Feeling prepared, you walk into the office for your interview. You introduce yourself and are promptly led to the conference room—only to find five other candidates waiting. It's a group interview.
Group interviews can take you by surprise, but more and more, companies are using them to effectively find job candidates and expedite the interview process. With the rising importance of office dynamics, group interviews aren’t going away.
Here's everything you need to know about them and how to stand out.
What is a group interview?
A group interview is a method used by HR professionals and employers to interview multiple candidates at the same time. You might also hear it used to describe an interview where multiple team members interview one candidate; that’s commonly called a panel interview.
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How do group interviews work?
As a group, you may be asked to answer typical interview questions, but you may also be put to the test. Expect to find a problem solving or work-simulation exercise, along with discussion around the problem solving process.
For example, in a group interview for a sports journalism position, the interviewer could separate the candidates into teams and ask them to come up with a new editorial idea. Each team would be expected to use data to inform their pitch, such as audience, public interest in a specific sport, a trend, and competitor analysis.
Why do employers do group interviews?
The purpose of this style of interview is to see how you interact with others, demonstrate your skills in a crowd, and solve problems on the spot. Employers are also often looking to assess skills like teamwork, argumentation, communication, public speaking, and leadership.
Your goal in this setting is to stand out (in a good way), so that you can move past this first round and secure a solo interview.
Pros and cons of group interviews
The pros and cons of group interviews are often discussed from the employer's point of view, with cost reduction and time efficiency being the biggest motivators. But what about looking at group interviews from a candidate’s perspective? Here are the pros and cons of a group interview for the interviewees.
Pros
- You get to showcase multiple skills at once. Rather than providing anecdotes that prove your communication and problem solving skills, you'll have the chance to show them in practice during the group dynamic.
- You see a real-life example of the company's expectations. The work simulation proposed by the interviewer could give you great insight into what a typical day at the company looks like and what they expect from employees. Then, you get to decide if that's a place where you'd like to work.
Cons
- You may not have enough time to speak. Even if you're not shy or introverted, sometimes there are personalities that overpower others in the group. Also, because the employer will want to hear a bit from everyone, you might not have time to give detailed answers.
- It could trigger anxiety and cause a bad performance. One-on-one interviews can be stressful enough, let alone four or five on one. Group interviews might make you more nervous than you'd normally be, which could result in a poor performance.
How to prepare for a group interview
If you're informed prior to the interview that it will be a group interview, here’s how to prepare.
- Practice answering technical questions. Beyond basic and common interview questions like “Tell me about yourself,” the employer might ask technical questions about your industry or line of work during the work-simulation exercise and discussion.
- Make your answers meaningful and short. As mentioned, one downside of group interviews is that you have less time to talk. So, rehearse answers about yourself, your resume, and line of work to get your point across quickly.
- Research the company and the market. Sometimes, the work-simulation exercise in group interviews relate to something the company is currently doing, like a new project they're trying to implement or a new trend in the industry. Do a quick market research and thoroughly research the employer—it might help you come up with ideas for the test.
- Be ready to ask your own questions. It's standard practice for interviewers to ask candidates if they have any questions, so be ready to come up with questions on the spot, based on the dynamics of the day. One easy but effective question: “Is this simulation an example of what a typical work day at [company] looks like?”
How do you stand out in a group interview?
As much as you might prefer a one-on-one meeting, use the group setting as an opportunity to shine. Here's how you stand out from the bunch in a group interview.
1. Put on a poker face
You may be surprised to see the other candidates, but don’t let them know, and definitely try not to show any disappointment or shock. Enter the room with confidence and resist the urge to size everyone up. How you react to the situation and the group is indicative of many things in an employer’s eyes, including how you’ll interact with the company’s team and react to future surprises on the job.
2. Make friends
I’ve led a few group interviews, and I’ve noticed that candidates waiting for an interview tend to be silent and ignore each other. Resist the urge to pull out your phone or review your notes, and instead introduce yourself and ask questions of the others, even if the employer isn’t in the room yet.
