4 Most Common Type of Canadian Job Interviews

Cornerstone’s priority is to support you to find a job. Specifically, a full-time, paid co-op work placement, that could help you have a long term, or even permanent, future in Canada.

 

We want you to feel prepared for what to expect, so, we are presenting some advice to help you feel at ease.

 

Vancouver has an exciting and sometimes competitive job market. So, employers must be creative with how they choose the best person for the job.

It is important to know that there are different types of job interviews. Before your interview, you should check what kind of interview you will have, so you can prepare as best as possible.

 

Don’t be afraid to ask the employer which kind of interview you will have. In fact, they might even be impressed with your question.

 

Here are the most common types of interview that you might experience when you look for work in Vancouver:

This is the most common type of interview. It involves 2 or more people who work for the company. Usually, each person will ask you one question.

 

They will ask you some standard questions about your experience and attitude. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview.

 

Sometimes, you might have to give a short, professional presentation. But they will tell you about this before the interview!

The purpose of a group interview is so the employer can see what kind of role you naturally take in a team.

 

Are you the team leader? The problem solver? The supportive person?

 

Usually, the employer will give you a small project to complete with a group of other people. For example, develop a proposal for an imaginary project, or something totally random like build a tower from paper and sticky tape.

 

You might be interviewed with 3 – 20 other people.

 

Be confident and be yourself. But avoid being too quiet or too controlling in the group activity. It might give the wrong impression.

 

Probably the least favourite for ESL speakers. But you’re not alone! Even native speakers can feel nervous about phone interviews. Often, you cannot see body language or facial expressions. Therefore, you must use your language skills.

 

Sometimes, a phone or Skype interview is the first step before a formal face-to-face interview. Maybe the employer has had so many good candidates, they need to decide who to invite to a face to face interview.

 

The employer might ask you some informal questions; more like a conversation! But be prepared with some information about your professional experience and what you hope to achieve in the position.

The interviewer may give you a task to complete with a short time limit. It depends on the type of job you apply for, but some examples include:

 

• A role play situation with a challenging customer
• A programming or marketing task to complete
• Correctly input some fake information into a client database

 

The purpose of this type of interview is to check your attention to detail and your creative problem-solving abilities.

The employer will also ask you some questions about your experience and how you managed previous situations.

 

One great thing about a coop diploma is that you gain real-world skills and up-to-date knowledge that you can use in this kind of interview.

 

Something to always remember is to be prepared. Research the company and check the LinkedIn profile for an idea about what they might ask you about.

 

If you can survive the pressure of a job interview, then you can survive anything that the job role throws at you!

 

This type of job interview is common in the technology industry, administration jobs and customer service based roles.

 

TOP TIP : Be prepared. Research the company and check the LinkedIn profile for an idea about what they might ask you.

 

If you can survive the pressure of a job interview, then you can survive anything that the job role throws at you!

 

If you want to learn 5 ways to find a job in Canada, check this article out!

 

Good luck!