When you are invited to an interview try to find out as much as possible about the format including:

• how long the interview will be
• how many interviewers will be present
• the titles and positions of the interviewers

If appropriate for the position, you should also ask if you should bring supporting materials, such as a portfolio, to the interview.

Each interview is unique, although most employers try to follow an outline to ensure they have covered all the questions they need to ask.

Most interviews are composed of five segments:

• Greeting
• Overview of the available position
• Questions from the employer
• Your questions
• Thank you and next steps

Most Common Interview Formats
Employers may use one of the following question formats for your interview:

• Behaviour Based Questions
• Case Study Questions
• Stress Questions
• Situational Questions

Behaviour Based Questions
This format is used frequently by Human Resource managed companies. A typical question is of the format "Tell me a time when... ". It is your formidable task to come up with different examples and different situations. For this type of interview a lengthy work experience is useful since it provides many situations you can draw upon for answers. Behaviour based questionning is built on the supposition that people tend to repeat past behaviours.

Case Study Questions
This approach is often used by management consulting firms. Case study questions are used to examine your thinking process. To this end, you may be asked to solve a theoretical problem such as:

• How would you optimize the production of tires?
• How many people in Canada eat breakfast?

Preparation is the key to answering these kinds of questions well. Check your local library or bookstore for guides on case study questions. The more you practice, the easier they will be to answer.

Stress Questions
Stress questions are designed to try to intimidate you. The purpose is to determine how well you handle yourself under pressure and to test your patience. When you identify this type of question remain calm and composed. You can decide after the interview if you would like to work for a company that uses such tactics.

Situational Questions
This type of questionning was popular 20 - 30 years ago but is rarely used today. With this type of questionning the interviewer would describe a hypothetical situation and ask how you would handle it. Research found that the answers given did not accurately reflect reality, so this question format has largely been abandoned.

Additional Tests
On occasion, you may be asked to complete additional tests such as:

• psychological
• writing
• technical, or
• problem solving.

No preparation is required for these tests since they are based on your existing knowledge and skill base. You will be informed of the requirement to take such tests when you are invited to the first interview or when you make the "short list".