HOW TO TACKLE DIFFERENT INTERVIEW STYLES

Author: Christina Puleo Published: August 2022

A company’s values can shift the direction an interview goes in. Whether it’s one-on-one, with multiple candidates, or remote, you can tackle them all. Here, we’ll review four common interview styles so you can be prepared for any role!

Behavior-Based Interview

This interview style evaluates a candidate’s past performance in stressful situations. Some common questions and scenarios are:

Tell me about a time where you saw a problem and took the initiative to fix it, rather than waiting for someone else to do so.

Describe a time where you were under a lot of pressure. What happened, and how did you get through it?

To prepare for these types of questions, think back to your previous jobs. Replay the times where your performance stood out and have those stories ready to answer with. You can even recall feedback given to you by past supervisors to show how you’ve grown.

Case Interview

Case interviews are driven by specific scenarios you will face if hired by the interviewing company. A hypothetical situation from IGotAnOffer Consulting is:

“Our client is the CEO of a grocery store chain. She wants to know if she should establish an online grocery delivery service. Why or why not is this a good idea? What will she need to evaluate before making a decision?”

Your answer should consider the framework of the question and the company it pertains to. This could look like:

“The grocery store chain would need to reach an annual revenue of [insert range] for the delivery service to be feasible. She would also need to find out the number of customers that shop there each month and what the needs and expectations of said customers are. Examining competitors is also a great way to improve her delivery service.”

These questions are difficult to answer, but there is more than one correct solution. Study the company’s mission statement and their daily operations prior to your interview so you can adapt to the situations they may pose.

Competency-Based Interview

This type of interview examines a candidate’s interpersonal skills, but the skills you are assessed on will vary depending on the position. They may include:

Leadership
Problem-Solving
Communication
Independence
Teamwork

In order to assess these skills, and interview may ask you questions such as:

Describe a time where your leadership skills led you or your team to success.

How do you communicate to a client and/or your team during a stressful situation?

A great way to get ready for these questions is to take an Interpersonal Skills Assessment. This will help you narrow down your strengths and be honest about the areas that need improvement.

Group Interview

Usually, a candidate will know ahead of time if they are going to participate in a group interview. This can seem like the most daunting setting, but there are still ways to advocate for yourself.

The questions asked at these interviews can be similar to the ones listed above. Some ways to stand out from the crowd are:

Arrive early and introduce yourself
Listen to other candidates
Prepare your own questions

Each person in the group interview may not be applying for the same position. In fact, many companies utilize this method if there are multiple roles to fill. So while you may have your sights set on one job opening, there could be another opportunity within the same company.

A company may not use one particular evaluation style. They may even combine methods to cover a wider range of topics. Regardless, studying the company and showing your thirst for knowledge can only benefit you during your next interview. Good luck!