Interviews differ depending on the purpose and where they are held. On-campus interviews are usually half-hour interviews conducted by professional interviewers who are screening candidates for additional interviews. A positive on-campus interview can result in an invitation for a selection interview at the employment site. Off-campus interviews that you develop on your own may be very different in length and type of person interviewing you. Interviews conducted at personnel offices are typically screening interviews similar to on-campus ones, while interviews with department heads are more likely to be longer, less structured selection interviews.

Interview Formats

1. Screening:

* Done by a person well trained in the act of interviewing.
* Purpose is to week out candidates to cut down on work of hiring person.
* May be brief (half-hour).
* Based primarily on facts - follow the interviewer’s lead.
* May be done on-campus, in personnel offices, by school systems or large companies, etc.

2. On-Site:

* Often involves a whole day or longer.
* Offers you the opportunity to see the physical plant.
* You will be meeting different people within the organization who will have input into the hiring decision.

3. One-on-One:

* Usually with the person who will make the hiring decision.
* Fifty percent of supervisors who interview have no professional training in interviewing.

4. Panel:

* Less subjective - better odds at overcoming an individual bias.
* Can get a better idea of how the staff works together.
* Greater chance of anxiety if you are not expecting this.
* Questions may be more rapidly paced because they can frame questions while you’re answering someone else.
* It is more difficult to achieve feelings of rapport
* You should maintain eye contact and involve everybody; be professional; smile.
* Answer one question at a time and ask if you can jot down notes.