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Definition and 10 Types of interviews | Human Resource Management

Defination and Types of Interviews!

Definition: Interview is defined as a conversation or verbal interaction, normally between two people, for a particular target. Interview is known as the popular tool for selection. The interview has proved to be a universal proved selection technique and it is widely used in selection process. It is designed to identify information on a candidate through face to face communication. Selection  interview is very important in order to select the right type of employees for the job. Studies have found that 90% selection decisions involve interviews. The communication skill and conversation skill of candidates can be judged in the interview. Interview is also take place between a person and group of people and between two groups of people. An important objective of interview is to assess the suitability of candidates for  a particular job.

Types of Interviews


 1. One-On-One Interview 

This type of interview is conducted between a hiring manager (or any other company representative) and the candidates. The questions are centered on the candidate's job history, knowledge, skill, ability as well as the key attributes that the organization finds suitable.

 2. Panel Interview

In this type of interview two or more company's representatives interview a job candidates. Each person on the panel has a function and the panelists are trying to learn more about the job candidate and to determine his/ her personal suitability for the job.

 3. Group Interview

Panel interview is sometimes also referred to as group interview but a group interview can also mean that a group of candidates are interviewed at the same time.

 4. Stress Interview

Stress interview is a special type of interview used to ascertain how a candidate will prove himself under conditions of exceptional stress and strain. The objective of this interview is to find sensitivity of candidate with low and high stress tolerance. Here the candidate is exposed to embarrassing questions and provoked in various way to find out whether he is able to manage or work with such conditions. This kind of interview is very useful to select candidates for the post that required great presence of mind and calmness of temperament.

 5. Depth Interview

Depth interview is such type of interview where the candidates are screened from various aspects. In this interview candidates academic qualifications, working experience, health conditions, aptitude, stress, etc are considered overall. Depth interview is an expensive and lengthy interview method.

 6. Informal Interview

Informal interview may take place anywhere. The employer or a manager in the human resource department may ask a few questions like name, place of birth, previous experience, etc. It is not planned and is used widely when the labor market is tight and you need workers very badly.

 7. Formal Interview

Formal interview is held in a more formal atmosphere in the employment office by the employment officer with the help of well structured questions. The employment office stipulated the time and place of the intervierw.

 8. Planned Interview

Planned interview is a formal interview which is carefully planned. The interviewer has a plan of action worked out in relation to time to be devoted to each candidate, type of information to be sought, information to be given, the modality of interview and so on. He/she may use the plan with some amount of flexibility.

 9. Structured Interview

Here ever single detail of the interview is decided in advanced. The question to be asked, the order in which the question will be asked, the time given to each candidate, the information to be collected from each candidates, etc are all decide in advance. Structure interview is also called standardised, patterned, directed or guided interview. Structured interview is pre-planned, they are accurate and precise. All the interviews will be inform (same). Therefore, there will be consistency and minimum bias in structured interview.

10. Unstructured Interviews

This is the type of interview which is not planned in detail hence, it is also called as non-directed interview. The questions to be asked, the information to be collected from the candidates, etc are not decided in advance. This interview is non-planned so it is more flexible, candidates are more relaxed in such type of interview. They are encouraged to express themselves about different subjects based on their expectation, motivation, background, interest, etc. Here the interviewer can make a better judgement of the candidate personality, potentials, strength and weakness. However, if the interviewer is not efficient than the discussions will lose direction and the interview will be a waste of time and effort.

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