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How To Do A Group Interview

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GROUP INTERVIEWS! How to PASS a Group Interview!

Your behaviour in a group interview is being observed from the moment you enter the room. By arriving early, you give yourself time to regain your composure and introduce yourself to fellow candidates. Not only does this interaction highlight your ability to network, it will also come in handy if you are given a problem to solve as a group. Being able to refer to other candidates by name reinforces your interpersonal skills.

It may come as a surprise to see other candidates gathered for the interview but keep your cool and dont let it show. Chances are youll face plenty of surprises on the job, and you need to demonstrate you can handle any situation with a professional approach.

Related:10 most common job interview questions

Smile With Your Whole Being

Again, this is all about playing well with others, so make sure your body language is projecting a calm, collected aura.

Smile, but dont grimace.

Make sure youre approachable and open to everyone in the room, interviewers and fellow interviewees alike. If youre projecting an aura of tension, nervousness, hostility, fear or anger, odds are youre not going to be the person they want to hire.

Greet Both Interviewers And Candidates Individually

Arrive at the venue early, then introduce yourself to theinterviewer and everyone else participating. Yes, this includes otherapplicants. This not only breaks the ice, its also a good way to geteveryones name so you can use it when you address them during the interview. Youmight think addressing another applicant by name isnt important, but to the interviewer this shows that you’ve got goodpeople skills.

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How To Be Successful In A Group Interview

Group interviews have not replaced personal interviews yet. However, they are starting to become popular for several reasons. First and foremost, they help recruiters see how people behave in a team. This helps them evaluate: how a candidate reacts in different situations, communication, leadership, creativity and his interpersonal and problem-solving skills.

We need to add another variable to the mix: companies want to save resources, especially time. Group interviews allow them to place candidates in real-life situations and evaluate them in a short time.

More and more companies are using these types of interviews nowadays, which is why it is important to know the different types:

Group Interview Tips To Help You Succeed

What to Do When Late for an Interview

A group interview is a good opportunity to show the employer your ability to engage in a room full of people, speak with authority and share your expertise. Here are four tips to succeed in your next group interview:

Group interviews allow you to demonstrate skills you may not otherwise have a chance to share in a traditional interview setting. By using these sample questions and tips, you can be prepared no matter which type of group interview you encounter in the hiring process.

Read Also: What Are Questions That Are Asked In Interviews

Describe Your Dream Job

Three words describe how you should answer this question: relevance, relevance, relevance.

But that doesn’t mean you have to make up an answer. You can learn something from every job. You can develop skills in every job. Work backward: Identify things about the job you’re interviewing for that will help you if you do land your dream job someday, and then describe how those things apply to what you hope to someday do.

And don’t be afraid to admit that you might someday move on, whether to join another company or — better — to start your own business. Employers no longer expect “forever” employees.

For Many Organisations Looking To Fill Multiple Vacancies The Most Effective Way To Identify Promising Candidates And Begin The Screening Process Is In A Group Interview

Not only are they a good way to compare and contrast candidates, they also demonstrate how each individual works as part of a team, and how they perform under pressure.

If youve never attended one before, trying to stand out from the crowd can be a daunting prospect. However, if you approach a group interview with the right attitude, it can be a great way of practically reinforcing the skills required within the job description.

To help you make the right first impressions, heres our list of group interview: dos and donts

Also Check: What Are Some Good Responses To Interview Questions

Research The Company And Interviewers

Before the interview, its helpful to review the company website and see if you can gather any relevant information. If you know the names of the interviewers, look for a bio on the company website or search for their professional networking profiles. Learning as much as you can about the business and hiring managers can help you prepare for different scenarios and connect with the interviewers.

Sample Group Interview Thank

How to Conduct a Group Interview to Find the Best Employees

Subject Line: Thank You John Smith, Administrative Assistant

Dear Ms. Johnson and Mr. Martin:

I enjoyed speaking with you and the rest of the team today about the administrative assistant job at ACME. I was excited to hear about your plans for the third quarter, and the goals and challenges you described.

Id love the chance to help achieve those goals using my strong organizational and writing skills, as well as my expertise with QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, and Trello. In my current role at ZXY Corp, Im accustomed to working with multiple teams, each with their own culture and priorities. I enjoy helping all kinds of different contributors and leaders stay organized and efficient, and I know that I would be able to do the same for your team.

