Interview Skills for Managers—Management Development

Nondirective Interviews

Because they have no set format, structure, or questions, nondirective interviews generally are inappropriate for gathering information to make a selection decision. They can, however, prove to be quite useful for career counseling purposes—particularly when it has been made clear to the candidate that further consideration for the position is not an option.

Strengths Nondirective interviews offer a powerful opportunity for a manager to provide focused career counseling to a job candidate who may approach the job's qualifications, but fall short in one or more competency categories. When such a situation presents itself, a competent and caring manager can—with the right job candidate—provide a meaningful interview experience ...