Options: types of interview
Interview styles vary and can be used in combination, but final selection is generally by face-to-face interview. Initially, telephone and video-link interviews may be a more suitable means of shortlisting candidates. However, video-link and telephone interviews may potentially discriminate against those with visual or hearing disabilities, and may not allow candidates to demonstrate their personal skills fully
Telephone interviews
This method is often used to shortlist candidates. This may initially be fairer as many aspects of diversity will not be visible and there may be fewer access difficulties for candidates with reduced mobility. Monitor the process to ensure that it is a fair method of selection.
One-to-one interviews
Interviewing candidates alone may make it more difficult to omit biases and personal preferences as the interviewer does not have to justify decisions to anybody else. One-to-one interviews do have the advantage of putting the candidate more at their ease, but make it more difficult for the interviewer to concentrate on and consider the interviewee's responses.
Panel interviews
Panels usually contain three to six interviewers. There are two main advantages of panel interviews; they cut down on the time taken to decide the candidates’ suitability by different members of the business, and interviewer preferences are minimised.
Sequential interviews
Sequential interviews are where candidates are interviewed by a series of different people, each of whom ask different questions. Like the panel interview, this style reduces interviewer preferences and biases.
Video-link interviews
This type of interviewing has the potential to assist individuals with limited access to main offices, for example, parents, people with disabilities or those living further away.
