To successfully pass a group job interview, preparation is key. Knowing the business philosophy, practicing some role-playing and brainstorming, and managing nerves and anxiety can help us be more advantaged.
Written and verified by the psychologist GetPersonalGrowth.
Last update: February 18, 2022
Successfully passing a group job interview requires preparation and confidence. This trend is increasingly common in human resources departments in order to hire new employees. It is therefore advisable to train and try to shape or show a good part of your potential in this decisive context. Standing out among other candidates can be easy if you know the right strategies.
If the search for a job is already sometimes stressful and exhausting in itself, in many cases it is necessary to add an extra element: the job interview. There are those who already know this dynamic and face it with motivation, confidence and optimism. Others, however, see this situation as a source of great anxiety, because they consider the evaluation of their candidacy unpredictable.
Human resources officers know very well that the best advice is to just be yourself. Stand out, but without exaggerating; demonstrating trust with a touch of charisma and, above all, speaking naturally and confidently guarantee success.
Each candidate is much more than their resume, their studies, qualifications and work experience. Making your mark makes all the difference in a recruiting process. Training some basic skills can therefore allow you to successfully pass a group job interview.
To successfully pass a group job interview, preparation is key.
How to successfully pass a group job interview
Group job interviews have not replaced individual ones. However, in recent years they have spread for several reasons. The first why this is an excellent way to see how one person behaves in a group. It is thus possible to appreciate his communication, interpersonal, decisive, leadership skills, his reactions and his creativity.
To this we must add another element: companies save, especially in terms of time. This mode also allows you to immerse candidates in real (or reality-like) situations to see how they unravel.
Leaving aside the variability of application, the truth is that this recruitment method is establishing itself in an increasing number of work scenarios. It is therefore useful to know that there are different types of group job interviews. Let's see them below.
Types of group job interviews
- Case discussion: in this type of interview, the group must prepare a common topic in which each member contributes his corresponding part. It is a dynamic that allows you to evaluate communication, argumentative, non-verbal communication skills, etc.
- Debate: in this case, unlike the previous one, the candidate will adopt a position that he will have to defend in front of the others.
- Brainstorming: this dynamic is interesting and useful for any organization. Each candidate will have to bring useful ideas, approaches, solutions and concepts regarding the situation presented by the examiner.
- Free roles: this activity is carried out in a group. Each candidate must defend and know how to position himself in front of an idea by facing it from different points of view. Interventions and creativity are enhanced.
- Assigned roles: To successfully pass a group job interview, mastering this skill is essential. The most common scenario is for the examiner to present a hypothetical case to which they must react. Usually these are critical situations, difficult times during which to adopt adequate personal strategies to manage the situation.
- Try in basketball: the candidate is presented with the most common situations required by his / her position. It is the dynamic that best suits the technical knowledge of the work itself.
Strategies for successfully passing a group job interview
We have already seen the different types of group interviews they can subject us to. Let's see below the most common elements to consider.
Preparation
Preparation is essential. To do this, you will need to prepare yourself emotionally and psychologically. It is also decisive to take into account the position to which one aspires and the company making the selection.
Consult the company profile on the web can you give us an idea of ​​its politics and philosophy. Likewise, we can analyze the profile of its employees.
In light of this, we will be able to think about possible questions they might ask during the interview and prepare answers. Afterwards, we will define the presentation of our curriculum, adapting it to the place we aspire to.
We will also have to take care of our appearance trying to convey a formal image, with comfortable clothing and which, once again, are in keeping with the company profile.
Finally, the ideal would be to arrive before the agreed time for the interview.
Introduction
It is useful to prepare a short introduction about yourself. Indeed, it is essential to be accessible to all candidates for the post. We will greet them, shake hands with them, and from this moment on, we will include them in our attention span.
We will avoid excluding anyone, focusing on the small ecosystem we now belong to. It will probably be hired who will best be able to adapt to the rules that arise naturally or that are imposed in the ecosystem in question.
We also remember to speak clearly and confidently when we need to intervene. It is important to answer, but also to ask.
Basic dynamics to be strengthened during a group interview
Trust, security and openness. These dimensions are essential for a successful team interview. We will also avoid interrupting and not involving others, using intimidation or using unsuitable strategies to draw attention to ourselves. We will also have to ...
- Participate actively always trying to intervene in an original way.
- Show enthusiasm, which can invade us if we evoke the mental image of getting the job.
- Prepare a series of questions for the examiner. Questions about how many people will work in the department, concern ourselves with the typical day or the short, medium and long term goals of the company.
Even if in a group job interview we check fewer variables than in an individual interview, we will always have a margin to choose the strategy to adapt. Just prepare yourself psychologically to keep anxiety under control and train many of the dimensions listed here.
Whether we like it or not, it is often not enough to have exceptional technical skills. Human skills, communication or emotional intelligence can be of great help in these cases.
