Group Interview Cheat Sheet How to Prepare Quickly for Any Group Interview In this cheat sheet you will find: By Don Georgevich 1.) An introduction to Group interviews 2.) Why employers use group interviews 3.) Traits employers look for in candidates and 4.) How to prepare for a group interview Oftentimes, the terms panel interview and group interview are used interchangeably, but they are two different styles of interviews. A group interview is an interview with multiple job candidates in the room being interviewed simultaneously by a panel of interviewers. A panel interview is an interview with only one candidate in the room while being interviewed by a panel of two or more interviewers. Group interviews are nothing like any other interview you ve been on before because they involve bringing you into an interview situation with many other candidates who are competing for the same position. 1
The interviewers are interested in how you respond to questions directed at you and how you react and respond to other candidates. Interviewers generally pose hypothetical situations or problems to the group as a whole and allow the candidates to engage in activities to address or solve the issue. All the while, the hiring team silently assesses your teamwork, interpersonal and problem solving skills. A group interview can be more demanding and traumatic as compared to a one on one interview. Thus, group interviews give potential employers a better idea of how candidates will function on the job. Employers generally use group interviews to find a large number of employees quickly. Group interviews are useful when effective teamwork is an important part of the job. The group interview provides an opportunity for the employer to observe human behaviors that are essential for success before the employer invests money and time into hiring a candidate. 2
There are specific traits that employers use to identify the ideal candidate and hiring managers will prioritize hiring job seekers who can be expressed as having the following traits: Resilience Resilient individuals don t quit, and that s why hiring managers want them. This type of individual doesn t react to problems, but instead responds in an appropriate and optimistic manner. Demonstrating how you have been resilient in your past job, will show employers your commitment to your work, and will certainly give you the edge in your interview. Leadership The success of a business depends on having employees who have the capability to grow into leaders and the knowhow to build their own winning teams. Businesses believe that leadership is a quality that must be learned. The success of their business depends on having employees who have room to grow and the know how to build their own winning teams. If you re interviewing for any leadership position, it s imperative that you show demonstrated leadership abilities to your interviewer. Team Oriented Organizations look for employees who can work effectively in situations that need the cooperation of others and the ones who perfectly fit into the boundaries of the company s corporate culture. Show your interviewer that you are a team oriented individual by talking about how you participated, led, and supported a team of people in your past work to accomplish a project or task. Adaptability To survive, a business must constantly be changing and adapting to the environment that surrounds them. It s imperative that you demonstrate to prospective employers your own level of adaptability. 3
Most people have never been subjected to a group interview which is why you need to plan and prepare yourself. It s nothing like a conventional one on one interview. Most of the other candidates in the room are unlikely to have prepared at all, so this gives you a golden opportunity to outperform them at all levels. There are three preparation stages to any job interview: STAGE 1: Before your interview Research the company Don t just rely on the company s website. Instead, go to other sources that discuss the company. Understand the job description Think about how your background and skills fit into the job because the interviewer may ask this question of you. Who are you? Prepare a 2 3 minute engaging introduction of yourself. Inventory your skills Consider how your skills, such as lateral thinking and problem solving, demonstrate your ability to perform your job efficiently. Role playing Practice role play by gathering a few family members and friends for a group interview. 4
STAGE 2: Map out a strategy you will use during your interview Arrive early It s essential you make the most of every chance to stand out from the crowd. Remember the icebreaker Make sure your introduction is engaging and precise. You need to have a well polished introduction about yourself. Question preparation Prepare questions that you want to ask the company. Be inclusive Include everyone in your conversation as you speak. Politeness From the moment you arrive and until you drive away, be polite towards everyone. Listen Pay attention to everything that is going on around you. Learn names As you are introduced to everyone, remember their names. Dealing with Nerves Most people will be nervous, and naturally so. But the more confident you are in your abilities, the less likely you are to be nervous. Active Participation It is significant to be seen as an active participant instead of merely an observer. Not only must you listen to other candidates, but you need to take the stage yourself and contribute your ideas and views. Don t be fake Don t try too hard to stand out by faking your personality. 5
STAGE 3: Before your interview, map out a follow up strategy on how you plan to close the interview and follow up afterward. After your interview, consider sending a follow up thank you letter to each member of the panel and thank them for the opportunity to interview, express your continued interest in the position, and remind them of how your skills would be a valuable asset to their company. Plan your interview from start to finish, even if you don t have all the details. The more planning and preparation you do now will pay you dividends tenfold, later. You ve already taken the most important step by educating yourself with this cheat sheet. Now I urge you to use it to your advantage. Treat this as a roadmap to group interviews. It will give you valuable insight into the process and position you for success. You ll still have to be quick, responsive, and think on your feet, but at least you ll have some idea of what you can expect and how to respond to nearly any interview situation. Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying: Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax. I urge you to sharpen your perspective and plan out your interview. I guarantee you ll thank me later for it. 6
In this cheat sheet, I have only scratched the surface of what is coming at you in a group interview. I delve much deeper into all of these areas and many others I have not even mentioned in my new book, Group Interview Guru. There I ll show you ALL of the personality traits employers are looking for in candidates, and how you can BE the perfect candidate and win the job. You'll get my 3 stage group preparation strategy. I ll show you EXACTLY how to prepare. I ll show you how to map out a winning strategy. I ll show you what to do after a group interview. You ll gain solid understanding of the candidate you need to be to ace your interview. I ll break down the 5 main styles of group interviews, teach you how to act in a group interview, and give you four key strategies you need to win the job. After all that, then I ll walk you through 13 real world group interview exercises from companies like Apple, Yahoo, Chase Bank, Macys, online retailers, automotive companies, and more. You ll get to see firsthand what group interviews look like for sales jobs, retail jobs, managers, graduate roles, mechanical engineers, customer service, IT support positions, marketing and more. By this time, you ll not only have a solid understanding of a group interview, but you ll feel like you ve been on 6 or 7 of them yourself, and you ll be well prepared to handle any type of situation, even if you ve never been exposed to it before. CLICK HERE to Try Group Interview Guru and receive a special $50 OFF Discount 7