What type of interview uses open-ended probing questions?

An unstructured interview is characterized by the use of open-ended probing questions, which allows for a conversational flow and encourages the interviewee to elaborate on their thoughts, experiences, and feelings. This format enables the interviewer to explore topics in greater depth and gain insights that structured formats might not reveal.

In an unstructured interview, the interviewer may have a set of topics to cover, but the specific questions are not predetermined. Instead, the interviewer can adapt their questions based on the responses of the candidate, which often leads to a richer understanding of the candidate's qualifications and personality. This flexibility is particularly beneficial in assessing qualities such as creativity, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, which are better evaluated through open dialogue rather than rigid questioning.

In contrast, structured interviews rely on a fixed set of questions that seek standardized responses, which may limit the depth of insight into a candidate's unique attributes. Panel interviews involve multiple interviewers but can also be structured or unstructured. Group interviews involve interviewing several candidates simultaneously, which tends to yield different dynamics and may not focus on individual probing. Therefore, the use of open-ended probing questions is distinctly aligned with unstructured interviews.