The best way to have the edge over an interviewer is to know the interview technique they will use to stump you. You can tailor your response when you know the whys and hows behind the questions.

Let's look at a few recommended online resources to help you prepare and practice your interviewing skills to ace the five major interviewing techniques.

1. Behavioral Interviews

These interviews focus on your behavior under different circumstances. For example, recruiters will ask you about conflict resolution tactics, how you deal with conflicts, failures, and issues from the past in hindsight. Other questions on parallel lines can come up with examples from all facets of your life.

The goal is to gain insight into how you think and act when dealing with issues that arise working within a fast-paced organization. Behavioral interviews can sometimes be conducted in groups or as panel interviews.

When discussing a difficult situation from your past, do not lay all the blame on the other parties. Always acknowledge your own shortcomings and talk about the lessons you've learned. It's best to discuss examples with situational or circumstantial problems rather than conflicts arising out of incompetence. Emphasize the resolution part of the conflict more than the problem.

Online resources like Pramp and My Mock Interview are good places to prepare for behavioral interviews. It allows mock interview practice with fellow professionals in your field or your friends to simulate the real deal.

You can learn helpful strategies like using the STAR method to ace behavioral interviews. Also, go through a list of all the common job interview questions, record your answers, and receive feedback for your performance.

Download: My Mock Interview for iOS | Android (Free)

2. Case Interviews

Preparation for case interview with graphics charts, notepad, and laptop.

These interviews focus on your ability to manage a particular business situation or a complicated case. These cases are usually picked up from real-life scenarios and have no single correct answer. Recruiters conduct case interviews for managerial, consulting, and other senior positions. The case studies vary depending on the job you're interviewing for.

You should adopt a structured approach to problem-solving and consider all the aspects of the case. Make judicious use of the data and resources provided to develop the due process to arrive at a practical solution.

Do not get overwhelmed with the magnitude of the problem, even if you can't think of a plausible solution. The goal is to convey your ability to read the situation, understand all the pain points, uncover underlying issues, and come up with a systematic working solution, not the perfect solution, to the problem.

You can train for case interviews with the help of free apps like The Case Interview Academy or Case Tools for interactive consulting interview guides, tips for mental math, information organization, etc. Or, you can pay for apps like Consulting Case Interviews to get access to cases from recent interviews at top firms like Bain, McKinsey, etc.

Download: Case Tools for iOS (Free, subscription available)

Download: The Case Interview Academy for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

Download: Consulting Case Interview Prep for iOS ($3.99)

3. Competency-Based Interviews

These interviews focus on your soft skills and core competencies. You'll need to showcase your communication, leadership, decisiveness, time-management, and teamwork skills. You'll have to support your answers with examples from your past, as with behavioral interviews. You should also expect questions based on the skills and achievements listed in your resume.

The goal is to demonstrate your interpersonal skills as a team player. Also, competency interviews can bring out your time management and leadership skills. Can you think creatively and communicate clearly as a leader when necessary?

Related: What You Need to Know Before Taking Your Technical Interview

Preparing your answers in advance and practicing is the best way to ace competency-based interviews. Your answers should be confident and emphasize your soft skills with the way you respond.

The TMA Job Interview app assesses candidates' skills based on their resumes. It helps you prepare for competency-based questions on the topics in your CV and identify performance gaps. Work on these gaps before you appear for the actual interview.

Learn DS & Algo - Programming Interview Preparation app by GeeksforGeeks is an excellent free resource to prepare for competency-based interviews in the IT field.

Download: TMA Job Interview for Android (Free)

Download: Learn DS & Algo, Programming Interview Preparation for Android (Free)

4. Remote Interviews

Remote interviews, usually conducted via phone, have been around for a long time. However, video interviews are the norm, given the uptick in freelance, flexible, and remote jobs.

You may have one over the phone, via a video call, a conference call, or an on-demand session where you record your answers to a set of questions provided by the recruiter on video.

Sign in and test the online platform you'll be using for the interview in advance. Check your webcam, mic, and location background to present a professional setup and have a glitch-free call. Dress up properly even if you don't expect to stand or walk during the video call.

Most of the apps and online websites linked to above will help you ace remote interviews in different settings. You can also practice video interviews by recording yourself on your phone, assessing your performance in different takes, and working to improve your answers.

Also, look up YouTube channels by hiring apps like eSkill and Harver and gain interviewing insights from the recruiters' POV to stand out in your job interviews.

5. Stress Interviews

These interviews assess your overall demeanor when under stress and facing challenging circumstances. It's a subset of behavioral interviews to gauge your response to difficult professional situations. It's always a stand-alone session and never combined with other types of job interviews.

Stress interviewing techniques push you out of your comfort zone. Interviewers will subject you to random and rough questions like:

  • Are you more of a fish or a bird?
  • Why were you fired from your previous job?

The interviewer will do everything to unsettle you. For instance, they can interrupt you rudely, ignore your answers, or appear distracted.

The goal is not to offend you. It's to ascertain how you respond to problematic work situations that might test your limits. Recruiters are looking for candidates who can stay calm under stressful conditions and think clearly to stabilize them.

Remember, the interviewer has nothing against you. Do not take them personally and get defensive or emotional. Keep your eye on the prize, and don't let anything frazzle your nerves.

Ace Your Interviews

Learning about the different interviewing techniques helps you prepare in advance thoroughly. Use these and other online interview preparation resources to let go of your inhibitions, ace all types of job interviews, and improve your chances of getting hired.