5 types of interviews to make your hiring process fruitful

Different jobs have different hiring processes and it is not necessary that every company has to follow a set pattern of interviewing candidates. While with some candidates you can begin with a discussion over a phone call and then summon them for a personal interview, with others you can have a panel discussion to see how they perform under stress. So if you are already suited and booted and ready to fill an open position, here are a few techniques you can master to ease yourself into the hiring process.

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The screening process

Have you received a ton of resumés and are wondering how to short-list a few of them for a one-on-one interview? Get your human resources personnel to make a call to each one of the potential candidates. Through this telephonic conversation they can find out if a candidate can fit in with the company's culture and whether they have the knowledge and experience for the position they've applied for.

The panel interview

Panel interviews are used best for the public sector where it is important to have more than one person's opinion on a single candidate. If you need to fill the position on an urgent basis and don't have the time for different people to decide through different interviews if a candidate is fit for the job, a panel interview can come in handy. It is also a great way to gauge how an individual will deal under stress as panel interviews are nothing if not intimidating.

Lunch interviews

These interviews are best suited for the advertising sector where the candidate will be dealing with clients outside the office. This kind of interview is more relaxed than the typical interview that happens within the confines of a meeting or conference room. It allows you to see if your candidate can be both professional and easygoing at the same time. If the applicant upholds basic table manners and manages a competent yet casual demeanour throughout lunch, you know you're looking at a winner.

Case interviews

This is a classic form of interview used to find out if your potential candidate has the skills for the job. You can prepare a presentation which will test your candidate's answers through direct and trick questions. These tests can either be mailed to the candidate in advance or they can attempt the same when they come for the personal interview. It is ideal to set the test after much deliberation as the test results will decide if the applicant is fit for the job. This form of interview works well across fields, from tech companies to the creative industry.

Group interviews

A group interview is not all that popular. It is used mostly when a large number of people need to be hired for the same position. Just like there are several potential candidates present in a room for this sort of interview, there are also a number of interviewers who can evaluate and pick the best men for the job from a sea of applicants. These interviews can be conducted if you're hiring interns or sales personnel.

If you're not careful about the kind of interview you use for the hiring process, it is very likely that you might miss out on a good candidate or even hire the wrong person. To avoid such a situation, it is best to set standard hiring processes for different job profiles.