Thank you again for taking the time to interview me. Im very interested in the job and happy to provide references. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Also Check: How To Practice For A Job Interview

Dont Forget Your Manners

Manners? Seriously?

Yes.

It seems simple, but you would not believe how many candidates get into the interview room and forget to use please and thank-you, or to hold the door for other candidates to enter the room.

For the most part, its because of focus. You want to do a good job. Youve got all of these interview questions rolling around in your head. Theres a lot to deal with.

The last thing you are thinking about is your manners.

But hear this hiring managers are paying attention. They want to hire candidates that are polite, gracious, and considerate of others. So make sure that you are the perfect lady , not just to the hiring manager but to your fellow interviewees as well.

If you are passed a handout, say thank-you.

If your group activity requires grabbing a chair to sit in, grab two and give one to the candidate next to you.

And when youve made it to the end of the interview and are about to run out the door and jump in the air and click your heels together, take a minute, circle back to the hiring manager, and look her in the eye, extend out your hand and thank her for her time.

Its a small gesture, but one that many interviewees forget to do. And its the last impression you will leave with the hiring manager.

Tell Me How You Think Other People Would Describe You

I hate this question. It’s a total throwaway. But I did ask it once, and got an answer I really liked.

“I think people would say that what you see is what you get,” the candidate said. “If I say I will do something, I do it. If I say I will help, I help. I’m not sure that everyone likes me, but they all know they can count on what I say and how hard I work.”

Can’t beat that.

Recommended Reading: How To Interview A Manager

Take Your Experience With You

One of the greatest benefits of changing careers in your 40s is probably the fact that you have a world of experience to take with you. Unlike the inexperienced post-grad student applying for the job, you will have an impressive portfolio to offer. Even if you don’t have experience in the career field that you want to switch to, your previous experience is still very much relevant. Apart from the actual skills and responsibilities, your work history will showcase your credibility. It will show the prospective employer what attributes and characteristics previous employers valued in you. Don’t be afraid to quantify and mention your previous achievements this will most definitely count in your favor. Just because you are switching careers doesn’t mean your past experience is irrelevant.

Before looking for your new job, draw up a list of your skills, expertise, and experience. If you are making a career shift, you probably want to focus on something that either challenges you more, comes naturally, or something that you are passionate about. Organize your strengths and capabilities in such a way that you will be the “natural” choice for the hiring company.

Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years

How Do You Do Well During a Group Interview? TRC Staffing ...

Answers to this question go one of two basic ways. Candidates try to show their incredible ambition by providing an extremely optimistic answer: “I want your job!” Or they try to show their humility by providing a meek, self-deprecating answer: “There are so many talented people here. I just want to do a great job and see where my talents take me.”

In either case you learn nothing, other than possibly how well candidates can sell themselves.

For interviewers, here’s a better question: “What business would you love to start?”

That question applies to any organization, because every employee at every company should have an entrepreneurial mind-set.

The business a candidate would love to start tells you about her hopes and dreams, her interests and passions, the work she likes to do, the people she likes to work with — so just sit back and listen.

Don’t Ask For A Job On First Contact

Avoid sending your resume on first contact, or asking if your new connection knows of any job openings at their company. Your first message to a new connection should focus on starting a conversation, and you can effectively do that by asking for general advice rather than requesting for a job.

Also, remember to keep questions open-ended so you can build conversation, not end it.

For Which Positions Should You Use Group Interviews

Group interviews are a great way to test and select the best candidates for positions which require great communication, interpersonal and stress management skills.

Since group interviews allow interviewers to observe how well candidates work in a group, they are great for filling positions which depend on teamwork.

Thus, group interviews are commonly used to find candidates for positions such as:

…and other similar job positions which include customer service components and interactions with large numbers of clients or the public.

How Do You Work In A Team

What They Want to Know: It should be clear from the job listing whether you will be expected to work collaboratively, independently, or both. Structure your answer here carefully, particularly if its clear from the job ad that teamwork is an essential part of the role.

Ive always preferred working on teams, which comes from my experience as an avid student athlete in high school and college. I think that being a good team member requires you to proactively maintain open lines of communication with your associates and your team lead, and so I make sure that I actively listen to others, see where I can jump in to help them out, and try to mediate conflicts when they arise.

Tips For Great Job Interviews

How to ace a group interview

From researching the company to handling certain key interview questions, make sure you make a great impression and ace your next job interview by following these 20 tips.

