Lunch interview

Screening interview type

A brief meeting with the company used by them to weed out unqualified and uninterested candidates. Screening interviews occur if there is a huge number of job applicants, however on the whole candidates are rarely asked to attend them. Interviewers are usually human resource professionals and the format is usually that of straight questions and answers.

Tips for Interview: Confirm to the interviewer what they have already read in your CV, do not deviate from the truth. Providing facts is more important than building a rapport.

Telephone interview type

Sometimes if a candidate lives a great distance from the offices of the company then it may not be practical to attend preliminary interviews in person. In this case an interview can be conducted on the telephone. Alternatively some companies use telephone interviews as a screening process to eliminate the weaker candidates early on. A telephone interview is not to be treated as an easier option, it should be conducted in an equally professional manner as a standard interview and the same rules apply. The only difference is that your body language no longer applies.

Do not let the interviewer totally lead the conversation, if it is appropriate push for a face to face meeting saying something like "I would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you in person so we can both better evaluate each other. I am free either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. Which would be better for you?"

How to behave: Speak in a clear voice, answer the interviewers questions precisely and try to elaborate without talking too much, exude controlled professionalism.