Types of interviews

The following are examples of the most common types of interviews

One-on-One Interview
An interview with a candidate being questioned by only one person.

Panel/Committee Interview
An interview conducted by a series, or panel, of people.

Screening Interview
Typically a short interview used for the purpose of conducting a brief evaluation of a candidate. An example of this type of interview is a conversation with an employer at a career fair. From this conversation, an employer will decide if he or she wants to talk with the student further in a more formal interview.

Phone Interview
Rather than conduct an interview face-to-face, the interview will be conducted via telephone. A phone interview is often a type of screening interview. Many times this is done when there is travel involved for a face-to-face interview. For example, an employer might interview ten candidates over the phone and then choose three to fly out for an on-site interview.

On-Site Interview
An interview conducted at the location of the specific company/organization. If the company location is not in the local area, and travel is involved, an on-site interview can be a second-round interview.

Off-Site Interview
An interview that occurs outside of an organization. An example of this is an interview at a career fair or a career services center.

Second-Round Interview
An interview conducted after a formal, initial interview. The first interview has confirmed that you may be a good match for the job and the organization; the second is designed to probe more deeply into your skills and interests, and to allow others in the organization to meet and evaluate you.