A group interview is an assessment carried out by an employer, where more than one candidate or a collection of hiring parties are present. This can vary, depending on the stage of the interview, as well as the industry and seniority of the position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A group interview could be used for a number of reasons, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s very unlikely that you\u2019ll be given a group interview without being told so beforehand. If the scenario is sprung on you at the last minute, it might be a sign that the company in question isn’t an organisation you\u2019ll want to invest your time in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are two core types of group interviews that someone going through the hiring process is likely to come across. Let\u2019s take a look at each, as well as what you might expect if you find yourself in one:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This type of assessment sees you placed in a room with rival candidates. These interviews can be high-intensity, as you\u2019ll often be going toe-to-toe with people who are applying for the exact same position as you \u2013 before, paradoxically, usually being asked to work as part of a group.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n More common are interviews where a candidate is screened by a variety of people. These will take many different guises. Some of the most common include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Panel interviews will most commonly be arranged into a question-and-answer format, but there\u2019s also a chance a candidate might be asked to carry out or present a task that they were given earlier in the process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Group interviews tend to be more structured \u2013 so as to keep things running smoothly.\u00a0 The chances are high that some form of activity, assessment, presentation, or interactive exercise will be part of the process. Here are some examples of the kinds of things which might be asked of you:<\/span><\/p>\n These are the questions and answers which we look at in the section below. They\u2019ll be somewhat generic, but the key in a group environment is to do what you can to really make yourself stand out, for the right reasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n While it might take you back to your school days, a group presentation could be part of an interview if you\u2019ve been given enough time. You\u2019ll be provided with a case study to work through, with each member responsible for their own section. This tests teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n Most often, this type of task won\u2019t be directly related to the job at all, but rather something interactive which tests your problem-solving skills and ability to work as part of a group. A hiring manager may even throw a spanner or two in the works to assess how you, and the rest of the group, react to things going wrong. For example, a 3D puzzle where one block is missing.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n This kind of exercise is common in a group environment, as it allows a hiring manager to better understand two candidates at the same time. A candidate could be put in the shoes of a manager, an interviewer, a junior member of a team, or even an unhappy customer.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n While it\u2019s impossible to predict exactly what your interviewer will be looking for, there are techniques and approaches to the day which make your chances of landing the role higher. Here are some top tips for anyone who finds themselves in a group interview scenario:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The more pre-interview prep you do, the easier you\u2019ll find it to react to on-the-spot questions. This doesn\u2019t just mean having answers prepared, but also understanding more about the company and, if you really want to impress, the people who are interviewing you.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n Don\u2019t worry about what anyone else is saying or doing, just focus on your own interview. While someone\u2019s answer might sound impressive, or even intimidating, it might be that what they\u2019ve highlighted isn\u2019t what the employer is looking for at all. Make sure to present yourself in the best light possible and forget about what others are doing or saying.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n In a group setting it might be tempting to try and stand out with wild claims or an exuberant personality which might be a little put-on. Be firm and clear in what you\u2019re saying, but remain true to yourself. Back up what you\u2019re saying with evidence, and let the facts do the talking.<\/span><\/li>\n Referring back to something which has been said earlier in the interview shows you\u2019ve been listening actively. While it doesn\u2019t have a direct bearing on the job itself, it shows you\u2019ve attentive, passionate, and not someone who is just saying what you think the interviewer might want to hear.<\/span><\/li>\n Yes, they\u2019re your rivals \u2013 but it\u2019s important to treat any other prospective candidates in your interview with mutual respect. This not only demonstrates a high level of professionality on your part, but it could also save you an awkward interaction on your first day if they decide to hire more than one person. What\u2019s more, it\u2019s just good manners \u2013 which is always looked favourably on.