Group Interview

A group interview is a useful method if you are interviewing a large number of candidates for one position or are in a search of an assertive employee who can work in group settings. 

If understood and used at the right time, it can make the recruitment process faster and easier. 

Firstly, what are group interviews?

There are two types of group interviews – panel interviews and group interviews. 

In a group interview, multiple candidates are interviewed by an interviewee who is usually a hiring manager. 

In the case of a panel interview, multiple interviewers interview a single candidate. 

This panel usually consists of an HR manager, an employee from the department in which you may work, and the manager.

How important are group interviews?

There are a lot of reasons why group interviews are efficient.

• Group interviews with multiple candidates are very efficient, as it helps in saving a lot of time.
• It helps in finding out which of the candidates can work efficiently with others and how well do they fit the company culture.
• Jobs that require customer interactions or instant solutions usually require group interviews.

Tips on how to take group interviews

• While requesting an interview from the candidates, inform them that the interview will be taking place in a group setting.
• Meet with the panel before the interview since the whole team is required to be on the same page. Topics like questionnaires, who will ask which question, and the criteria of evaluation, etc., must be sorted before the interview starts.
• Everyone in the panel should introduce themselves to the candidates, explain their parts in the panel and in the organization too.
• Discuss the impression of the candidates as soon as the interview is over with the panel. It will help in the evaluation and choosing of candidates easier and faster.

How to evaluate group interview responses & individual contribution?

In an interview with multiple candidates, you should ask each candidate group questions with some individual questions. You can also have a brief individual interview with every candidate.

Some questions that you can include in your questionnaires can be :

• Why do you want to join us?
• What are the most important skills for this position?
• How would your colleagues describe you?
• How do you work in a team?
• Who would you hire from this room? Why?

Hopefully, this article will help you, too, find a candidate of your choice. To read more articles like this;