Directed Versus Non-Directed Interviews
As more and more executives have brushed up on their interviewing techniques, non-directed interviews have gained in popularity. Frankly a non-directed interview is something that is best conducted by a trained psychologist who knows what he is doing and why. In the world of business, this is rarely the case, and line executives occasionally conduct this kind of interview.
In a non-directed interview, the interviewer deliberately remains passive and unusually quiet. In other words, he gives the job candidate lots of room to talk himself into a bad situation. In the hands of a trained human resources person, this interviewing technique can work to test how aggressive and energetic you are, but in the hands of a non-trained line executive, it can make for a lot of awkward silences.
If you are sure you are in a non-directed interview (the silences will be a giveaway), answer all the questions that are put to you. If you can do it naturally, ask a question that points the interview in a new direction or takes it further based on the most recent question. For example, if you were asked to describe what in your experience makes you qualified for this position (non-directed interviewers tend to ask broad questions like this), you should answer the question, and then say, "Is there anything else about my experience that I can tell you, any special area you would like to hear more about?"
At some point, you may have to live with the silence. Just answer the question and then sit quietly until the next question is asked. This is when you must resist the urge to continue talking or say whatever comes into your mind. The silences you hear during an important interview are among the most deafening in the world, but they are also intended to egg you into saying something you shouldn't say. Resist the urge at all costs.
Fortunately, most executives are too action-oriented to conduct this kind of interview, so you won't encounter many of these from line executives. Human resources people are more likely to use some non-directed techniques in an interview, but are usually so subtle that you won't feel uncomfortable.
A directed interview is just the opposite of a non-directed interview. The interviewer usually assumes control, asks most of the questions (especially early on during the interview), and generally takes the lead. You do need to recognize the difference between a directed interview conducted by a skilled interviewer and one conducted by a domineering or dominant personality. If the interviewer is skilled, he or she will get around to letting you have your say. You will get a chance to ask your questions. If he or she isn't skilled, you may have to assume some control in order to ask the questions you need to have answered.
Give the interviewer some time before you shift the power balance. Out of nervousness, some interviewers have to get out their spiel either about themselves or the company before they can sit back and share the platform with you. Always wait to see what kind of interview you're in before you leap.
The Informal Interview
The most subtle interview is the informal interview. It's so subtle that you may not even know you've been interviewed until you learn that you didn't get the job.
The informal interview usually occurs during a social occasion. It may be a golf game, an afternoon on someone's yacht, drinks at a club, or, most commonly, over a business lunch.
Usually your only clue that you are being sounded out for a job is that the person who seeks out your company has the power to hire you. You may not know there is a job opening; the job may not even be discussed directly during your social encounter. However, you will be asked about how happy you are in your present job, your management style, and your ambitions.
You can't acknowledge that this is an interview, either. You must express your views as if the two of you were peers engaged in a casual conversation. For example, if the interviewer says, "I don't think direct work experience is all that important in hiring a manager. What I look for is someone who is congenial--a good people handler," your response should be something like this: "I agree. All the technical training in the world won't guarantee that someone will get along with others and manage them well. That's important to me, too." In this way, you can progress to the point where you both know whether or not you have similar management styles and whether you would be compatible working together.
The informal interview may seem casual, but in reality it is a chance to assess much more about you than might be observed during a more traditional interview: Do you drink a lot? How affable are you? How well do you handle social situations? During a structured interview, any job candidate knows enough to be on his or her best behavior, but if you don't even realize you're being interviewed, you're much more likely to let down your guard. Your best defense against this kind of interview is to recognize that you are, in fact, being interviewed for a job and to conduct yourself accordingly. Be careful, though, not to stiffen up and turn an informal interview into a formal one.
See the following articles for more information:
- How to Start on the Right Foot in Your New Job
- What Are the Sources to Find the Information You Need
- The Background of Application Process
- How to Network and Take an Information Interview
