Recruiters and hiring managers use this vocabulary as if everyone already knows it. Each entry opens to a short page: a direct definition, what the stage or concept looks like in practice, what it means for your strategy, and how to prepare.
Interview formats
Behavioral InterviewA behavioral interview asks about things you have actually done, on.Case InterviewA case interview presents a business problem and asks you to work.Coding InterviewA coding interview asks you to solve a programming problem while the.Competency-Based InterviewA competency-based interview scores you against a published list of.Group InterviewA group interview assesses several candidates at the same time.Live Coding InterviewA live coding interview is a session where you solve a programming.One-Way Video InterviewA one-way video interview, sometimes called an asynchronous or on.Pair Programming InterviewA pair programming interview is a technical format where you and an.Panel InterviewA panel interview puts you in front of several interviewers at once.Situational InterviewA situational interview poses hypothetical scenarios and asks what.System Design InterviewA system design interview asks you to architect a large system from.Technical InterviewA technical interview tests whether you can do the technical work of.Technical Phone ScreenA technical phone screen is a short remote interview, typically 30.Unstructured InterviewAn unstructured interview is a conversational, free-form interview.Virtual InterviewA virtual interview is a job interview conducted over video or phone.Whiteboard InterviewA whiteboard interview has you solve a problem on a physical or.
Hiring process
Applicant Tracking System (ATS)An applicant tracking system (ATS) is the software employers use to.Background CheckA background check is the verification an employer runs after making.Cooldown PeriodA cooldown period is the waiting time a company requires before you.Final Round InterviewThe final round is the last set of interviews before a hiring.HR ScreenAn HR screen is an early interview run by a human resources or.Informational InterviewAn informational interview is a short, candidate-initiated.Offer NegotiationOffer negotiation is the stage after a company decides to hire you.Onsite InterviewAn onsite interview is the main interview loop, historically held at.Phone ScreenA phone screen is a short call, typically fifteen to thirty minutes.Recruiter ScreenA recruiter screen is the introductory call with an internal or.Reference CheckA reference check is a conversation between the employer and people.Resume ScreeningResume screening is the first filter in hiring, where recruiters and.Second-Round InterviewA second-round interview is the stage that follows an initial.Thank-You EmailA thank-you email is a short note sent to interviewers within about.
Assessments and tests
Aptitude TestAn aptitude test is a timed, standardized assessment of general.Online AssessmentAn online assessment is an unsupervised, timed test sent to.Personality TestA personality test is a questionnaire measuring stable behavioral.Screening QuestionsScreening questions are the short, factual questions used early in.Situational Judgment Test (SJT)A situational judgment test is an assessment that presents realistic.Take-Home AssignmentA take-home assignment is a work sample you complete on your own.
Who you meet
Bar RaiserA Bar Raiser is Amazon's designated interviewer from outside the.Hiring CommitteeA hiring committee is a group that reviews the written feedback from.Hiring ManagerThe hiring manager is the person the role reports to and the one who.
Concepts and terms
Cultural FitCultural fit is the judgment of how well a candidate's working style.Culture AddCulture add is a hiring standard that asks what a candidate brings.Elevator PitchAn elevator pitch is a 30 to 60 second summary of who you are.Follow-Up QuestionsFollow-up questions are the second and third questions an.Interview FeedbackInterview feedback is the employer's assessment of your performance.Job DescriptionA job description is the employer's written specification of a role.Mock InterviewA mock interview is a rehearsal that recreates the conditions of a.Probing QuestionsProbing questions are targeted interviewer questions designed to.STAR MethodThe STAR method is a four part structure for answering behavioral.Salary Expectations QuestionThe salary expectations question is an interviewer's request for the.Structured InterviewA structured interview asks every candidate the same questions in.
Every term above leads to a question. Paste your actual job description into the free Question Predictor and get the 20 questions that role is most likely to ask, with what each one is really probing.
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