Blog Details

Group Interviews (Part 1)

Nothing is more exciting than walking into the interview location for a potential new job. However, you walk in and find that you are in the same room with multiple other candidates. It is difficult to prepare for a group interview because they are rare. Group interviews may be rare; however, they do still occur and it is best for you to prepare yourself the best you can prior to finding yourself in a group interview by surprise.

What is a Group Interview?

A group interview is an interview session where you are interviewing alongside several other potential candidates for the same position. A group interview should not be mistaken for a panel interview, where you are the one brought into an interview with a group of people from the company.

Why do companies use group interviews?

There are several reasons why a company would use a group interview. One reason is it can help to save time and time equates to money. If a manager is able to interview more than one person during an interview slot time, this is going to help them save time throughout the day and the interview process. It costs less to hire 10 people in one hour than to spend 10 hours interviewing 10 people.

It also allows the interviewers to see how each candidate responds to being placed in an unexpected situation. Most people do not expect to come into an interview area and see other candidates interviewing at the same time as them.

Most likely, the position that is being hired for will have to work with other people and a group interview helps the managers to see how you handle that in a real-life situation. Many group interviews are used for positions that include customer service components and interactions with large groups of customers or the public.

Group interviews are often used when there is more than one position to fill at the company.

Remember, if you find yourself in a group interview, you need to remember that the manager is looking at how you represent yourself in the group as well as your actions. While observing these characteristics, the manager will likely be able to determine what type of person you will be to work with. This is exactly why it is important to be prepared for these types of interviews.

Group Interview Questions:

Group interview questions can consist of standard interview questions; however, they can also include questions that will require you to work with the rest of the candidates. Hiring leaders want to see how you work on your own, but they also want to see how you work when the answer requires collaboration between you and the other candidates. It shows them how well you work with others as well as how willing you are to work with others. They are looking to determine if you are a team player or if you are looking specifically to sabotage the other candidates. The managers are looking to see if you are a leader or a follower (typically, a company needs both, but be familiar with the type of job you are interviewing for as to what personality type they may be looking for). The hiring leader is looking to see if you can solve problems with others or if you are a solo problem solver. They want to see if you are comfortable taking directions from someone else or you are the one who has to constantly be in charge no matter what. One of the most important takeaways for a hiring manager is to see which candidates stand out among the others and how they differentiate themselves from the others without dominating the interview and standing out for negative reasons. In order to stand out and leave a lasting impression for the hiring manager(s), you must first learn to master the art of a group interview prior to taking part in one.

Helpful skills for a group interview:

1. Relax – Remember the interview starts the minute you walk through the door, so you must make a good first impression. If you are lucky, you will know in advance that it is a group interview; however, there may be times when you are not alerted beforehand.

Enter the room with a friendly confidence- You do not want to give the impression that you are cocky. HINT: If you did not know beforehand that you are doing a group interview, DO NOT let your shock/disappointment/frustration show on your face. It is fine to be surprised, but do your best to make your impression positive to create a better interview space for everyone involved.

Do not joke around about the group interview. Do not try to be the funny person in the room before the interview even starts. Yes, you want to stand out, but in a professional manner. Remember, you are here to gain a job, not make everyone laugh.

2. Listen first then speak – One of the quickest ways to lessen your chances of getting hired for the job is by not listening and watching what is going on around you. Make sure you pay attention to what is being said by everyone in the room. Part of collaborating as a team is building off the skills and abilities of your peers, showing that you can do that through listening and adding to the comments of other candidates. If one of the other candidates has a great idea and you know how to take that idea to the next level, then speak up and offer the information. Not only does it show the hiring manager that you are paying attention, but it also shows that you are actively listening.

