In the world of workforce recruitment, choosing the right interview method can make a significant impact on selecting the most qualified candidates for your company. Therefore, HRD or recruitment teams need to know what interviews type are effective for their company’s needs.
There are many types of interviews that can be conducted in the recruitment process. Some of them include structured interviews, unstructured interviews, and semi-structured interviews. These three interview techniques are commonly used as methods of gathering information in the academic and corporate recruitment fields.
Whether it’s a structured interview, unstructured interview, or semi-structured interview, each has its own strengths and weaknesses. To determine the right interview type for your company’s needs, it is essential to understand the intricacies of each of these interview types. In this article, we will provide an overview!
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What Are the Interviews Type?
As mentioned earlier, there are several types of interviews that can be used to select potential employees. Some of these include structured interviews, unstructured interviews, and semi-structured interviews.
If you’re considering using one of these three interview types, here is an explanation of each by Algobash:
List of Interviews Type
1. Structured Interviews
Structured interviews are a standardized and systematic assessment method involving predetermined questions. This approach ensures that every candidate is evaluated based on the same criteria.
In structured interviews, interviewers ask a series of identical questions to all candidates in a consistent manner. These questions are typically designed to assess specific skills, experiences, or competencies relevant to the job. Structured interviews are most suitable for roles where specific skills, knowledge, or competencies are crucial and need to be evaluated uniformly. This type of interview is ideal for technical or specialized positions.
Advantages:
- All candidates are assessed using the same criteria, reducing bias.
- Structured interviews are highly replicable, yielding reliable results.
- They aid in comparing candidates objectively based on their responses to predetermined questions.
Disadvantages:
- It may not allow for spontaneous exploration of unique candidate qualities.
- Designing and maintaining structured interview questions can be time-consuming.
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2. Unstructured Interviews
Unstructured interviews take a more open approach to assessing candidates. Interviewers can ask different questions to different candidates based on the flow of the conversation during the interview process.
In unstructured interviews, interviewers actively engage in conversations with candidates. This allows candidates to share their experiences, thoughts, and perspectives on the job they are applying for more freely.
Unstructured interviews are effective when recruiting for roles that require cultural fit, interpersonal skills, and personality traits, such as leadership positions or those involving direct client interactions.
Advantages:
- This technique allows for a deeper understanding of candidates’ personalities, motivations, and cultural fit.
- Candidates tend to be more relaxed, resulting in broader responses.
- Strategic for roles where adaptability, creativity, and interpersonal skills are crucial.
Disadvantages:
Because questions can vary, it can be challenging to make fair comparisons.
Unstructured interviews are more susceptible to interviewer bias.
Semi-Structured Interviews
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3. Semi-structured interviews
Semi-structured interviews combine elements of structured and unstructured interviews. This technique involves a set of predetermined questions, but interviewers still allow candidates to respond more broadly and flexibly.
In semi-structured interviews, interviewers start with a list of key questions. However, these questions are not used rigidly like in structured interviews, and interviewers have the flexibility to ask additional questions as the conversation progresses.
Semi-structured interviews are ideal for roles that require a combination of technical expertise and interpersonal skills. They provide a more comprehensive assessment while maintaining some level of standardization.
Advantages:
- Creates a balance between consistency and flexibility.
- Allows interviewers to delve into specific aspects of a candidate’s profile.
- Effective for roles that require a combination of technical expertise and interpersonal skills.
Disadvantages:
- Interviewers need to be skilled in adapting questions spontaneously.
- Questions may sometimes become inconsistent during the interview.
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Choosing the right type of interview is crucial in selecting the right candidates. Therefore, understanding the strengths, weaknesses, functions, and workings of each interview type is essential for HRD before conducting the process.
That’s the information on three types of interviews that can be used to select potential employees in your company. In addition to interview type information, you can also find other recruitment-related insights on Algobash’s blog!