put to the group i.e. to solve a problem as a group and to work together as a team to solve the problem. This allows those interviewing to determine if you are reserved, pushy or have a balance between offering and listening to ideas.

Preparation and Interview Tips

• Speak to everybody in the group with respect, regardless of how much they are contributing to the cause
• Always be polite even if other people are not
• Do your best to avoid power struggles. They will only result in the interviewers forming a negative opinion about you, perhaps one of childishness and inexperience

A typical interview discusses your skill set and how it fits with the job at hand. A behavioural interview examines your previous behaviour as a way of indicating future performance.

You may have heard such questions as, "describe a past work experience where you had to use problem-solving, adaptability or leadership". The interviewers are looking for detailed information on how you have dealt with past experiences.

Preparation and Interview Tips

• Prior to a behavioural interview, review your CV and your application and generate as many scenarios as possible based on the information in your interview
• Practice describing the scenarios and aim to keep them short and concise

Competency interviews are generally more formal, their focus is assessing behaviours and skills in a consistent manner. You will typically be asked to give an example of the actions you took to accomplish a task. Probing questions will then be used to determine why you took the action you did and how these actions affected others around you.

When answering, remember that the interviewer wants to know what you as an individual delivered and achieved, so avoid over-using examples that are ‘we’ focussed. Emphasise your own contributions.

Video interviews are becoming increasingly popular in the recruitment process.
Methods include:

• One-to one video interviews via Skype 
• Automated video interviews 
• Self-recorded video applications which vary according to the particular company

As with any interview you will do best if you prepare. Candidates can generally perform the interview from the comfort of their own home and therefore be more relaxed and confident. However, impressing an employer over Skype may prove to be more difficult than you think.

How NOT to do a Skype Interview...

Video: Skype Interview Fail - Foil, Arms & Hog

Employers can use a video interview to assess a number of key competencies, such as your technological abilities, your interpersonal skills and even your organisation skills. There are a lot of factors to consider and prepare for before attempting to make a lasting impression on an employer with a video interview.

This article walks through some of the essential dos and don'ts to keep in mind during a video interview.