How to Do Well on Job Interviews: What to Expect at an Interview

There are many types of job interviews, and while there may be plenty of similarities, you should be prepared for whatever may come up during yours. Most companies, but by all means not all of them, will interview the first round of prospects in an "initial" interview. From there, the field of candidates will be reduced to those that are asked back for a secondary interview. This is liable to be the more intensive, probing interview. Lastly, there will be the confirmation interview, scheduled once you have actually been offered the position. This type of interview is done in some larger companies where the boss claims to want to have more input in hiring, but does not want to wade through the clunkers that come before the best person is found. A confirmation interview is generally nothing more than a formality, done to make the boss feel as if he was involved with the actual day to day stuff.

Many of the initial interviews will be of the "behavioral" type. These types of interviews are used if the company is team oriented- the questions asked will define how you handle certain situations and how you fit in with a group mentality. A confirmed loner for instance, will not work in a company that prides itself on its team approach. On the other hand, if you cannot think on your own, then you will be of no used to the company either. The questions in this type of interview can be difficult to handle and tricky. The interviewer wants the questions to seem ominous- it forces you to slow down and really consider what you are about to say.

There are many questions that are not legal to ask outright, but a savvy interviewer will know loopholes to get around those laws. Before your interview, review labor laws and familiarize yourself with what can and cannot be asked, and be wary of any questioning that seems to be designed to get around the laws. Some of the things that cannot be asked are: questions about your health, age, racial or ethnic background, religious or political affiliations and marital status. Interviewers will fish for this information which is in violation of anti discrimination laws, so be careful.

Many companies opt to have a hiring committee for one or more of the interviews rather than leaving it all to one person. Occasionally, they will have several interviews going on at the same time ( in separate rooms, of course) and then meet afterward to discuss choices. Whether you are interviewed several times by a single person each time, or only once by several people, your goal is the same: remain professional, polite and respectful at all times.