INTERVIEWS
Meaning of Interview:
Interview is an important selection technique where there
is two-way exchange of information either on one-to-one
basis or by an interview panel. The interview gets
important information from the candidates and can also
judge whether or not they can fit into the organisation
culture.
Interview is a two-way conversation. It is a personal form
of communication between two people. It is a beneficial
process for both the interviewer and the interviewee. The
interviewer tells the applicant about the job preview and
helps the interviewee make his mind about whether or not
he wants to take that job. Though conducting interviews is
not based on fixed rules, certain guidelines for the
interviewer and interviewee can make interview an
effective process.
Features of Interview:
1. It is face-to-face interaction between interviewer and
the interviewee.
2. It has a definite purpose known to both the parties.
3. It is generally based on pre-structured questions to be
asked in a defined manner.
Importance of Interview:
1. Interview helps in selecting the candidate most suitable
for the job.
2. It provides the candidate information about the
organisation and the job for which he applied.
3. Interview helps in knowing details about candidate’s
personality.
4. It is a method of direct contact between the employer
and the candidate. Employer can observe physical
characteristics of the candidates. It helps managers to
check authenticity of details in the application form.
5. It helps interviewer and the interviewee know each
other in detail. Complete information about the company
can be given to the candidate and negotiations on salary
and other terms can be made.
Types of interviews
Now the Methods of Interviews those are prevalent:-
1. Screening method
Screening method are generally implemented when an
employer has a large applicants in which they want to
narrow down to a more manageable Number.
2. Stress method
The stress method is created to find applicants who can
handle stress situations, and handle it well. For some jobs,
job holders has to work under high pressure so that
employers need to check this ability of candidate.
3. Situational interview
A situational method utilizes hypothetical situations/events
in the form of a question. Candidates are asked how they
would react if they encountered that event. In situational
interviewing, job-seekers are asked to respond to a
specific situation they may face on the job, and some
aspects of it are similar to behavioural interviews.
4. Phone interview
Phone is a method which is conducted by telephone. Most
screening interviews are done by phone interview. A
phone interview is also used when candidates reside in
other countries.
5. Face to face
Face to Face interview (one to one interview) is most
common interview method and just involves interviewer
and interviewee alone in a private office. This is also
known traditional interview in which job seekers meet the
employers in face to face
6. Group
All the candidates/job seekers will be in the same room
during the interview with one or some interview.
7. Panel
A panel is a technique that allows several member of a
hiring company to interview a interviewee at the same
time. A panel include a committee interview and one
interviewee.
8. Unstructured technique
Unstructured interview are a method of interviews where
questions can be changed to meet the respondent's
intelligence, understanding.
9. Structured technique
The interviewer has a standard set / sequence of questions
that are asked of all candidates. Interviewers read the
questions exactly as they appear on the survey
questionnaire.
DRAWBACKS OF INTERVIEW
1. Imbalanced positions:
While interviewing, the interviewer is confident of his
position. He can, therefore, ask any question to the
interviewee but interviewees are normally tensed during
the interview. Even knowledgeable and competent
candidates may not perform well in the interview.
Rejection of candidates purely on the basis of interview is,
thus, not desirable.
Interviewer may also be biased against interviewee.
Selection on the basis of biased interview is not correct.
Interviews based on biases towards candidates does not
give good results. It is the assumption of the interviewer
that a person good in one activity is good in all and a
person bad in one activity is bad in all other activities also.
It, thus, evaluates a person on the basis of a single or few
qualities and not all the qualities on the basis of which he
should be ranked. It takes partial view of the person and
evaluates him totally on that ground. It is like evaluating
the whole on the basis of a sample. Though it may work in
case of objects, it is not always true in evaluating people.
2. Wrong presentation:
Sometimes, the candidate answers to please the
interviewer. This does not reflect true picture of his
candidature. A wrong candidate can, thus, be selected.
3. Unstructured interviews:
When the interviewer does not plan an interview, he may
ask questions not relevant to the job. This does not fully
explore the potential of the candidate.
4. Theoretical details:
Interview only extracts theoretical details about the
candidate’s personality. Job related practical skills cannot
be determined through interviews.
For Practical Purpose prepare on the following:
Basic Common Questions asked
1. Tell me about yourself
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses
3. Why do you want to join us?
4. Why should we hire you?
5. Five years from now, where d you see yourself?
