Types/ methods of interviews in a firm

[laji]

What are the different types of interviews followed?

[nbm]

1. Directed Interview—The directed interview is a straightforward, face-to-face question-and-answer situation. Questions are based on job duties and other facets, including a probe of the candidate's background information. It measures job knowledge and also provides opportunity to observe personal characteristics, attitudes, and motivation. However, it is not the best method for personality assessment.

2. Non-directive Interview—Non-directed interview, also known as depth-interview, is applicant- centered, with the interviewer playing mainly a listening role. In this method, the interviewer poses a minimum of constraints on the applicant. The method is informal, conversational, with freedom of expression for interviewee. The main advantage of non-directive interview is that the applicant tends to be more at ease because he does not need to be so concerned about the right answer. As such, the personality assessment tends to be better under this method.

3. Patterned Interview—Patterned interviews are limited by selecting the strategic parts of the applicant's background and preparing in advance the questions that best illuminate this background. The advantages of this interview are that it helps in standardising the approach in different interviews. The standardisation is achieved through a standard set of interpretation, and standard methods of recording observations. This combines with the direct method some of the characteristics of the non-directive interviewing approach.

4. Stress Interview—In the stress interview, the interviewer assumes a hostile role towards the applicant. He deliberately puts him on the defensive by trying to annoy, embrass or frustrate him. Usually the interviewer in such circumstances, asks questions rapidly, criticises the interviewee's answers, interrupts him frequently, keeps the candidate waiting indefinitely and then asks too many questions. The purpose of stress interview is to find out how a candidate behaves in a stress situation whether he loses his temper, gets confused or frightened. It assesses the emotional strain of a candidate. According to Professor Harell "The stress interview in which pressure is purposely puts on the applicant, may have some value for jobs, where emotional balances is a key requirement Involves putting the candidate under relatively severe emotional strain in order to test his response. It, often, is characterised by the rapid firing questions by several seemingly unfriendly interviews."

5. Group Interview—In this type of interviews, groups rather than individuals are interviewed. A problem for discussion is given to a group of candidates and interviewees are asked to reach a specific decision within a particular time limit. Interviewers watch the activities of the interviewees—those who take a lead in the discussion, those who try influencing others, those who summarise and clarify issues, and those who speak effectively. The assumption underlying this type of interview is that "the behaviour displayed in the solution of the problem is related to potential success in the job. The object is to see how well individuals perform on a particular task or a particular situation group interview is conducted for a management position where leadership ability is an important factor

(6) Board Interview—Board or Panel interview is opposite to the group interview. In it, candidate is screened by a group of interviewers who are specialist in their respective fields. They call upon the candidates one by one and assess his qualities. This technique is very common in India. 

(7) Exit Interview—This type of interview is generally conducted at the time when an employee leaving the organisation. The main purpose of organising such an interview is to know the feelings of the outgoing employed regarding his job or the institution, as to extract the deficiencies of plan, programmes and policies of the organisation and to develop or improve such policies in the light of deficiency.