When we talk of a band, who is the first person that comes to your mind? The vocalist, right? Be it any band, we identify them using the name of the vocalist. He is the only person who interacts with the audience and keeps them gripped throughout the performance.
Similarly, there’s an interview where you must come out as the one who owns the stage and gets everyone’s attention. Group interviews have been around for quite some time and have proved to be one of the most effective ways to select the right candidate.
In this blog, we will explain group interviews, how they differ from one-on-one interviews and offer expert tips for cracking the code.
On that note, let’s get started with the process.
What Are Group Interviews? Defining the Term
There is confusion about the term among candidates. Some companies interview multiple candidates simultaneously, while others have one candidate face an interview panel. Which of these can be termed a group interview? The answer is both.
The objectives of these two interviews are different. Group interviews test certain skills, such as communication, leadership, and teamwork, while panel interviews test how well you handle stress. Group interviews are often used when employers want to hire more than one candidate.
That is a basic understanding of the term ‘group interviews’. In the following sections, we will delve deep into the concept and learn all about it. By the end of this, you will be able to create a roadmap and understand the interview format and purpose.
These will help you prepare for the next group interview.
Why Employers Use Group Interviews?
What are employers looking for in a group interview, and why do they use it? One of the major reasons they use this type of interview is because they are fast. In addition, this type helps assess quite a few important skills for the job.
Here’s a look at why employers use group interviews:
A. Interpersonal Skills
In all job roles, you must work in a team. Therefore, you must be a good team player and highlight your interpersonal skills. Group interviews help recruiters understand whether a candidate is free to interact with others in a group setting and can fit in with the organisation.
B. Communication Skills
You must be able to communicate well and share your ideas with your team. To communicate well, you must also be a good listener. This is easier to understand in a group setting, and recruiters assess this skill using group interviews.
C. Problem-Solving Abilities
Group interviews pose a lot of challenges for candidates. They don’t get the chance to speak; they have to fight for it. Also, if you have been given a project, you will be asked to identify the problem and suggest ways to solve the problems.
D. Team Player Qualities
Everyone present in the room for the interview is indeed your competitor. However, you must be a team player to get the job. Recruiters assess the same using these interviews to understand and select the right candidate for the job.
E. Self Awareness
You must present yourself well in the group interview. The interviewers will assess your knowledge of yourself and ability to cope in a competitive environment. The questions are designed to help them understand you as a person and determine whether you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
This will help you understand what employers seek in a group interview and why a company may use one.
Moving on, we will delve deep into the different types of group interviews. These will help you understand more about this type of interview and how to prepare for it.
What Are the Different Types of Group Interviews?
What are group interviews like? You might wonder why knowing about the types of interviews is important. It is just a job interview; you can prepare well to crack the test, right? While it’s not wrong, knowing the type you will encounter will help you be more prepared and be a step ahead of others.
Let’s take a look at the different types:
A. Panel Interview
If you are applying for a senior or managerial position, there’s a panel to interview one candidate. The objective is to evaluate the candidate from various perspectives, such as skills, experience, and whether they can adapt to the organisation’s culture. The interview process can be stressful but is used to get in-depth information about a candidate.
B. Group Discussion
Numerous companies use this type of interview to assess candidates. In this interview, candidates discuss a particular topic or scenario together. They are assessed on their communication skills, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities.
C. Group Activity
Candidates in the group activity are asked to work on a task or project together. The companies evaluate your teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership skills. Since you will have to work with others when you join a company, you have to prove yourself capable of working in a team.
D. Speed Interview
You will be evaluated on your fast thinking. This type of interview is a perfect example of one in which you need to think fast and answer the questions. Candidates are asked to rotate through short interviews with various interviewers. This helps companies understand whether you can make fast decisions and consider the immediate factors that might affect your decision-making.
Once you know the type of group interview you are called for, you can prepare for it. Let’s look at a few interview tips to help you crack any of the abovementioned types.
What Are a Few Expert Interview Tips to Prepare for a Group Interview?
While you might feel stressed about attending a group interview, it is a great way to showcase your skills and prove that you are perfect for the job. But to do so, you have to be fully prepared to answer all the questions correctly. Here are a few group interview tips that can help you beat the competition:
A. Prepare Well
Research shows that 32% of job seekers participate in mock interviews to perform well. Your interviewer might not tell you that your interview will be in a group. You must be prepared for everything in such cases. Make a list of common interview questions and prepare your answers accordingly. The answers should focus on the skills, experience, and knowledge that define the job role you are applying for.
For example, you are applying for one of the Tesco jobs. In that case, you must answer questions defining why you are the best fit for the job role. Please remember that the interview questions may be different for every job role, so prepare accordingly.
B. Listen Carefully
You cannot be the best in a group interview setting if you don’t listen to the questions carefully. Further, you will also have to listen and understand what other candidates are saying. That will help you find appropriate answers and be ahead of others.
C. Be Confident
It is normal to get nervous during a group interview. However, you must get yourself together and stay confident throughout the process. Your appearance and how well you present yourself can help. Sit straight, speak loudly, and keep eye contact with your employers throughout the process. Respond to questions politely.
You can take a look at the areas of development for employees to understand the areas you need to work on and start working on them without any delays. These would help you succeed at a group interview.
Now that you know why employers use a group interview, let’s move on and understand a few advantages and disadvantages of the same.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Interviews?
