Types of interview: characteristics, examples and effectiveness

The interview is a conversation or an exchange of ideas between the interviewer and the interviewee , with the aim of obtaining information considered of value.

According to the field in which the interview is carried out, classifications can be made. In any case, in all cases, the objective sought in the interview in which the interviewee presents his ideas or data that will serve the other party for decision-making (whether it is a job, medical treatment, journalistic note, among others) .

What is an interview?

An interview is defined as the qualitative information gathering technique , in which two parties participate, an interviewee and who conducts the interview. The interview is not considered an informal conversation, since it has an objective and an intention.

To be able to carry out an interview is fundamental requirement which at least two people, one and ntrevistador and interviewed , always existing agreement by both parties. The interviewer is the one who will obtain the information about the other person.

Characteristics of the interviews

Although there are different types of interviews depending on the setting in which they are carried out, there are certain common characteristics that must be considered by both parties to the interview.

• Fundamental requirement that there are two parties, an interviewer and an interviewee.
• The interview must have a defined objective.
• The interviewer must create a cordial space so that his interviewee feels comfortable. This refers to good manners, education and courtesy, which help to reduce the tension that the situation may generate.
• Before the interview, a research should be done to know a little about the interviewee or about a certain news event in order to ask the correct questions.
• Those interviews that are journalistic can be face-to-face and in certain cases by phone or video call.
• Job interviews can be in person, by phone, by mail, or by video call.

Types of interviews

 Depending on the area in which the interview is carried out, they can be classified into the following:

• According to the number of participants

 -Individual interview

This type is the most used interview and can also be called a personal interview. This interview can be carried out when an individual enters in search of a job and meets his interviewer, or when a patient accesses a psychologist, when a coach receives his client, among other cases.

– Group interview

This type of interview is usually used in general in the workplace, since it allows assessing the different skills of those who aspire to the job.

During this interview, the interviewees and an interviewer participate, who may be accompanied by an assistant. In addition to the information or data that the person can provide verbally, this type of interview allows us to observe the interaction between the different candidates, a very important and required quality in most jobs.

– Panel interview

This type of interview is also group interview and used in the workplace. Unlike the interview detailed above, this time there are several interviewers who interview an individual or candidate.

Here each of the interviewers will evaluate the interviewee with their own criteria, who will then join their colleagues and make a joint decision about whether or not the interviewee is the right one for the position.

One of the main advantages of this type of interview is that it allows you to see different points of view in a single session, which allows you to have points of view of people specialized in different aspects of the job.

•  According to the structure of the interview

Depending on the mythology that is applied to carry out the interviews, they can be

-Open or unstructured interview

This type of interview is also known as a free interview , and is characterized by the absence of a certain questionnaire, that is, it is a much more relaxed dialogue that allows the interviewee to feel more comfortable, with more confidence and that their answers can be more fluid and spontaneous.

Another name for this type of interview is an unstructured interview. It is usual to work with open questions without any pre-established order, directing towards a conversation and giving rise to spontaneity. These characteristics make this type of interview more like an informal conversation, while still having clear methods and objectives.

-Closed or structured interview

The closed interview , contrary to the open one, has a certain questionnaire or specific questions that will allow you to address the different aspects of the interviewee in an efficient way. This type of closed or structured interview is generally used in personnel selection processes thanks to its great practicality.

The closed interview questions are prepared before the interview, and the same questions are applied to all interviewees. It focuses on the need to create a context that is as similar as possible between the different interviews carried out, in order to achieve in this way the best results.

-Mixed interview

The mixed interview is a mixture of the two interviews detailed above (the open and the closed one). In general, a part of the interview is carried out through a common conversation and then some specific or closed questions are usually asked.

They are also called unstructured interviews and have the benefits of both structured and unstructured interviews. It allows you to compare the different candidates and also delve into their specific characteristics.

• According to the communication medium used

-In-person interviews

They are those that, as their name indicates, require the physical presence of the interviewer and the interviewee. When we are, for example, in front of a job interview, it is usually carried out in some office of the company that is with the search. Medical or psychological interviews generally take place in the specialist’s office or in the emergency room.

-Telephone interviews

Telephone interviews are those that are conducted over the phone . They are usually widely used for recruitment, since they allow the selector to make a first contact with the future candidate before summoning him to the face-to-face interview.

In the journalistic field, the journalistic interview can be a resource when circumstances do not allow a face-to-face meeting, although it is not recommended.

-Email interview

The interviews you carry out through e-mails are usually forms that are sent by this means in order to collect data that will later be used in an investigation, although they are not usually very common interviews in other areas since you cannot know with accuracy and certainty that the person who answers it is the one required.

-Interview by video calls

This type of interview is the most current and the one that is being used the most today, since it allows face-to-face contact between the different parties involved, leaving aside the problems generated by distance or need Scroll to meet.