What is a Group Interview?

What is a group interview?

A group interview is an assessment carried out by an employer, where more than one candidate or a collection of hiring parties are present. This can vary, depending on the stage of the interview, as well as the industry and seniority of the position. 

A group interview could be used for a number of reasons, such as:

• To save labour hours by assessing a number of candidates at the same time 
• To see how candidates react to others in a group environment 
• To make it easier for elite candidates to stand out and shine when compared to their peers 

It’s very unlikely that you’ll be given a group interview without being told so beforehand. If the scenario is sprung on you at the last minute, it might be a sign that the company in question isn’t an organisation you’ll want to invest your time in. 

Types of group interviews 

There are two core types of group interviews that someone going through the hiring process is likely to come across. Let’s take a look at each, as well as what you might expect if you find yourself in one: 

• Candidate group interviews

  This type of assessment sees you placed in a room with rival candidates. These interviews can be high-intensity, as you’ll often be going toe-to-toe with people who are applying for the exact same position as you – before, paradoxically, usually being asked to work as part of a group. 

• Hiring panel group interviews

  More common are interviews where a candidate is screened by a variety of people. These will take many different guises. Some of the most common include: 

  • An initial conventional interview 

  • Assessment or task interviews 

  • Culture interviews 

Panel interviews will most commonly be arranged into a question-and-answer format, but there’s also a chance a candidate might be asked to carry out or present a task that they were given earlier in the process. 

Group interview activities

Group interviews tend to be more structured – so as to keep things running smoothly.  The chances are high that some form of activity, assessment, presentation, or interactive exercise will be part of the process. Here are some examples of the kinds of things which might be asked of you:

• Normal interview questions

  These are the questions and answers which we look at in the section below. They’ll be somewhat generic, but the key in a group environment is to do what you can to really make yourself stand out, for the right reasons. 

• Group presentations

  While it might take you back to your school days, a group presentation could be part of an interview if you’ve been given enough time. You’ll be provided with a case study to work through, with each member responsible for their own section. This tests teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills. 

• Practical tasks

  Most often, this type of task won’t be directly related to the job at all, but rather something interactive which tests your problem-solving skills and ability to work as part of a group. A hiring manager may even throw a spanner or two in the works to assess how you, and the rest of the group, react to things going wrong. For example, a 3D puzzle where one block is missing. 

• Role-playing exercises

  This kind of exercise is common in a group environment, as it allows a hiring manager to better understand two candidates at the same time. A candidate could be put in the shoes of a manager, an interviewer, a junior member of a team, or even an unhappy customer. 

How to get hired at a group interview 

While it’s impossible to predict exactly what your interviewer will be looking for, there are techniques and approaches to the day which make your chances of landing the role higher. Here are some top tips for anyone who finds themselves in a group interview scenario: 

• Come prepared

  The more pre-interview prep you do, the easier you’ll find it to react to on-the-spot questions. This doesn’t just mean having answers prepared, but also understanding more about the company and, if you really want to impress, the people who are interviewing you. 

• Ignore rivals

  Don’t worry about what anyone else is saying or doing, just focus on your own interview. While someone’s answer might sound impressive, or even intimidating, it might be that what they’ve highlighted isn’t what the employer is looking for at all. Make sure to present yourself in the best light possible and forget about what others are doing or saying. 

• Show confidence, not arrogance

  In a group setting it might be tempting to try and stand out with wild claims or an exuberant personality which might be a little put-on. Be firm and clear in what you’re saying, but remain true to yourself. Back up what you’re saying with evidence, and let the facts do the talking.

• Listen closely

  Referring back to something which has been said earlier in the interview shows you’ve been listening actively. While it doesn’t have a direct bearing on the job itself, it shows you’ve attentive, passionate, and not someone who is just saying what you think the interviewer might want to hear.

• Be friendly to others

  Yes, they’re your rivals – but it’s important to treat any other prospective candidates in your interview with mutual respect. This not only demonstrates a high level of professionality on your part, but it could also save you an awkward interaction on your first day if they decide to hire more than one person. What’s more, it’s just good manners – which is always looked favourably on. 

