In view of interviews

Illustration: Seth

As if job interviews weren't already nerve-wracking enough. Now you also have to worry about what type of interview you'll be facing.

First, there's the situational interview. Instead of the usual questions such as "what are your strengths and weaknesses," candidates are asked how they would deal with a given job-related dilemma. "This forces you to state your true intentions, and intentions predict behaviour," says Gary Latham, professor of organizational effectiveness at University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, who developed the situational method.

Then there's the behavioural interview, which theorizes that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. As such, interviewers pinpoint qualities that are required for the job and ask candidates to provide examples of how they've used these skills in the past. David Cohen, author of The Talent Edge: A Behavioural Approach to Hiring, Developing and Keeping Top Performers, uses this method in his work as senior consultant with human resources development firm Strategic Action Group. "The situational interview shows what candidates feel they would or could have done, not what they actually did, so it's less of a predictor of future behaviour," he says. Clients who have used the behavioural approach include Via Rail and Starbucks.

Other methods can be even more confounding. For instance, Southwest Airlines and The Gap have used group interviews, where they bring 30 candidates into a room and watch their reactions. "They're looking for perky, upbeat people who smile," says Cohen.

Despite the type of interview, never underestimate the value of that je ne sais quoi. "Most managers still go by gut feel," says Cohen.