10 Types of Interviews (and How to Ace Them)

by The Daily Muse

Interviews come in all shapes and sizes: Sometimes you’re with one interviewer, others you’re with five. Maybe you’ll be asked to lunch, expected to solve a problem, or invited to a Skype interview.
But no matter what the format, we’ll give you what you need to succeed. Over the next few weeks, we’ll show you how to nail every type of interview you might face. Check out these 10 common interviews types and what you need to know about them, then check in all Job Search Month for even more advice.

1. The Traditional Interview

This is the scenario you’ll face most often: You sit down with a solo interviewer and answer a series of questions designed to help her figure out if you’re a great candidate for the job.

What You Need to Know

• How to Knock Your Next Interview Out of the Park 
• Your All-in-One Interview Prep Guide
• The 10 Rules of Interview Etiquette

2. The Phone Interview

Asked for a phone interview? A call is typically a first-round screening to see if you’re a fit to come in for a full interview, so nailing it is key. You’ll want to prepare just as you would for an in-person interview, with some key adjustments for the phone format.

What You Need to Know

• Got a Phone Interview? Make it Awesome, Not Awkward

3. The Skype Interview

Skype video interviews take the phone-screening interview to the next level, and they’re becoming a regular part of the job application process for many companies. From choosing the right on-screen look to making sure all of your tech systems are a go, you’ll want to be 100% ready for your TV debut.

What You Need to Know

• Skype Hype: The Key to Acing Your Virtual Interview

4. The Case Interview

The case interview is a more specialized format in which you’re given a business problem (“How can BigCoal Co. double its growth?”) or a puzzle (“How many tennis balls fit in a 747?”) to solve. While case interviews were once exclusively the domain of aspiring consultants, they’re now popping up everywhere from tech companies to NGOs.

What You Need to Know

• Ace the Case: 7 Steps to Cracking Your Consulting Interview
• Secrets for Cracking the Quant Interview

See all 10 Types of Interviews