3.4 Structuring questions for different interview types
4 min read•august 6, 2024
Interviews come in different flavors: structured, semi-structured, and unstructured. Each type has its own pros and cons, depending on the job and what you're looking for in a candidate. Knowing when to use each can make your interviews way more effective.
Questions are the heart of any interview. Behavioral questions dig into past experiences, situational ones test problem-solving skills, and ice-breakers help everyone relax. Don't forget closing questions to wrap things up smoothly. Mix and match these for best results!
Interview Formats
Structured Interviews
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- Highly standardized and consistent format follows a predetermined set of questions asked in a specific order
- Allows for direct comparisons between candidates as they are all asked the same questions
- Reduces interviewer and subjectivity by minimizing deviations from the script
- Best suited for roles that require specific skills or qualifications (technical positions)
- May limit the ability to explore unique aspects of a candidate's background or experience
Semi-structured Interviews
- Combines elements of both structured and unstructured interviews, providing a balance between consistency and flexibility
- Includes a set of predetermined questions but allows the interviewer to ask or explore topics in more depth
- Enables the interviewer to clarify responses, gather additional information, and adapt to the candidate's unique experiences
- Suitable for a wide range of roles, as it allows for a more comprehensive assessment of the candidate
- Requires skilled interviewers who can effectively navigate the interview while maintaining a level of consistency
Unstructured Interviews
- Highly flexible and conversational in nature, with no predetermined set of questions
- Allows the interviewer to explore the candidate's background, experiences, and qualifications in a more organic manner
- Provides opportunities for the candidate to discuss their unique strengths, challenges, and goals
- Best suited for roles that require strong interpersonal skills or creative problem-solving abilities (leadership positions, creative roles)
- May be more susceptible to interviewer bias and subjectivity, as the lack of structure can lead to inconsistencies in the evaluation process
Question Types
Behavioral Questions
- Focus on a candidate's past experiences, actions, and outcomes to predict future performance
- Asks candidates to provide specific examples of how they have handled situations similar to those they may encounter in the role
- Helps assess a candidate's problem-solving skills, decision-making abilities, and work ethic
- Examples: "Tell me about a time when you had to manage a difficult team member" or "Describe a situation where you had to adapt to a significant change in your work environment"
Situational Questions
- Present hypothetical scenarios related to the role and ask the candidate how they would respond or handle the situation
- Assess a candidate's ability to think critically, make decisions under pressure, and apply their skills to real-world situations
- Help evaluate a candidate's problem-solving approach, communication style, and alignment with company values
- Examples: "How would you handle a project with a tight deadline and limited resources?" or "If a customer complained about a product or service, how would you address their concerns?"
Ice-breaker Questions
- Designed to put the candidate at ease and build rapport at the beginning of the interview
- Help create a more relaxed and conversational atmosphere, encouraging the candidate to open up and share more about themselves
- Can provide insights into a candidate's personality, interests, and communication style
- Examples: "Tell me about yourself" or "What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?"
Closing Questions
- Typically asked at the end of the interview to gauge the candidate's interest in the role and address any remaining concerns or questions
- Allow the candidate to demonstrate their enthusiasm for the position and the company
- Provide an opportunity for the interviewer to clarify next steps in the hiring process and set expectations
- Examples: "What questions do you have for me about the role or the company?" or "What are your salary expectations?"
Questioning Techniques
Funnel Approach
- Starts with broad, and gradually narrows down to more specific, targeted questions
- Allows the interviewer to gather a comprehensive understanding of the candidate's background and experiences before diving into role-specific details
- Helps establish context and build rapport, making the candidate more comfortable sharing detailed examples and insights
- Enables the interviewer to identify areas for further exploration and tailor subsequent questions accordingly
Topic Transitions
- Involves smoothly shifting the conversation from one topic to another, maintaining a logical flow throughout the interview
- Helps keep the interview on track and ensures that all relevant areas are covered within the allotted time
- Requires active listening and the ability to identify natural segues between topics
- Examples: "That's a great example of your leadership skills. Now, let's talk about your experience with project management" or "You mentioned your interest in professional development. Can you share an example of how you've sought out learning opportunities in the past?"
Key Terms to Review (20)
Audience Awareness: Audience awareness is the understanding and consideration of the audience’s knowledge, interests, and expectations while crafting messages or conducting interviews. This awareness influences how questions are structured, ensuring they are relevant and engaging for the interviewee and the audience. It's crucial in different interview settings as it helps tailor communication effectively, leading to a more meaningful interaction.
Bias: Bias refers to a tendency or inclination that prevents impartial judgment or leads to a skewed perspective. In the context of interviews, bias can significantly influence how questions are structured and how information is interpreted, ultimately impacting the accuracy and fairness of the interview process. Understanding bias is crucial for creating effective questions that allow for diverse viewpoints and reduce the risk of leading or unfair questions.
Clarity: Clarity refers to the quality of being easily understood, free from ambiguity, and straightforward in communication. In interviews, clarity is vital to ensure that questions are comprehensible, that responses are accurately captured during transcription, and that any editing maintains the original intent without misrepresentation.
