Group interviews can be rare, but some companies do utilize them. This interview style can help reveal things about candidates that no other interview style can, such as how they might handle themselves in a competitive situation in a room full of their peers. Although intimidating for many, the group interview is easily managed with the same confidence and preparation of a regular job interview!
Transcript
Narrator: Group interviews can be rare, but some companies do use them. This interview style can be time efficient for a company, and help reveal things about candidates that no other interview style can. (upbeat music) Let's start with the simple question of, what is a group interview? A group interview is a screening process where multiple candidates are interviewed at the same time. The point of a group interview is, to see how candidates choose to stand out from each other, how well candidates function in a group of people they do not know, and if candidates show the teamwork attributes that you need.
So we do group interviews all the time at our company, and what we're looking for is, how someone kind of fits in as a culture fit typically. Cause we have group meetings all the time, and so, how do you interact with a group of people? We're just trying to understand a culture fit, so it's no different from you going out with a group of friends. Here are a few key things to think about with a group interview. Number one, prepare a strong introduction. It is likely that you will be asked to introduce yourself to the group, which can be uncomfortable for some. But this is a moment when all eyes are on you and you need to make a good impression. In a group interview the key is to just be yourself, you are a unique person, bring that out as much as you can. Don't try to be just blind with the crowd, anything you can do to stand out. Number two, answer first once in a while, find a good balance. You don't wanna be the person that dominates the interview and answers first every question. You know, don't be afraid to step up to be the person who is taking the lead, but remember a lot of people are trying to also do that, so when people ask you about your role in a group it's okay to not always be the leader. You can certainly play off of other peoples answers and it's a conversation more than anything.
Narrator: Number three, stay calm if you hear a strong answer, or someone says what you had planned to say. The group interview is a test in poise and confidence, so even if your answer gets taken maintain your upbeat demeanor.
You're going to hear people give answers that are maybe in your mind better than what you're going to answer with. They're still going to take what you said into account, they shouldn't be weighing you directly against other people, they should be weighing you against the job requirements. And so, just give it your best shot, don't be intimidated by the people that are maybe next to you or around you. And just treat it like a one-on-one interview as much as you can. Number four, show interest in other candidates. Yes, this is a competitive situation, but employers are also looking for people that can get along with others. If I'm looking at a group of people, and looking for someone to kind of stand out that's gonna grab my attention to wanna talk to them further, I'm looking for somebody that's genuine, nice not kind of nudging others out of the way, and being a little arrogant to put the others down, but really genuinely nice people, cause those are the people that I want in front of my clients. (light instrumental music)
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