Want to ace your next interview and land thatopen job youve been seeking? Here are 20 tips to help you prepare.1. Research the industry and company.An interviewer may ask how you perceive his company’s position in its industry, who the firm’s competitors are, what its competitive advantages are, and how it should best go forward. For this reason, avoid trying to thoroughly research a dozen different industries. Focus your job search on just a few industries instead.

What Is Your Leadership Style

This is a tough question to answer without dipping into platitudes. Try sharing leadership examples instead. Say, “The best way for me to answer that is to give you a few examples of leadership challenges I’ve faced,” and then share situations where you dealt with a problem, motivated a team, worked through a crisis. Explain what you did and that will give the interviewer a great sense of how you lead.

And, of course, it lets you highlight a few of your successes.

How To Ace A Group Interview

By Mike Simpson

Its here! Its finally here!

The day youve been waiting for forever the day of your interview for your dream job with the company of your choice. Man, youve worked hard to get where you are right now.

You spent hours perfecting your resume and tailoring your cover letter.

You spent days agonizing over your interview wardrobe and spent three hours in the mirror perfecting your Windsor knot.

Youve done your research on not only the company you want to work for, but the people who will be interviewing you.

Youre confident and ready to tackle anything the interviewer throws your way anything that is, exceptthe dreaded group interview.

You walk into the room, fully prepared to walk out with a job offer, but nothing could prepare you for the fact that instead of meeting one on one with the hiring manager, youre sitting down with five other candidates, five other equally bright and qualified job seekers and theyve all worked just as hard as you have to get where they are right now.

Ohdarn. So, how do you handle a situation like this?

First thing first, dont panic. In fact, take a deep breath and relax a little bit. A group interview, once you know how to master it, is one of the easiest interviews to nail.

The goal is to make sure you stand out, for all the right reasons, and were here to help you figure out just what it will take to ensure that happens.

Of course, before you can sail through one, you need to know exactly what youre walking into.

What Was Your Personal Contribution To The Teams Performance

What They Want to Know: This question tests your ability to think about and evaluate your own work within a team context. Use your answer to remind the interviewer of one or two of the strengths you would bring to them as a team player.

One key requirement of this exercise was that we work together to create a viable action plan. Im a big-picture thinker who, when given a problem to solve, immediately begins thinking about the pros and cons of potential approaches. I think I did a good job of helping our team to frame the most important issues, swiftly determine what would work and what wouldnt, and then settle upon our course of action.

How To Perform Well In A Group Interview

How to answer 4 of the most common interview questions

It is quite common to go to group interviews these days, which is why you should be prepared for them. In this way, you will be able to emphasize your potential and stand out from the rest.

Applying for a job is as stressful as it is exhausting. Job interviews are a big part of this process. From this point of view, there are people who know how to handle group interviews in a good way. However, others are anxious in these situations because they do not know what to expect.

Our advice is to be yourself. Stand out, but do not exaggerate, be confident and charismatic, but above all be natural. After all, we all have much more to offer than what we write in the CV. We are much more than our education, our diplomas and our work experience.

Being prepared will help you perform well in a group interview.

Answer First Every Once In A While

Make it a point to be the first one to answer your interviewer’s question every once in a while. I repeat, only once in a while. You don’t have to bully out the other applicants. But you shouldn’t appear to be too shy and timid, either.

Being the first one to answer without obviously trying to dominate the group interview can help your interviewer’s easy recall and good impression of you as a job candidate.

What Questions Should I Ask In My Group Interview

Have a couple of good questions ready to ask in your group interview. You can use these examples of smart questions to ask:

  • What are the immediate priorities in this position?
  • What key challenges will a new recruit face in this job?
  • What are the top skills needed for successful job performance?
  • How is performance measured in this job?
  • What do you like most about working for this company?

How Did You Deal With The Stress Created By Meeting The Challenges

What They Want to Know: How do you handle stress? is a common interview question that gauges whether youll be able to cope with the pace and demands of the workplace. Your answer should demonstrate both self-awareness and, ideally, a proactive approach to coping with stress.

The first thing was to focus upon the details of the problems you set and to decide upon the steps that would be necessary to solve them. That provided a quick sense of progress, which lowered the tension. I was also prone to making light, mostly self-deprecating jokes about the issues that arose, just to make my other teammates smile. Lastly, I took two-minute breaks at the end of each challenge for focused breathing exercises.

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