I came across an article written by Doug Hardy of Monster.com about the “6 Types of Interviewers” and thought you might be interested in Artisan’s take on how to handle them.

Of course, the secret is figuring out what kind of interviewer you have as quickly as possible by assessing their body language – so that you can tailor your style to theirs.

For example, if your interviewer is distracted and doesn’t meet your eyes when you are talking, you might be dealing with “The Absentee.” Perhaps he is just having a bad day or didn’t have time to prepare (or doesn’t know how).  The best response? Have a clear message you can express in simple terms. If he cuts the interview short, you can offer to come back another time, but the best thing to do is make sure you follow up in case you can catch him at a better moment.

A tough, abrupt and perhaps even unfriendly interviewer might be “The Inquisitor.” This is a no-nonsense interview – the kind no one looks forward to.  Don’t make the mistake of assuming this interviewer doesn’t like you or you won’t get the job. If you can handle this interview with confidence and poise, she will respect you and possibly even become your advocate – if you can pass her test.

Find yourself answering a bunch of unrelated questions at a rapid-fire pace? You may have encountered “The Shotgun.” Preparation pays off with this kind of interviewer – especially knowing your strengths and accomplishments. Be ready with stories of projects on which you excelled and you’ll be ready for whatever comes next.

Insidious, “The Buddy” can lure you into talking about your personal life instead of your professional one. Be friendly and calm, but don’t take the bait. Steer the conversation back to the job and your skill set as soon as you can.

“The Silver Bullet” has a plan and one question which he thinks will reveal the perfect candidate. Unfortunately, he’s already decided what answer he is looking for and you might not hit the target. He will ask an unusual interview question and sit back and watch you writhe. Keep your cool. Start with “I have to think about that one for a minute,” and come up with something simple and professional.

Last but not least, “The Laser Beam” has only one issue on her mind. Go with it and worry about other issues when you get to the next stage of interviews. This type of interviewer will really appreciate technical language and specificity.

No interviewer is perfect, but no candidate gives a perfect interview, either. If you can keep your wits about you enough to figure out which type you are dealing with, you can make every interview count!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

Telephone interviews can be one of the most uncomfortable parts of the job-seeking process.  Many employers use them regularly in their hiring process as a way to reduce costs and save time.  Most often they are used to disqualify candidates early in the process before further time has been invested by all parties.

There are usually 2 types of phone interviews:

The “screening call”.  Quite often the HR department needs to learn additional information about candidates before forwarding their application to the Hiring Authority. Although the initial contact can be quite unassuming, HR is most likely trying to “short-list” a stack of potentials for the position.

The “committee” telephone interview. Sometimes several hiring authorities or department staff will get together on the interviewing process so that they can share their conclusions afterward. This rarely happens when the company is still early in the process.  Rather, it usually occurs when there are too many qualified candidates for face-to-face interviews.

Depending on the nature of the person conducting the telephone interview, these calls can be either quite pleasant or extremely uncomfortable.  In either case, there are certainly several ways to best prepare yourself for a successful call:

1. 1. The person on the other end of the phone may be just as uncomfortable as you. Concentrate less on your feelings and more on how to make the other person feel at ease.

1. 1. Smile over the phone. Believe it or not, smiling while you talk will help you sound more friendly and open.
   2. You are not judged by the same criteria used at an in-person interview. For example, eye contact can be an excellent barometer when meeting face to face.  However, on the telephone, you’ll be judged by a more subtle set of factors such as the sound of your voice, your tone, your level of friendliness, and enthusiasm.
   3. Speak succinctly about your past experience and accomplishments. Many professionals launch into long, drawn-out answers to telephone interview questions.  Remember, you do not have your interviewer’s eye contact or other body language cues to monitor.  Clear, short responses will keep the person on the other side of the line engaged (and not put them to sleep)!
   4. Utilize “dead air” during a conversation; don’t fear it. Have a list of prepared questions about the company or position when caught in one of those spots. Although good communication is theoretically up to both of you, dead air is typically your responsibility to fill.
   5. Focus on your listening skills. You’ll find that your nerves will sometimes make this very difficult.  Simply close off all thoughts about whatever is going on around you and concentrate on the words and voice of the interviewer.  Take notes while you listen, if it helps you focus.

1. 1. Situate yourself properly before the call.  Because so much of your success in this situation is determined by your comfort in the surroundings, plan the interview for a time when you can speak privately, comfortably, and without distraction. Or, if the caller takes you by surprise, ask for five minutes to get organized, get their phone number and call them back.

1. Don’t talk about issues related to compensation, company benefits, or any negative issues with your current employer. This is solid advice for any first-interview situation.  This initial touchpoint is to make enough of a connection to get to the in-person interview phase.

Do you have any tried and tested tips for phone interviews?

Need help preparing for your next Skype Interview?  Check out our Skype Interview Tips.