Job interviews allow recruiters to delve into candidates’ professional and academic aspects, as well as analyze their skills and characteristics for specific positions. However, these interviews have evolved over time, and today there are multiple types, some of which are more useful for evaluating particular stages of the selection process, while others are more useful for assessing specific skills.
In this blog, we will explore the different types of interviews designed for IT professionals, in order to understand what each one entails and which one best fits your company’s selection process
Traditional Interview
The traditional interview, also known as the classic interview, consists of common questions to obtain general information about the candidate, mainly regarding what is reflected in their resume such as: academic background, work experience, skills, interests, and motivations. On the other hand, the recruiter may also inquire about the reasons for applying for the position and how their values align with those of the company.
Competency-based interview or behavioral interview
The competency-based interview, or behavioral interview, is a type of systematic selection process that allows addressing specific work situations that candidates have experienced in order to investigate more about their competencies and obtain comprehensive details. The questions are typically structured as follows: ‘Describe a situation where…’, ‘Tell me about a time when you faced…’, ‘Describe an occasion when you had to demonstrate the ability to…’, ‘Give me an example of a time when you did not achieve a goal and how you handled it.
Panel Interview
The panel interview is similar to the one-on-one interview, with the difference that it is conducted by two or more recruiters in the room. This type of interview allows for obtaining multiple perspectives and points of view about the candidate, as each recruiter can detect different characteristics, skills, and responses. The interview should be guided by one recruiter, and the rest of them can ask more specific questions about the topics discussed.
Technical Interview
The technical interview is applied in hiring processes in the field of software engineering, computer science, and other technological areas, in order to assess the candidate’s technological skills. This type of interview involves presenting the candidate with a scenario similar to what the company handles, in order to determine if they are capable of performing the work itself and their ability to respond to business situations and dilemmas.
Some of the cases that may arise in this type of interview include:
- Coding tests and programming exercises.
- Discussion of technical concepts.
- Algorithm problem-solving.
- System design and architectures.
- Practical exercises or projects.
Finally, as we’ve seen throughout this blog, there are different types of interviews that offer recruiters a variety of techniques and approaches to evaluate candidates. From the traditional interview that provides a general overview of the candidate’s information to the technical interview where it’s possible to assess technical skills and problem-solving abilities. The choice of interview type varies according to the objectives of your company’s selection process or the profile of the candidate being sought.
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- Vázquez, C. (2023, June 2). Understanding the Technical Interview: A Guide to Preparing for an IT Technical Exam. https://coderslink.com/talento/blog/entiendo-la-entrevista-tecnica-una-guia-para-prepararse-para-un-examen-tecnico-en-ti/
- DVSkiller. (2019, October 10). Different types of interviews for technical recruitment. https://devskiller.com/blog/types-of-interviews/#types-of-interviews-you-can-use-for-technical-recruitment
