Types of Interview

Whether you’re a facilities management professional wondering what kind of interview awaits you, or a hiring manager or recruiter wondering which interview style is best, we’ve taken a look at the five most popular types of interview below, and the benefits for both the interviewer and interviewee:

1) CLASSIC ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW Still the most popular interview style is the classic one on one, face to face interview. Many recruiters opt for this as they can control the direction of the interview, whether they’re asking pre-prepared or spontaneous questions. If the recruiter has their concerns, they can steer the conversation to see whether the interviewee quashes or cements them. As an interviewee it gives you one person to focus on and impress, enabling you to build a strong rapport and connect on a more personal level.

• Benefits for Recruiter – can control the direction of the interview
• Benefits for Interviewee – one person to focus on, can build a good rapport

2) TELEPHONE INTERVIEW In this busy world recruiting managers often opt for a telephone interview before inviting candidates for a face to face meeting. It’s ideal for the hiring manager as it means they can screen more candidates in less time, and also weed out the people who aren’t suitable for the role before inviting them in. For the interviewee they can feel more prepared by having their notes on hand to prompt them, however candidates should still prepare as much as you would for a face to face interview to ensure you’re speaking confidently and professionally.

• Benefits for Recruiter – less time-consuming, weed out unsuitable applicants
• Benefits for Interviewee – you can have notes on hand

(but don’t forget to prepare!)

3) PANEL INTERVIEW A panel interview can seem daunting both for a recruiter and interviewer, however in facilities management with so many different stakeholders it can be a preferred style for larger organisations. Being part of a panel ensures responsibility for the recruitment is shared and that there is a variety of different perspectives, which can help when selecting for more senior roles. As an interviewee you can appeal to different panellists, so avoiding personal bias, as well as get a better rounded view of the role by meeting members of different departments.

• Benefits for Recruiter – varied opinions, shared responsibility
• Benefits for Interviewee – more panellists to appeal to, avoids personal bias

4) THE GROUP INTERVIEW Another interview style that can often fill interviewees with dread is the group interview. However for interviewees this can be a chance to display many different skills, as often a practical task is involved. For candidates that are good in practice, but struggle to sell themselves verbally, a group interview can demonstrate their abilities that might otherwise have been overlooked, such as prioritising and negotiating. As a recruiter you can often get to know individuals better in a group interview as you can see how they operate as part of a team, for example, which role do they take, how do they communicate with others?

• Benefits for Recruiter – see candidates in a group setting, less time-consuming
• Benefits for Interviewee – size up the competition, play to your own strengths

5) THE INFORMAL INTERVIEW Often if recruiters want to attract facilities management professionals from competitors, they might just invite candidates in for an informal chat first. For those hiring there is no commitment to make an offer of a role as a result, it is simply the chance to get to know the candidate and their experience, as well as judge their communication and interpersonal skills in a relaxed environment. For the candidate it’s ideal, as there are no strings attached, it’s just a chance to learn more about the role and the business.

• Benefits for Recruiter – no commitment to make an offer, get to know the candidate better
• Benefits for Interviewee – no strings attached, objectively learn more about the role

Whatever interview type you prefer, you can never be too prepared, both as an interviewer and as an interviewee, so take a look at the interview preparation tips on our facilities management blog.

Oh, and good luck!

Peter Forshaw, Managing Director, Maxwell Stephens