Advantages and Disadvantages of Interviews

Introduction

Face-to-face interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee is called an interview. It is a formatted conversation in which one person asks questions and the other responds to them. The interviewer asks questions to the interviewee to decide whether the interviewee is suitable for the position.

It is the most important part of the overall selection process. The interview determines whether a candidate should be hired, move further with the interview process, or be discarded. It acts as the main source for collecting more details about the candidate.

Types of interviews:

1. Structured interview

Here, the set of the same questions is asked to all candidates. In such interviews, the candidates are closely observed based on their knowledge.

2. Unstructured interview

Here, interviewers modify their questions accordingly candidate's answers to earlier ones. In this kind of interview, the candidate evaluation is based on the candidate's reply to the questions.

3. Stress interview

It is a difficult interview. Here interviewer examines how you respond to pressured situations.

4. Case interview

In it, the interviewer presents a scenario and asks for a solution. Applicant problem-solving skills will be evaluated in this interview.

5. Off-site interview

It is a casual interview where the interviewer and interviewee meet somewhere other than the interviewer's office. The interviewer might invite the applicant to lunch. Such interviews are intended to evaluate your personality outside of the office.

6. Panel interview

A panel interview is commonly referred to as a board interview. In this kind of interview, the candidate is evaluated by many interviewers.

7. One-On-One interview

An interviewee and interviewer meet one-on-one for a regular job interview.

8. Mass interview

The mass interview is a recent method that is rarely used. It is a method for identifying leadership qualities. The panel asks a question and then waits to see who takes the initiative and comes up with a solution.

9. Phone interview

Some interviews are conducted fully online by employers. It can be more reliable than an in-person interview for determining a candidate's diligence, intelligence, and communication skills.

Things to keep in mind at the time of the interview

1. Attempt to be as genuine as you can.
2. Do not mislead interviewers by providing incorrect information. If you give false information, it can work against you if the interviewer questions it.
3. There are different questions asked during interviews; therefore, you might be unable to respond to them. You can say that I don't know the answer to the question instead of answering it incorrectly.

Things to avoid at an interview

1. Don't blame your former employers, co-workers, or managers. It will give the interviewer a negative picture of you.
2. Never fidget with objects because this shows a lack of confidence and focus.
3. Never attend an interview without researching the history of the company. If you don't know anything, interviewers will think you aren't interested in learning about the business.

Advantages of interviews

Interviews are a good method for evaluating job candidates. It can be utilized to learn more about a candidate's past, skills, and talents. The following are the advantages of interviews:

1. Deciding which candidates are best for the job

The interview is an opportunity to evaluate a candidate's abilities and personality. An interview is a two-way conversation where you can observe the candidate's responses in a relaxed environment and compare candidates during interviews.

2. Detailed assessment

Interviews are one of the finest ways to determine how much applicants know about the industry. Interviews are helpful for both the candidate and the employer. It helps an employer to evaluate each applicant's abilities and knowledge to determine whether they are good for the company or not.

3. Fantastic source of information

Interviews are the primary source for achieving significant and trustworthy information. It is beneficial for the company because it offers valuable data that can enhance decision-making, customer satisfaction, and client retention.

4. Increasing knowledge

Interviews are an excellent method to get to know someone, and the interviewee can also discover more about themselves.

5. Increasing stakeholder understanding

It is an easy technique to establish a connection with your customers.

6. Extra information extraction

During an interview, the interviewer can look for information that helps to shortlist the candidates. It is important, especially when numerous applicants have the same qualifications. Additionally, it enables the applicant to know more about the business and decide whether they enjoy working there or not.

Disadvantages of Interviews

Traditionally, data is collected from applicants at interviews as they respond to questions. The expense of conducting interviews as well as the possibility of interviewer stress are two disadvantages of it. Its other disadvantages are described below.

1. Personal bias

The interview process is not always pleasant. The candidate might think their evaluation isn't being done fairly. Many interviews also involve some aspect of manipulation, so some people might not want to reveal much more personal information out of concern that it might be used against them.

2. Quick to judge

Interviews are frequently used to learn more about candidates and their skills, but it takes a lot of time. Decisions are frequently taken in the first few minutes of the interview itself, and the remaining time is usually utilized to confirm or justify the original decision. This approach is not ineffective, but it may also be more difficult to evaluate candidates during interviews.

3. Developing stereotypes

An interviewer will make assumptions about a candidate's skills, aptitude, and personality based on how they respond to questions.

4. Challenging to verify the truth

It is a fantastic technique to learn in-depth details about a company. It's essential to keep in mind that not all of what is mentioned during an interview will be actually correct or true. Several times, the statements are completely wrong.

5. Unpredicted result

Although interviews are not as accurate as exams, they can still be useful in some situations. For example, while interviewing a new employee, you learn more about how the person and how he or she will interact with others at work. If an interviewer has to lack predictive ability, then they cannot be able to predict how a candidate's abilities will convert into professional success.

6. Disappointed

Applicants may be disappointed when the interviewer asks questions that are not related to the field. Because of this, a talented applicant might be rejected.

7. Expensive

The interviewing process is typically costly.

Comparison table for interviews' advantages and disadvantages

Conclusion:

Discovering applicant skills is one of the main benefits of interviews. However, there are drawbacks to this approach as well. For example, it is important to have self-assurance and understanding of a particular topic because employers may not view you as a strong candidate if you do not give a proper response. The procedure might be time-consuming and requires a high level of stress tolerance. Although it is a very important method to get a job in the industry, every applicant must go through this process to achieve the job.