Group Interviews: How to Stand Out Positively
Group interviews are much different than individual ones for many reasons. There are 2 types: either you will be interviewed by multiple people or multiple people will be interviewed by a few individuals. It is super important to find a balance of participation that will allow you to stand out without making it seem like you are trying to overpower other people! Find out about our strategies here for candidate group interviews.
- Scan the Room: Remember, in the same way that group interviews allow hiring managers to gauge a large pool of candidates, this is also a great time for you to scan the room to see other people you may be working with. Do other candidates seem to have similar or complementary personalities to you? How does the group interact? Could you see yourself working beside these people?
- Be Heard, not Overheard: There is a notable line between effective participation and simply speaking to have your voice heard. We can guarantee that the interviewer in the room is actively noting which candidates are participating and to what extent. Measure yourself up against others. Speak if you have something valuable to input, but be cautious of too much participation!
- Respect: The main component of a group interview is respecting others. This means being extremely aware of interruptions and allowing each candidate in the group to make their entire point. However, this also means acknowledging others! (Keep reading)
- Praise Others: A fantastic, easy way to showcase your strength as a team player, and as someone who would fit in well in any group setting, is to acknowledge other candidate’s points. This is as simple as saying, “I agree with what __ is saying,” “I believe that ___ makes a great point that” “Echoing ___, I think,” “What ___ made me realize is that…” This shows that you are listening to others, appreciating everyone’s perspectives, and are an active listener.
- Be You! If you don’t have a particular opinion about a question or are unclear about the answer, don’t feel pressured to participate just because other people have! Stay true to who you are, your beliefs, and your perspectives. Trying to be someone you are not will come across as ingenuine to the interviewer.
- Extra Tip: Don’t make anything up just to sound educated! The interviewer does not expect every person in the group to be able to answer every question.
- Make Conversation Where Appropriate: If you find yourself standing outside the interview room for a solid amount of time, make conversation through small talk with those around you! It is likely that you will be noticed and praised for your social skills.
- Thank the Interviewer: It’s easy to overlook this component of a group interview, but if you are given the opportunity, make sure to thank the person/people who led the interview!
Potential Question to Expect:
- What interests you about this position?
- What interests you about this company?
- How would others describe you?
- What does our company do?
- How does our company stand out from the rest?
- What do you know about the industry/career/position?
- Behavioral/situational type questions.
- Always remember to do your research beforehand!
If you have any questions reach out to any of our team members at Esquire Recruiting LLC!
Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!
Interest in other interview types? Learn about the difference between phone and in-person interviews here!
