Types of Interviews

Phone Interview

A phone interview is generally focused on evaluating your verbal communication skills, technical skills, compensation, and relocation if required. Phone interviews are a very cost effective way to screen candidates for roles. A phone interview enables hiring managers to make more informed decisions whether to move a candidate forward in the interview process. The goal of every phone interview is to be invited in for a face- to-face interview.

During a phone interview always have your resume in front of you, the job description, and a list of questions you will ask them. Prepare your questions in advance and always have them in front of you during the phone interview. Ask more questions and you appear more interested and prepared; you also keep the interviewer talking and you are much more informed. Always take notes during any phone interview as the information will be advantageous when you have follow up interviews. As the phone interview ends, be certain to thank the interviewer for their time and consideration and ask what the next step is. The interviewer will either tell you that they want to bring you in for a face-to-face meeting, or they may tell you they will get back to you. If they are truly interested they will invite you in at the end of the phone interview.

Face-to-Face Interview

The goal of any interview is to build rapport with the people interviewing you. A great way to start your interview is look around to see if you can identify any mutual interests. For example, you may see displays of family photos, sports memorabilia, or travels that can start a conversation regarding mutual interests. Spend a few minutes establishing common ground prior to moving into the requirements of the role. Then ask questions about the responsibilities and what technical skills they would expect the person to have for this role. Discuss the technical skills you bring and the immediate contributions you will make if hired for this role. Ask the hiring manager this question, “If I stepped into this role today, what are three primary projects you would like to have me handle for you?” This opens the conversation to discuss similar tax projects you have been responsible for and how they could benefit from your skills. You must prove to the hiring manager that you can do this job by presenting real examples of work you have completed in the areas of technical expertise they need. This technique is very powerful because it demonstrates your technical skills during the interview.

As a company introduces you to other people in their organization, I recommend you ask different people during the interview process a couple of the same questions. The reason is that it helps identify if everyone has a consistent view or very different view of the particular role and your responsibilities in the tax department.

Remember to ask technical questions about the role so that the hiring manager understands the range of tax knowledge and expertise you will bring to the organization. If the interviewer starts talking code sections and regulations, and you are uncertain about the code sections they are referring to, simply ask them to remind you of the code section title because you cannot recall the code section at that moment.

You can also tell them jokingly, “I am certain it will come back to my memory after the interview!” :)

Group Interview

The group interview involves several people in attendance at the same time with all eyes on a candidate in the room. Group interview techniques can run the gambit of the casual group interview to the other end of the spectrum which some have described as wolf packs. Although I will not mention the names of the companies who used wolf pack tactics, the purpose of the wolf pack interview is to determine how candidates handle stress.

Fortunately for the tax professionals who consulted with me, I was able to prepare them for these commando type, stress interview tactics. Although these types of group interviews can be intimidating for some, you can sail through these interviews by being aware that you may encounter one. When you find yourself in a group interview situation approach them calmly with solid eye contact, direct responses and a smile. Make certain to ask each interviewer for their name and business card if you are introduced to several people at the same time. It is a challenge to remember all names during the group introduction. When you ask each person for a business card at the beginning of the interview and organize these business cards in front of you, it makes the interview process much easier. Gathering business cards in the beginning also enables you to easily follow up with a thank you message after the interview. If they do not have a business card, write their name and title down in your notebook. Always bring a notebook to take notes during any interview.

Behavior Interview

The behavioral interview is typically used by experienced human resources professionals. During these types of interviews you may be asked about hypothetical situations in order to discuss how you would handle them. Example questions are: How would you handle a difficult project with no support from colleagues? How would you manage a person who was not doing their job? How would you handle an error made by your boss? These questions provide the interviewer with a perspective on your personality and how you may handle situations.

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