Acquiring and retaining good and competent employees is the objective of all companies. In this age of cut-throat competition and declining margins, the quality and capability of the employees is an extremely significant asset. One of the most important parts of the recruitment process is the interview. Interview can be used to assess the individual, his skills, his ambitions and expectations etc.

There are many types of interviews ranging from the simple interview which seems more like two people talking across a table to the stress interview which is used to find how the individual responds to stress.

Some of the Types of Interviews are:

Panel interview: In this kind of interview, the candidate is interviewed by a panel of interviewers. The panel is composed of the HR manager, the union leader, the supervisor and manager of the department and a few employees from the relevant department. Each panel can be expected to ask a couple of questions. These interviews have the advantage of analyzing the candidate from different perspectives and building a picture of the candidate and his capabilities. 

Directed Interview: This kind of interview involves the interviewer asking pre-defined questions. This kind of interview is used to find facts and qualifications.

Non-Directed Interview: This kind of interview is more informal. Here, the candidate and the interviewer are able to discuss freely. This kind of interview puts the candidate in a certain degree of control, and hence, the candidate may seem relaxed and has an opportunity to express himself and showcase his strengths more freely.

Group interviews: This kind of interview seeks to find the response of the individual in a social setting - The way the candidates interact with his peers, the manner in which he frames questions, how he handles criticism and different opinions etc are also scrutinized. 

Seqential interview: the sequential interview derives its name because it consists of a long sequence of interviewing procedures. First there may be a casual exploratory interview, then there can be a group discussion and then there can be a final interview. The assessment is done during all the phases of the interview. 

Stress interview: This kind of interview is usually carried out where the workplace is demanding and hostile as in the armed forces. The aim of the interview is to put the candidate in a tight spot and see his response. The interviewer can be brash and hostile in his speech and body language. He can make non-flattering comments about the candidate, his dress and his look. He can fault his responses and try to undermine his self confidence. The response of the candidate can be observed by his replies, his facial expressions and his body language.