Interview Skills Islamic Mission Hospital-Trust

Sohail Ahmed School of Nursing

Karachi

Interview Types

Screening Interview

Telephone Interview

Video Conferencing

One-on-One Interview

Panel Interview

Group Interview

General Group

Interview/Information Session

Sequential/Serial Interview

Interview Formats

Behavioural Interview

Situational Interview

Structured Interview

Unstructured Interview

Semi-Structured Interview

Case Interview

Testing/Assessment

INTERVIEW {From the Latin, "between" + "see"}

A conversation in which one person (the interviewer) elicits information from another

person (the subject or interviewee). A transcript or account of such a conversation is

called an interview.

The interview is both a research method and a popular form of nonfiction.

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Screening Interview

This type of interview is

generally conducted by larger

companies when there is a large

applicant pool and is typically

the first phase of selection.

Screening interviews are used to

ensure that the candidates meet

minimum requirements and are

often conducted by a computer

or by an interviewer from the

human resources department

who is skilled at determining

whether there is anything that

might disqualify you from the

position.

Phone Interviews

Most screening interviews are

done by phone, but phone

interviews will also be used for

other reasons, such as

geographic obstacles – the

applicant lives in another city

or state. In this case,

Phone interviews will be longer

and more detailed.

One-on-One Interview

The most common interview

format is the one-on-one (or face-

to-face). This interview is

traditionally conducted by a

direct supervisor and if often the

last step in a series of interviews.

The interviewer may or may not

be experienced in conducting

interviews and, depending on

personality and experience, the

interview may be directive

following a clear agenda, or non-

directive relying on you to lead

the discussion as you answer

open-ended questions.

Panel Interview

A panel interview is conducted

by two or more interviewers and

is designed to reduce individual

interviewer bias. It is very

common for entrance into

graduate and professional

schools. One member of the

panel may ask all of the

questions or individual panel

member may take turns.

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General Group Interview/Information Session

This approach is intended to save time and ensure

applicants understand the basics of the job and

organization by providing large amounts of

information. This process is usually followed by

an individual interview.

Sequential/Serial Interview

A sequential interview is conducted by two or

more interviewers, separately or in sequence. The

candidate either moves from one location to

another or stays in one room and while different

interviewers join them. Sequential interviews

involve a number of ‘first impression’

opportunities so be aware of how you present

yourself each time. At the end of the process, the

interviewers meet to evaluate each applicant and

make their decision.

Video Conferencing

Video conferencing is typically used to

conduct interviews using video technology

from a distance. The same interview strategies

you would use if you were meeting in person

apply - clothing, body language, and dialogue

are important.

Group Interview

A group interview occurs when several candidates

for a position are interviewed simultaneously.

Group interviews offer employers a sense of your

leadership potential and style, and provide a

glimpse of what you may actually be like as an

employee and how you would fit into the team.

Candidates may also be asked to solve a problem

together which allows interviewers to assess

candidate’s skills in action (e.g. teamwork).

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Interview Formats

Behavioural Interview The Interviewer will ask for specific examples from your past experiences to determine if you can provide evidence of your skills in a certain area – the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. Although the interviewer is having you recount stories from your past, they are really trying to imagine how you would handle similar situations in the future.

Situational Interview This format is highly structured in that hypothetical situations are described and applicants are asked to explain what they would do in these situations. Interviewers may use a scoring guide consisting of sample answers to evaluate and score each applicant’s answers.

Structured Interview This format combines the situational interview with a variety of other types of interview questions. Typically, each candidate is asked the same set of questions and their answers are compared to a scoring guide and rated. The goal of this approach is to reduce interviewer bias and to help make an objective decision about the best candidate.

Unstructured Interview Questions here are based on the individual’s application documents such as their résumé and so different variants of a question will be asked to each applicant. Without structured guidelines, the conversation can be free-flowing, thus making this method of interviewing the most prone to bias, but allowing the interviewer to get a more natural and perhaps more realistic sense of who you are. Although this type of interview may seem more casual, and may even occur over lunch or dinner, you must still be well-prepared and maintain a professional demeanor. Be careful not to provide information you would not have communicated if the interview was more structured.

Semi-Structured Interview This format is a blend of structured and unstructured, where the interviewer will ask a small list of similar questions to all candidates along with some questions pertaining to your resume.

