Types of Interviews
It is very difficult to identify the exact types of interview. Interviews are generally conducted by social workers, insurance investigators, criminal investigators, journalists, doctors, lawyers and so on. In actual practice, there are many types of interviews depending on the objectives of conducting interview. However, the commonly found interviews in business are discussed below:
Employment Interview: Employment interview is one through which job applicants are being tested and evaluated. It is a formal face-to-face oral question-answer session between job applicants and employer. Employment interview is a part of selection process. The main purpose of this interview is to select the best-suited candidate for the job.
Job Performance Interview: Job performance interview is an interview which is conducted by the supervisors to evaluate the performances of the subordinates. The purposes of this interview are to select the subordinates for promotion, salary increases, training etc. This interview is also known as Performance Appraisal Interview.
Disciplinary Interview: It is a type of interview through which employers are reprimanded for actions that an inconsistent with the company policy and procedure. This type of interview is conducted to improve employees’ behavior and performance.
Grievance Interview: Grievance interview is one where aggrieved employees express their dissatisfaction regarding acts or policies of the supervisors or of the company.
Persuasive Interview: When interview is conducted to persuade the interviewee to take a specific action, it is termed as persuasive interview. In a democratic organization, supervisors arrange persuasive interview so that subordinates act according to supervisor’s guidelines or suggestions. Through this interview, superiors also seek opinions or suggestions from the subordinates for necessary adjustment or rectification.
Terminal Interview: When interview is arranged to determine the causes for which employees leave the organization, it is called terminal interview. It is also known as exit interview. This interview may be conducted with the outgoing employees or with the organizational people at supervisory level.
Data – gathering interview: It is an interview through which the interviewer seeks answers to a specific group of questions from the interviewee. Mainly, this type of interview is conducted to know die opinions of the consumers, demand of the product and so on.
