HR Key Functions

Good ‘group interview’ presentation needs preparation!

The group interview involves a group of candidates simulating a work environment. It is a valuable source of information on how group members behave in meetings/discussions and when working in a team. Group interviews are used as a screening tool to eliminate candidates. Group interviews usually take a couple of hours. But sometimes they can stretch over several days.
There are observers who evaluate the way participants interact, behave and brainstorm.
The participants are divided into small groups and cases are given to them.

Group activities are used to test teamwork and problem-solving skills.

What does group interview measure?
Influencing Skills
Interpersonal skills
Verbal Communication
Team Work
Quality of Contribution
Leadership qualities
Stress
How the candidate will face the public and customers
What level of knowledge candidates have

Successful behavior
Initiating
Clarifying
Encouraging
Active listening
Information and opinion giving
Harmonizing
Compromising
Summarizing

Negative behavior
Displaying aggression
Attention seeking
Blocking
Withdrawing

Common mistakes
Talk too much without active listening to others
Too conscious of the presence of observers
Merely act as facilitator and contribute little in discussion
Hesitate to disagree even with good reasons
Inappropriate non-verbal communication, e.g. volume of voice, facial expression, eye contact, posture, etc
Too nervous

Here follow some tips what to do before and during a group interview:

1. Research the company on the Internet – official website, forums, blogs. You may find additional information about management styles, people who work in this organization, level of contentedness, salaries etc.
2. Read carefully the position and all details listed on the advertising! Think about it how your skills and experience fit to the job. You may be asked to answer this question.
3. Introduce yourself to the interviewers before the official interview begin. It’s important to make first positive impression!
4. Prepare a 2 minute introduction pointing on your education, past experience, career goals, and how this position will fit into your future career plans. Practice this introduction on people in your everyday life.
5. Group interviews are designed to measure how you interact with other people. So be polite and courteous towards other applicants.
6. Interviewers are looking for leadership skills but it doesn’t mean to talk over the other participants or to be the loudest there. You can enhance your leadership by being proactive, delegate a task to another person, and involve other people in the conversation and “decision making”.
7. Speak wisely! If now it’s your chance to speak – use it effectively! When you try to show your leadership skills, include quieter people into the conversation and praise them for what they said.
8. Take a goodbye from the interviewers and don’t forget to write a follow-up letter.

Generally this is not the final interview and short listed candidates will have a panel or one to one interview.

Links to this Article
Effective Group Interview
How to Perform Well in a Group Interview
Group Interview
Group Interview Questions
What is a Group Interview