Not only is listening a good idea, but remembering what is being said is also very helpful. Make it a point to remember the names of everyone in the room. This includes hiring managers, candidates, and anyone else present in the room. Using the name of each person when referring to them shows that you care enough to learn their name and that you are actively participating in the interview process. Using a person’s name is always a way to score major bonus points with everyone in the interview. It also helps when you are writing the thank you notes after the interview (see Writing a Thank you Email after an Interview blog for more details).

3. Remember, you are the only one who can sell you – This goes along with relaxing because your job is to get the job, so do not lose focus on why you are there. Stay focused on yourself primarily while also staying engaged in the room. The best way to demonstrate that you are a team player is to be a team player during the interview. Do not use this time to belittle or extinguish the other candidates to make yourself look better. You will only be viewed as combative, difficult, and uncooperative, none of which are positive traits in a candidate. In addition to that, you will use all your focus and energy on putting down the competition, and not focusing on making sure that you are doing the best you can do and representing who you really are and the qualities that make you the best candidate. You are at this interview to demonstrate that you are the person the hiring manager should choose and there is no better choice. It is not your responsibility to show the hiring manager that the other candidates are not the best choice; that is up to them.
4. The interview is not ALL about you – Yes, in the previous paragraph, we said it is about you; however, it truly is finding a good balance between showing off your knowledge and skills and working with others. Likely the position that you are interviewing for requires collaboration between others, and a group interview is how the hiring managers are trying to gauge how you will work with others. The key is to shine on your own and play nice with others. One way to ensure you are not all about you is to include everyone in the room in the discussion when you are speaking. Do not dominate the conversation, nor should you fade into the background. It is time to speak while also allowing others to speak.
5. Body language is key – remember, this interview is about how well you interact with others, and your body language needs to project a calm, collected person. Ensure that you smile on occasion. You want to give off the vibe of being approachable and open to everyone in the room. If you are projecting nervousness, fear, or other negative emotions, you are not going to be the person that the company will want to hire.
6. You are the candidate they should hire, so act like it – today’s job market can be tough. There are millions of candidates just as qualified as you and can do the job you are interviewing for and do it just as well as you can. You need to show the hiring manager that you are not only qualified and capable of doing the job but also what makes you unique and what sets you apart from the other candidates.

You want to ensure that you are demonstrating your abilities and simultaneously showing that you can be a good team player. Being a team player does not mean fading into the group’s background. Rather, it means not always dominating the conversation, listening, and building from the other candidates. What is it that makes you unique and stand out in the group? Remember, you do not want to stand out for the wrong reasons, but there are ways to shine without stomping all over the other candidates.

What NOT to do during a group interview:

Just as we have discussed how to influence the group interview positively, there are also things that can make you fail a group interview.

1. Do not dominate the conversation – We discussed this earlier, but it is important enough that we mention it again. The fastest way to demonstrate to a hiring manager that you are not a team player is to dominate the group interview. It is very tempting, especially if you are interviewing against multiple candidates, but it demonstrates bullish arrogant behavior. It also is a trait that many find unlikeable and can cause friction among the other candidates.
2. Getting lost in the group – This is the opposite of dominating the conversation. You do not want to get lost in the group or fade into the background of the interview. Yes, you want to be part of the group, which means taking turns being the focus. Make sure to be respectful of everyone in the room, but do not lower yourself to be so completely overwhelmed that the interviewer forgets you are there.
3. Not paying attention – It can be difficult to wait your turn when each candidate is being asked an individual question; however, it is important that you stay focused, as you might be able to use some of the information later in the interview. It is also disrespectful when a candidate is playing on their phone or obviously not paying attention.

Conclusion

Now that we have touched on the basics of group interviews, part 2 of this blog will address types of group interview questions and the appropriate manner to respond. While there are many questions that may be asked during and after an interview, the most important thing to remember is to be yourself. You do not want to be hired by a company based on answers that you gave that were not reflective of your true self. You are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. If you want additional help to ensure that you are showing your best self in an interview, contact us at www.interview-expert.com for options with expert advice. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you to ace a group interview if you find yourself taking part in one.