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n While the nature of the interview itself might be a little different to what you\u2019ve experienced in the past, there\u2019s some solace to be taken in the fact that most group interviews will pose a similar theme of questions to their attendants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These will either be asked directly if you\u2019re part of a panel interview, or could even be something you discuss with rival candidates if you\u2019re being assessed as part of a larger group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a look at some of the most common, as well as how to best answer them:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With this question, an employer is looking for you to marry up the skills you highlighted on your CV with what you\u2019re saying \u2013 while providing more specific detail on how that could help their business. The key here is to grab the attention of the interviewer, without making outlandish statements which could come across as delusional or arrogant.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWorking as a floor manager at a restaurant, I was able to effectively oversee, communicate with, and organise an entire team of workers on a nightly basis. This ability to structure and help manage a workforce is an invaluable skill which I now carry with me in every profession I pursue.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n What\u2019s more, it also taught me the value of flexibility. In a busy environment like that, things wouldn\u2019t always go as planned. My job was to jump on anything which was veering off course and calmly steer us back in the right direction.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Employers are looking for two things here \u2013 honesty and self-awareness. In group settings, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll hear people passively compliment themselves \u2013 for example, saying they need to be \u201cless hard-working\u201d or \u201cnot so much of a perfectionist\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n In reality, the best way to stand out is to highlight something about yourself that you genuinely need to work on, but that isn\u2019t going to raise alarm bells to a prospective employer. They\u2019ll appreciate the candidness of your answer, and take you more seriously as a candidate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI need to take more time to pursue growth outside of work. I tend to make my actual tasks a primary focus of my day, which sometimes means I overlook learning new skills. It\u2019s not that I don\u2019t have a desire to improve, but building that time into my schedule isn\u2019t something I always prioritise. Getting my work completed on time, to a high standard, will always come first for me \u2013 but I could plan better to look for training opportunities on top of that.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n The best way to approach this question is to highlight a situation where you managed to step in and handle an issue before it became a crisis. A good way to help you step away from a crowd is to use quantifiable figures to really hammer home what you\u2019re claiming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy team lead was supposed to give a very important presentation to a prospective client who was thinking about signing a major contract. The week beforehand he was forced to take time off for personal reasons. Despite being above my usual remit, I stepped in to create and present the deck to the client.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n They ended up loving it, signing up for three years, and boosting my company\u2019s bottom line by 8% on an annual basis. It was really rewarding on a personal level, while also helping my team to excel.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n While it\u2019s a bit on the nose, this hard-hitting question wants you to focus on why you\u2019re the best fit for the role at hand. Make a point of sharing any qualifications or skills you have, but be sure to hone in on why <\/span>you <\/span><\/i>are the best candidate, rather than mentioning the shortcomings or inexperience of others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHaving been a manager in my department for the best part of five years, I\u2019ve experienced a variety of challenging scenarios \u2013 all of which I was able to efficiently and quickly overcome. My decision-making abilities have been tried and tested, to great success, while I\u2019ve also shown strong leadership qualities as the spearhead of the most efficient team at my company.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n
Types of group interviews\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n
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Candidate group interviews<\/b><\/h6>\n
Hiring panel group interviews<\/b><\/h6>\n
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An initial conventional interview\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/li>\n
Assessment or task interviews\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/li>\n
Culture interviews\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Group interview activities<\/b><\/h4>\n
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Normal interview questions<\/b><\/h6>\n
Group presentations<\/b><\/h6>\n
Practical tasks<\/b><\/h6>\n
Role-playing exercises<\/b><\/h6>\n
How to get hired at a group interview\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n
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Come prepared<\/b><\/h6>\n
Ignore rivals<\/b><\/h6>\n
Show confidence, not arrogance<\/b><\/h6>\n
Listen closely<\/b><\/h6>\n
Be friendly to others<\/b><\/h6>\n
Common group interview questions \u2013 and how to answer them<\/b><\/h4>\n
What strengths are you bringing to the table, and how will they help us?\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
How to answer:\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>\n
What is one area you would like to improve on?<\/b><\/h5>\n
How to answer:\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>\n
Have there been any situations in your working life where you went above and beyond your regular line of work?\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n
How to answer:<\/span><\/h6>\n
What makes you stand out from the other candidates here?<\/b><\/h5>\n
How to answer:<\/span><\/h6>\n
How do your core values fit in with that of our company?<\/b><\/h5>\n