Common group interview questions – and how to answer them

While the nature of the interview itself might be a little different to what you’ve experienced in the past, there’s some solace to be taken in the fact that most group interviews will pose a similar theme of questions to their attendants. 

These will either be asked directly if you’re part of a panel interview, or could even be something you discuss with rival candidates if you’re being assessed as part of a larger group. 

Let’s take a look at some of the most common, as well as how to best answer them: 

What strengths are you bringing to the table, and how will they help us? 

With this question, an employer is looking for you to marry up the skills you highlighted on your CV with what you’re saying – while providing more specific detail on how that could help their business. The key here is to grab the attention of the interviewer, without making outlandish statements which could come across as delusional or arrogant.

How to answer: 

“Working as a floor manager at a restaurant, I was able to effectively oversee, communicate with, and organise an entire team of workers on a nightly basis. This ability to structure and help manage a workforce is an invaluable skill which I now carry with me in every profession I pursue.

What’s more, it also taught me the value of flexibility. In a busy environment like that, things wouldn’t always go as planned. My job was to jump on anything which was veering off course and calmly steer us back in the right direction.” 

What is one area you would like to improve on?

Employers are looking for two things here – honesty and self-awareness. In group settings, there’s a good chance you’ll hear people passively compliment themselves – for example, saying they need to be “less hard-working” or “not so much of a perfectionist”.

In reality, the best way to stand out is to highlight something about yourself that you genuinely need to work on, but that isn’t going to raise alarm bells to a prospective employer. They’ll appreciate the candidness of your answer, and take you more seriously as a candidate. 

How to answer: 

“I need to take more time to pursue growth outside of work. I tend to make my actual tasks a primary focus of my day, which sometimes means I overlook learning new skills. It’s not that I don’t have a desire to improve, but building that time into my schedule isn’t something I always prioritise. Getting my work completed on time, to a high standard, will always come first for me – but I could plan better to look for training opportunities on top of that.” 

Have there been any situations in your working life where you went above and beyond your regular line of work? 

The best way to approach this question is to highlight a situation where you managed to step in and handle an issue before it became a crisis. A good way to help you step away from a crowd is to use quantifiable figures to really hammer home what you’re claiming. 

How to answer:

“My team lead was supposed to give a very important presentation to a prospective client who was thinking about signing a major contract. The week beforehand he was forced to take time off for personal reasons. Despite being above my usual remit, I stepped in to create and present the deck to the client.

They ended up loving it, signing up for three years, and boosting my company’s bottom line by 8% on an annual basis. It was really rewarding on a personal level, while also helping my team to excel.” 

What makes you stand out from the other candidates here?

While it’s a bit on the nose, this hard-hitting question wants you to focus on why you’re the best fit for the role at hand. Make a point of sharing any qualifications or skills you have, but be sure to hone in on why you are the best candidate, rather than mentioning the shortcomings or inexperience of others. 

How to answer:

“Having been a manager in my department for the best part of five years, I’ve experienced a variety of challenging scenarios – all of which I was able to efficiently and quickly overcome. My decision-making abilities have been tried and tested, to great success, while I’ve also shown strong leadership qualities as the spearhead of the most efficient team at my company.” 

How do your core values fit in with that of our company?

This one is going to take some work ahead of time. An employer is testing whether or not you’ve done any research on them, more so than anything else. Look into what the company you’re applying to values, then tailor your answer around what you find. Remember, if a hiring company has an active role in community projects, your answer doesn’t necessarily have to be exclusive to working values. 

How to answer:

“I know that you guys prioritise the need to give back to the community. This is something which has always been important to me. I regularly volunteer with local food banks and support a number of charities aimed at getting people off the streets and into housing. 

On a professional note, I think the flexible working policy which you introduced after the pandemic is the kind of forward-thinking approach which more companies should adopt. Life can be unpredictable, so placing the trust with employees to get work done to a top standard at hours which work for them is a hugely progressive step.”

Do you feel more prepared for your next group interview? How to prepare for a job interview: where to start…