For one, when the interviewers do get there, they’ll notice who’s facilitating conversation (if they’re not doing some observing already, without you even realizing it). Your interaction will show the interviewers that you don’t shy away from networking (always a plus) and will make you appear confident (even if you’re really feeling nervous). Second, this may come in handy during the interview.
3. Involve everyone
While the other candidates may be your competition, they can also assist you on your path to the one-on-one. Throughout the activity, having the ability to address others by name will make you stand out and appear like a leader.
Use the knowledge you built waiting for the interview to begin by addressing other candidates by name or referencing a conversation you were having. For example, if you and another candidate were talking about current events and in the interview, you’re asked a situational question, respond with something like, “Kim and I were just discussing a situation in the news that was very similar. In that situation, I would…”
You’ll also want to build off of other candidates’ ideas. If someone answers a question, follow it up by addressing his or her response and adding your own thoughts (this will also help you to not commit one of the worst offenses in a group interview—repeating the same answer as someone else).
Remember, the interview is supposed to involve everyone in the room. That goes for the interviewers, too—make sure to address all of them when you’re speaking, even if one of them is silent the entire time.
4. Be yourself
That said, don’t go overboard. Many candidates, in an effort to force themselves into the role of a leader and show that they’re trying, can come across as overly aggressive. Although it’s good to show you care about the position, speaking over others or discounting their opinions will backfire. I can think of several times where this has happened, and everyone in my office refused to work with someone who was willing to walk all over others in an effort to look good.
Plus, if you’re not typically that bold leader type, it can be damaging to force yourself into a role that isn’t natural for you. Yes, you should speak up and make sure you’re being noticed, but remember that interviewers aren’t looking for the loudest voice in the room.
5. Speak with purpose
Unfortunately, the group interview will almost always be difficult for a shy or introverted person. If it isn’t in your personality to be constantly speaking up in a crowd, be sure that when you do answer questions or give your opinion, you do so with purpose.
Don’t start your answer with an apology for the interjection, and don’t let your voice trail off halfway through. These faux pas will hurt you doubly when you’re in the midst of a crowd that’s all too ready to jump back in and talk over you.
Also remember, you don’t have to talk constantly to be noticed, but to be memorable, make sure what you’re saying is unique and contributing to the conversation. Skip the rehearsed answers and focus on moving the conversation forward with your contributions.
6. Listen
In a fast-moving group interview when you’re just trying to get a word in, it can be difficult to resist only thinking about what you’re going to say next. (This is often why people forget names—they’re too busy thinking about what they're going to say and don’t really listen to the person’s name.) But in order to speak purposely, you have to listen to the interviewers and interviewees and stay engaged in where the conversation is headed.
Really pay attention and use body language to show you’re engaged with the group, even when you’re not talking. Instead of interrupting, if a thought pops into your head that you want to come back to, very quickly jot a note. Then when it comes time to speak, you’ll have so much more to say.
7. Follow up
It’s safe to bet that everyone in that room, if they’ve ever interviewed or read about interviews before, will be following up with a thank-you letter. Make sure you stand out at this stage of the process, too, by referencing a part of the conversation in which you contributed—such as an interesting answer you gave, or even a joke! Anything that makes the interviewer recall your face and your answer (in a positive way) will benefit you.
Most importantly, be prepared, and don’t let group interviews catch you off guard. And, of course, don’t forget the interviewing basics! Things like appearance, promptness, poise, and research will help you to stand out among the crowd of job candidates.
Common interview questions for group interviews
Besides questions about you, your qualifications, and your technical skills, group interviews might also have a particular type of interview question: questions about the other candidates. Some examples are:
- Besides you, who do you believe is the best candidate and why?
- Based on our dynamic, who in this room would you hire and why?
- Why should we hire you and not them?
In the first two questions, the employer wants to assess if you paid attention to the other candidate's answers and your decision making skills. You should provide an honest answer with a logical reasoning based on what you learned about them.
The third question is your chance to sell yourself as the best candidate, basically, give them your elevator pitch. Use something unique about your experience, skills, or accomplishments that other candidates didn't mention in their introductions and tie it back to the company's values, goals, or mission.
Amanda Cardoso contributed to the latest version of this article.