Interviewing is a core intangible recruitment process that allows employers to closely observe their future potential candidates that a computer cannot calculate. It also helps candidates to build an idea about themselves in their employers view within a sufficient amount of time; ultimately leading them to securing a job. Each interview and each interviewer is unique; they do not have to be structured in a traditional one-to-one style because different recruiters have different resources and different expectations toward the candidates. This is why interviews could be flexible, informal, and customized depending on which mode or style of communication would be the most efficient to hire someone for that specific company’s needs. Below we’ll discuss some of the more and less common styles of interview.

1. Individual

The direct or individual interview is the most commonly employed interview style because it is versatile; allowing recruiters to get to know much about the employee within a short time and addresses the individual concerns they have before making any offer. Individual interviews suit many recruiting initiatives in many industries, and most Myanmar employers still circulate individual interviews as a regular form of assessment during recruitment rounds. Nevertheless, individual interviews are normally catered to individual job candidates and they generally last from thirty minutes to an hour, making it even harder for organizations to systematically administer a round of recruitment if there are many job applicants for one opening.

2. Telephone

Telephone interviews, although not as popular in Myanmar as they are in many other recruitment regions around the world, are considered efficient and appropriate for situations when the employer wants to get to know a bit more about the candidates before they’re advanced to the in person interview stage. Individual interviews can be time-consuming and even costly for employers who do not intend to earmark a significant amount of time and funds for HR recruitment so it is a wise move for employers to insert a telephonic interview stage with the candidates and make a decision about whether or not they should be moved up to a personal individual interview. Telephone interviews are also a great opportunity for candidates who live far from the intended job site and do not have the means to come and sit for a face-to-face interview.

3. Video

Video interviews are becoming more and more prevalent these days due to their high level of convenience and flexibility. Allowing multiple parties to observe and pitch in, video interviews make it possible for not only local but also international participants to be present at the same time and structure a productive interview in a centralized, virtual location. There are many video interviewing platforms available for free use online but the quality of internet reception may be an important factor while deciding which platform to use; not all platforms are user-friendly for any location and such circumstances as connection interferences and breakdowns can be quite disturbing during professional interviews. Skype is one of the most popular video-chatting and conference call platforms while applications such as Zoom, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are becoming increasingly popular as top choices of video interviewing software for professional use.

4. Group

Group interviews allow employers to get to know many employees at the same time, thus reducing the time normally spent on interviewing individually and make necessary comparisons among employees. Additionally, companies are able to evaluate potential candidates on some of their soft skills such as communication and teamwork. Many group interviews also involve a panel of interviewers or observers who make necessary decisions and evaluations about the potential employees; reporting them to the head of recruitment and leading to final decisions about whom to give the job offers. Some employers also administer assessment centers (ACs) that are a more interactive form of group assessment whereby the candidates are engaged in a series of tasks that require such inputs as team effort, critical reasoning, and leadership to evaluate their skills.

5. Sequential

Sequential interviews are a form of individual assessment whereby different interviewers rotate and interview the same employee. The concept behind such an interview is that an employee is expected to have different skills that he or she contributes to the company in multiple ways, but one single assessor may not be able to observe all the different assets an employee embodies. Therefore, different assessors stressing on different areas of an employee can be a more ideal better approach to holistically evaluate a candidate and make a valid decision. Sequential interviews, however, are sometimes deemed extravagant due to usually prolonged period of interview time and unnecessary pressure caused to the candidates. However, applicants for extremely sensitive or important roles are better assessed through this mode because of the ample capacity allowed for employers to get to know about their potential hires thoroughly.