Case Interview The case interview format is popular among consulting firms. It gives the interviewer a good idea of you ability to solve problems ‘on the spot’ – an important skill for any consultant. This interview format is also designed to assess logical thought processes, quantitative skills, business knowledge, general knowledge, creativity, and communication skills.

Testing/Assessment It is common for employers to use standardized tests or work simulation exercises to assess candidates fit to the position or to test work-related competencies. Testing is usually done after an initial screening process and can be a very costly process for the employer.

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Tips for interviewer

Remember that when you interview

candidates, you represent the Institute,

company or university. A good interview

can leave a candidate with positive feelings

about employer even if no job offer results,

while a poor interview may result in a

negative reputation for the Institute,

company or university.

The purpose of an interview is to gather

information about the applicants’

competencies and work experience so that

you can select the best qualified candidate.

The key to an effective interview is having

clearly defined selection criteria with related

interview questions, developed before the

interview.

Guiding Principles

Your goal is to have a fair and effective

process for conducting interviews. Statutes

governing fair employment cover the

interview process as well as the selection of

the candidate. To ensure fairness, you should:

Conduct structured interviews in

which each candidate is asked a

predetermined set of questions and all

candidates are measured against the

same criteria

Treat all candidates in a fair, equal,

and consistent manner

Eliminate cultural or other forms of

bias in the interview process

Keep your top candidates interested

by completing the interview process

quickly

Choose the best candidate for the job

Tips for interviewee

HOW TO APPEAR IN AN INTERVIEW

Before The Interview

Get your career goals in focus

• Identify your main strengths related to

the job

• Gather specific accomplishments to

back up your skills

Research the company

Find out the dress code in advance and dress

accordingly

Practice with yourself or with a friend

Few Items You Should Bring On An Interview

You should bring at least one spare copy of

your resume.

If you know that you will be interviewed by

multiple people, you should bring a copy of

your resume for each.

If you are applying for a job that has specific

certification or licensing requirements.

You should bring proof of your eligibility.

Employers are more likely to choose a

candidate whose paperwork is already in

order.

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HOW TO APPEAR IN AN INTERVIEW {cont……}

Dress code for job interview in Pakistan

Dress code should be followed accordance of

Culture

General guidelines for job interview dress

code are:

Dress should be clean .

Dress should be properly pressed or ironed

.(Make sure that during travelling don’t mess

with your cloths.

Avoid skin tight and too loose dresses.

Your shoes should be polished and clean.

Shave before coming for job interview. (If you

are a shaved person other wise balance your

breed and comb it properly )

A nice perfume will help (But make sure that

perfume smell is very light and in

not annoying)

Dress Code for Men

• Dress pants and shirt with tie.

• Two piece suit with tie.

• Shalwar kameez with wasket.

– Use Light color shirts and Dark color pants

Dress Code for Women

• Women should follow the new day fashion but

in professional way.

• Shoes with traditional heels

• No purses or small one.

• If you wear nail polish (not required), use

clear or a conservative color

• Minimal use of makeup (it should not be

too noticeable)

• No more than one ring on each hand

• One set of earrings only

HOW TO APPEAR IN AN INTERVIEW

{cont……}

Be On Time

• It's important to arrive a few

minutes early, or on time

• Giving yourself a bit of extra time

will give you an opportunity

– to stop in the rest room and

freshen up

– to catch your breath and stay

calm

Body Language

• First impressions very powerful

– Halo effect or Devil effect

• Entrance, introductions &

handshake

• Smile and make eye contact

• Be aware of own movements

• Watch body language of interviewer

How to Greet the Interviewer

• Greet your interviewer with a firm

handshake

• Introduce yourself.

• Follow the interviewer's lead

During the Interview

Listen carefully to the questions

Take time to phrase your responses

Speak clearly and concisely

– Keep your responses specific

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HOW TO APPEAR IN AN INTERVIEW {cont……}

Questions you may Ask

Ask relevant questions to increase your understanding of the job

– This also shows the interviewer that you have done your

research on the company as well.

“What’s Your Ideal Employee Like?”

This question will give you an idea as to the working style

of your boss, and whether or not your styles are similar

What to Give the Interviewer

• Extra copies of your resume

• List of three references (if required)

Closing the Interview

• Towards the end of the interview let the hiring manager know

that you think the job is an excellent fit and that you are very

interested in the job.

• Thank the interviewer for the time they spent interviewing with

you.

After The Interview

• Write a THANK YOU Letter or E-mail

– Add relevant information you might have left out during

the interview.

– Reiterate your interest in the job