Preparing for a Structured Interview

The reason companies use a formal way of interviewing candidates is to make sure that they find the right person for each role. The questions are set up around the specific needs of the company and the desired benefits filling the role with the right candidate. Every candidate will get the same set of questions, and they will be compared using a scoring system or scale, so the hiring manager can decide who to take further to the next stage of the application process.

When hiring for a specific role, employers will be creating a list of ideal candidate characteristics as a set criteria. This will include the desired skills, experience, personality traits, and interpersonal or technical skills that are a must-have for the business. Of course, some of the questions will be the same for different roles within the company, as the culture of the business plays an important role in the hiring process. The priorities of the company will be reflected in every interview question, such as those related to interpersonal skills or teamwork.

The main reason why many companies opt for this system is because it is easy to follow the process, and it gives them a standard way of evaluating candidates. When companies are focusing on workplace transparency, they will set up structured interview questions to make sure cultural, gender, and other bias are not influencing their hiring decisions. However, the most common reason why most businesses opt for this method is the large number of applicants entering the first and second round, and the need for quick selection.

While there are some standard questions some companies will ask, it is dependent on the role, the company values, and the stage of the interviewing process. Recruiters tend to ask simpler and more general questions in the first round of interviews, and go into more details as the candidate progresses through the selection process. It is common that companies use role-specific interview questions, such as an example from your past role on overcoming a challenge, or managing conflict at the workplace. Look for clues in the job advert, and you will have a good idea about the most likely questions the interviewer will ask.

Once you have completed your interview, you will be scored by the company or the interviewer, based on your answers. Sometimes they will use a rating of 1-5 and pick the top 5-20 percent of applicants for the next round. In other cases, they will use a more qualitative method, such as rating you from average to exceptional based on each answer. Companies might also give each answer a different weight; so for example using a certain software before will be more important for them than having experience in client management.

To determine what the questions will be about, you have to focus on the role and the job advert. Let’s say that an employer posts a job that has a list of skills and qualifications, and has a few desired experiences. Chances are that if you don’t have the required experience and qualifications you will not get to the interview stage. Therefore, during the interview, the employer will be interested in what skills you have that makes you stand out and offers more than other candidates. The interview questions can focus on technology, personal skills and strengths, or professional attitude. Problem solving skills are the ones that are often covered during an interview: you are asked to provide a solution for a common situation the company faces.

The simple answer is yes. Most employers focus on getting the right candidates in the right roles, so expect questions that are related to your future role. To prepare for these types of questions, it is recommended that you research the company and find out more about the position and the responsibilities it comes with. If you are applying for a customer facing job, you might have to reflect on different scenarios, but if you are after a job in IT, the questions will be focused on technology and systems.

In order to be successful during a structured interview, you will need to do the legwork. Check out the company reviews on our site and find out about their mission, vision, and values. Read other employees’ and candidates’ insights, but also try to do extra research. Browse the company’s social media page, find out about their history and awards; anything that can give you an indication of why they are looking for new staff. Connecting with existing employees on LinkedIn and finding out what they are up to and how they got the job can help, too. Finally, make sure that you check the press release sites and Google news for any upcoming events or collaborations, as mentioning these during the interview in your answers will give you bonus points.

It is always a good idea to have a role play before you attend the interview. You might start with a blank piece of paper and list some of the most likely questions. Once you have 10 or 20, try to think with the recruiter’s head; what would they like to hear and what would make them feel like you are the right candidate for the job. 

You might also look at interview feedback scores for the company and read other candidates’ experiences to prepare. This will give you a few hints and tips on what to expect, even which answers will win over the interviewer.

The main benefit for employers is that they can streamline and scale their interview process and screen candidates who get through to the final stage of the recruitment process. Plus, they can make sure that the person they eventually hire will tick all the boxes and will be a good fit for the business. This is a more focused approach, and some of the questions can be focused on predicting the probable future performance of the candidate. Some of the skills in specialist industries are hard to measure, such as communication (written and oral) or critical thinking, and scoring applicants based on a select criteria will make the company’s hiring process more efficient.

The first thing you have to do is research. Find out about the role and the company’s values and priorities. You can always check employee reviews, feedback, or — if you know the name of the person who will interview you — the social media profile of the hiring manager. 

You could also look for similar job posts online to see if there are some common themes that come up that will guide you in your preparation. 

Practice the questions that are likely to come up during the interview, and be prepared for the unexpected, as well.

Some of the questions employers like using are:

• What was the most challenging part of your previous role and how did you manage to overcome the challenges?
• What do you do if you are unsure which policy to follow when dealing with a complaint?
• What would you change about the company’s customer management system if you had a magic wand?
• Tell me about a time when you made a mistake. How did you deal with the situation?
• What are your main development areas?

Have you recently had a structured interview you would like to tell the readers about? Share your review on our site. Getting to the interview stage is an achievement of top candidates. Get ready for your next structured interview using the above tips. Learn more about interviews on our site.