Group interviews are becoming more common in the United States, primarily due to the unprecedented onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
They reduce recruitment costs and shorten the process for companies substantially. They also allow prospective employers to see potential candidates in action as they talk to their peers and shoot off ideas.
Group interviews are a great way for hiring managers and recruiters to identify which candidate has a collaborative spirit that can benefit the whole team.
If you have a group interview coming up in a couple of days, here are a few tips that can help you stand out among the crowd!
Conduct Your Due Diligence on the Interviewer(s)
Since group interviews give you less time to prove yourself compared to one-on-one interviews, you need to bring all the cards to the table—and that means learning more about the interviewer.
Find out about their designation in the company, their educational background, and why they’re hiring, permitting you to tailor your answers to present yourself as a candidate who’s aligned with the needs of the organization and the job.
Greet the Interviewers and the Fellow Candidates Individually
Arrive at the venue early and introduce yourself to the interviewer and other participants. This will help you establish rapport, break the ice, and give you time to familiarize yourself with everyone present.
You can also use this time to learn your fellow candidates’ names and use them later on during the discussion if you’re addressing or following up on a point they made. This will attest to your attention to detail.
Be Friendly But Stay True To Your Convictions
Remember a primary reason for conducting group interviews is to enable panelists to assess how you’ll work or mesh in with a team. As such, maintaining decorum and exhibiting a friendly and professional demeanor is of the utmost importance.
You may get the urge to go out swinging, but its best to tread lightly, so you don’t come across as a know-it-all who tries to snub out the voices of others.
This doesn’t mean that you should become taciturn. Frame your counter-arguments concisely, but don’t be too quick to shoot down ideas of others on the team.
Try To Answer First Every Now And Then
To stand out, you either have to have the best answer or be the first one to answer. Since there’s no way to know whether you’ll have the best answer each time, try to answer first to stand out—but only if you think your answer is good enough.
If you think your answer adds no value to the conversation, by speaking first you will only give your competitors an advantage over you.
You should also be wary of your body language and ensure that you exhibit confidence. Keep your chin up, stay relaxed, and structure your answers without trailing off into another topic.
Do you need help preparing for a group interview? Look for an expert job interview coach near you!
The Interview Guru™ provides premier executive interview coaching and online interview training . Our expert job interview coaches will help strengthen your skills so you can easily make your mark during group interviews.