Numerous companies conduct group interviews to find the right candidate. This format is preferred because it is easy and requires less time to find the best candidate for the job.
Now, you cannot expect everything to be perfect. You must also know about the disadvantages of using this type of interview. Let’s look at them one by one:
Benefits of a Group Interview
1. Speed
Speed is the first crucial thing that keeps this type ahead of other types. Group interviews allow companies to swiftly sail through a number of employees. Big companies use this method to find the right candidate.
2. Going Beyond CV
Traditional one-on-one interviews focused on the things you wrote in your graduate CV. In the case of group interviews, employers have the opportunity to assess a candidate beyond what’s written in their CVs.
3. Evaluating Teamwork Skills
One of the major reasons companies conduct a group interview is to understand whether or not you are comfortable working in a team. One-on-one interview questions do not allow employers to understand whether a candidate has these skills.
4. Clear Comparisons
This kind of interview allows employers to interview several candidates and help them compare different candidates. Candidates in the group interview must prove themselves better than others to be selected.
5. Assess Communication Skills
This interview is used to assess candidates’ communication skills. In a group setting, you have to make your point heard. Employers can understand if you have the necessary skills for a managerial or team lead position.
While the advantages are enough to explain why employers prefer group interviews, group interviews also have a few disadvantages. Let’s examine them.
Disadvantages of Group Interviews
1. Competition-Based
This kind of interview can indeed help employers understand candidates’ potential. However, too much competition can be detrimental. In pursuit of bringing out the best, employers might show their worst, leading to wrong placements and ruining the entire process.
2. Overlooking Right Candidates
During the group interview process, employers tend to ignore the quiet candidates. They might not know that these quiet candidates can be the best for the job. This is a major drawback of this type of interview.
3. More Time to Plan
Group interviews help companies evaluate a group of candidates at the same time. But the plan to arrange them can be too time-consuming. Further, multiple managers are needed to ensure everything goes well. This hampers day-to-day operations.
4. No In-Depth Analysis
Employers do not have the opportunity to understand every candidate well. They judge candidates based on their behaviour and performance in a group setting, which does not allow them to analyse every candidate properly.
5. Applicable to Specific Roles
This kind of interview does not apply to every job role. Employers can only arrange for this when they need a candidate for a specific job role.
Considering all these facts, there’s no way to ignore this kind of interview. So, when you are asked to attend one, you must prepare well to get noticed by selectors. On that note, let’s take you through some common interview questions and answers.
What Questions Are Asked in a Group Interview?
You might be wondering what questions are asked in group interviews. Here are a few sample group interview questions you might encounter:
➔ Multiple candidate group interview questions
◆︎ Who do you think is the best candidate in this group, and why?
Ans: ‘I suggest you hire William for the finance manager position. He seems well-versed in the subject and understands the different aspects of the subject.’
➔ Panel interview questions
◆︎ Can you tell us about an incident where you worked in a team to complete a project?
Ans: ‘In my previous job role as a marketing executive, I collaborated with the graphics and the content team to create a perfect marketing collateral and run a successful campaign for the company.’
You might encounter different types of questions during an individual interview as well. However, in the case of group interviews, you have to answer quickly and provide proper examples to justify your stand.
You can get in touch with websites offering CV writing services to gain a proper understanding of the ways to answer different questions and beat the competition. They can help you with more group interview questions that companies may ask.
What is a Meet the Team Interview?
As the name suggests, ‘meet the team’ is all about meeting the team you will be working with. When you are invited to such an interview, there’s a high chance that the company will hire you. Here, you meet your department or team and interact with them to understand how the organisation works.
It is also a way for the company to understand how well you fit into the team. For example, if you are supposed to work with the sales team, you will understand how the company works and achieves its target. The company will also know if you can adapt to their culture or not.
These are generally casual. However, this might be followed by a one-on-one session.
Endnote:
Getting your first job or a promotion in your existing job is difficult. You have to prove yourself at every step to beat your competition and get hired. Group interviews have proved to be an effective way to evaluate and shortlist candidates for a job role. The points above will help you understand how you can prepare for the same and the questions you might encounter in the process.
You can look for more sample questions on the web and prepare well. Start preparing without any delays.
All the best!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you stand out in a group interview?
Here are a few ways that can help you stand out:
- Arrive on time
- Speak up
- Be inclusive
- Avoid talking over others
- Listen to others
- Be yourself
- Be polite
What is the golden rule in an interview?
There are three golden rules, they are:
- Research and preparation
- Demonstrate professionalism and engagement
- Follow-up and thank you
What is the STAR answering model?
STAR is the abbreviated form for Situation, Task, Action and Result. This is a common technique, and you must be well-versed in it to be selected.
What are the three effective ways to end a job discussion?
Here are three ways to end a job discussion:
- Restate your interest in the job role
- State how you would be a good fit for the job
- Finally, ask if the interviewer needs anything more to understand your expertise
What are focus group interviews?
Focus groups are different from normal interviews. In this type of interview, a group of individuals is brought together to discuss a specific topic. The participants share their findings and data with each other to reach a conclusion, and the interviewer acts as the moderator.
What are ALDI group interviews like?
ALDI group interviews involve a panel of interviewers evaluating a group of candidates. The objective here is to assess candidates on the basis of teamwork, communication, and how well they adapt to a fast-paced retail environment.
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