Closed-ended questions: Closed-ended questions are inquiries that provide limited response options, typically requiring a simple 'yes' or 'no,' or selecting from predefined choices. These questions serve specific purposes in interviews, such as gathering straightforward information, facilitating quantitative analysis, and maintaining control over the conversation.
Confidentiality: Confidentiality refers to the ethical and legal obligation to protect the privacy of information shared by individuals during an interview. This concept is crucial for building trust with interviewees and ensuring that sensitive information remains secure and is not disclosed without consent.
Contextual Adaptation: Contextual adaptation refers to the process of adjusting interview techniques, questions, and strategies based on the specific circumstances, environment, and characteristics of the interviewee. This concept emphasizes the importance of being flexible and responsive during interviews to accommodate various settings, purposes, and interpersonal dynamics, ensuring that the interaction is as effective and meaningful as possible.
Follow-up questions: Follow-up questions are inquiries made after an initial response to gather more details, clarify statements, or deepen understanding of a topic. They play a crucial role in keeping the conversation flowing and ensuring the interviewer can extract richer insights from the interviewee.
Funnel Approach: The funnel approach is a questioning technique used in interviews that begins with broad, open-ended questions and gradually narrows down to more specific inquiries. This method helps to create a comfortable environment for the interviewee, allowing them to share general thoughts before delving into deeper details, which can lead to richer insights and a more comprehensive understanding of the topic being discussed.
Informed Consent: Informed consent is the process of obtaining permission from an individual before conducting an interview or gathering sensitive information, ensuring that the person fully understands what participation involves. This includes clearly explaining the purpose of the interview, how the information will be used, and any potential risks, thus protecting the rights and privacy of the interviewee.
Narrative Inquiry: Narrative inquiry is a qualitative research method that focuses on the stories people tell to understand their experiences and the meanings they ascribe to them. This approach emphasizes the significance of personal narratives in shaping knowledge and identity, allowing researchers to explore complex human experiences through storytelling. By capturing the essence of lived experiences, narrative inquiry helps to reveal deeper insights into how individuals perceive and interpret their realities.
Open-ended questions: Open-ended questions are inquiries that allow for a full, meaningful answer using the subject's own knowledge and feelings, rather than simply a 'yes' or 'no' response. These questions encourage interviewees to express their thoughts and provide more detailed information, which is essential for gathering insights in various interviewing contexts.
Phenomenological Approach: The phenomenological approach is a qualitative research method that focuses on understanding the lived experiences of individuals from their own perspective. It emphasizes capturing the essence of experiences and exploring how individuals perceive and make sense of their world, which is crucial for structuring questions in various interview types to ensure they align with the interviewee's realities and feelings.
Probing questions: Probing questions are follow-up inquiries designed to encourage deeper responses and elicit more information from interviewees. They help clarify, expand, or explore the thoughts and feelings of the person being interviewed, allowing the interviewer to gain a richer understanding of the topic at hand.
Rapport building: Rapport building is the process of establishing a positive, trusting relationship between the interviewer and the interviewee, which is essential for effective communication and information exchange. This connection enhances the comfort level of the interviewee, encouraging openness and honesty, which leads to richer and more insightful responses during the interview.
Reflective Listening: Reflective listening is a communication technique in which the listener actively engages with the speaker by paraphrasing, summarizing, or reflecting back what they have said. This method not only helps clarify understanding but also shows the speaker that their thoughts and feelings are being acknowledged, fostering a deeper level of dialogue and connection. This approach can be tailored to various interview types, enhances active listening skills, and is particularly sensitive to cultural differences in communication styles.
Relevance: Relevance refers to the importance or significance of information in relation to the subject being discussed or investigated. In interviews, asking relevant questions is crucial as it ensures that the dialogue stays focused on essential topics, leading to deeper insights and a clearer understanding of the interviewee's perspective. This concept is particularly vital when structuring questions and conducting interviews aimed at gathering news or verifying facts.
Reverse funnel approach: The reverse funnel approach is a technique used in interviews where the interviewer starts with broad, open-ended questions and gradually narrows down to specific, focused inquiries. This method allows the interviewee to share general thoughts and insights first, which can lead to more detailed responses as the conversation progresses. It helps build rapport and encourages the interviewee to feel comfortable before addressing more targeted subjects.
Semi-structured interview: A semi-structured interview is a qualitative data collection method that combines pre-determined questions with the flexibility to explore topics in more depth during the conversation. This approach allows the interviewer to guide the discussion while also enabling participants to express their thoughts and feelings freely, making it particularly effective for gathering rich, detailed information in various contexts.
Structured Interview: A structured interview is a research method where the interviewer asks a predetermined set of questions in a specific order, ensuring consistency and comparability in responses. This approach is designed to minimize variability in answers and allows for quantitative analysis, making it particularly useful in contexts where clear, objective data is needed.
Unstructured Interview: An unstructured interview is a conversational approach to interviewing where the interviewer has no predefined set of questions, allowing for a more organic and flexible dialogue with the interviewee. This type of interview encourages open-ended responses and exploration of topics that may arise spontaneously, which can lead to deeper insights and understanding. It is particularly useful for gathering rich qualitative data and fostering a relaxed atmosphere for the interviewee.