If you have ever had a job interview, you likely prepared by doing research, picking the perfect outfit and coming in early. You may have not considered that when you walk into that interview and shake the interviewer’s hand, you may be meeting a person that has a certain interviewing style you may not be familiar with. Everyone is different, so when it comes to interviewing techniques, everyone has a different way of conducting a job interview. Job seekers should familiarize themselves with these five different job interviewers explained on New Grad Life before they walk into their next job interview.
The Chatter Box
This interviewer likes to chat you up by being friendly and offering up a lot of small talk. This type of interviewer takes a more casual approach to their interviewing in order to make you feel more comfortable and to get you to open up. The setback this interviewer presents to job seekers is that this interviewer may make you feel too comfortable. Don’t feel inclined to start talking about personal matters that may not be relevant to your job interview. Avoid turning this interview into a late-night chat with a best friend and steer into a more professional direction by responding with thoughtful responses and asking questions about the job and company.
The Interrogator
This interviewer has the opposite interview technique as the previous. This person may come off as cold and stiff. They may fire out questions that are tough to answer and respond to your answers with a solemn stare. This type uses the job interview as a way to see how job seekers think under pressure and if they can handle orders and remain calm. To have a successful job interview with this interviewer, job seekers should stay confident throughout the interview and take time to think about their answers.
The Inexperienced Type
This interviewer may be new at their job and it shows when they fail to answer your questions or properly conduct the interview in a professional manner. This interviewer is trying their best to conduct a job interview but their lack of experience in the profession may cause you to feel concerned. This interviewer may throw off a lot of job seekers who were expecting a formal and professional job interview, but when you encounter an inexperienced interviewer it’s important to remain calm. Job seekers should remain professional and refrain from making complaints about the interviewers lack of knowledge. If you do have questions that need answers, you can ask if there’s someone else you can speak to.
The Textbook Type
This interviewer is the textbook definition of a typical interviewer. This person plays by the book and gives the type of interview you probably prepared for. Expect the standard and traditional questions you prepared for like, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” The only problem that comes with this interviewer may be that you want to change the pace of the interview, but avoid doing so because the interviewer will not welcome it.
The Tough One
This interviewer gives honest and at times hurtfully honest feedback to your interview as it’s being conducted. This interviewer is not here to be your friend, and they probably won’t give any indication as to whether you’re fit for the job. This interviewer will judge you straight away and if they don’t see you as the right candidate based on your appearance, answers, or behavior, they’ll be quick to point it out. Job seekers should not feel offended by this interviewer type and should instead prove this interviewer wrong by giving substantial evidence to prove that you are the ideal job candidate.
Is there an interviewer type that we did not cover here but you have experienced? Share with us in the comments section below!
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by Ashley Coombs
Add comment