Consisting of a conversation between a job applicant and a representative of an

Types of questions[edit]
Regardless of the interview structure, there are several types of questions interviewers ask applicants. Two major types that are used frequently and that have extensive empirical support are situational questions^[55] and behavioral questions (also known as patterned behavioral description interviews).^[56] Best practices include basing both types of questions on "critical incidents" that are required to perform the job^[57] but they differ in their focus (see below for descriptions). Critical incidents are relevant tasks that are required for the job and can be collected through interviews or surveys with current employees, managers, or subject matter experts.^[58][52] One of the first critical incidents techniques ever used in the United States Army asked combat veterans to report specific incidents of effective or ineffective behavior of a leader. The question posed to veterans was "Describe the officer’s actions. What did he do?" Their responses were compiled to create a factual definition or "critical requirements" of what an effective combat leader is.^[57]
Previous research has found mixed results regarding whether behavioral or situational questions will best predict the future job performance of an applicant.^[59][60] It is likely that variables unique to each situation, such as the specific criteria being examined,^[5] the applicant's work experience,^[7] or the interviewee's nonverbal behavior^[61] make a difference with regard to which question type is the best. It is recommended to incorporate both situational and behavioral questions into the interview to get the best of both question types.^[62] The use of high-quality questions represents an element of structure and is essential to ensure that candidates provide meaningful responses reflective of their capability to perform on the job.^[63]