Group Interview Definition
The term “group interview” refers to a conversation with more than two people. It can mean that several candidates are interviewed at the same time (called a candidate group interview) or that one candidate is interviewed at the same time by more than one department head.
There are a number of methods to interview candidates. A group interview is one such method that organizations utilize to interview multiple candidates together or interview one single candidate by more than one interviewer.
Every HR manager and employer must know everything about group interviews.
Here, we will discover:
What is a Group Interview?
Group interview is one of the most effective interview methods. You can either use it to interview many candidates together or when more than one person wants to interview a single candidate.
Group interviews are usually conducted in a professional setup like a conference room.
Now that you know the group interview meaning, let’s understand its importance in the next section!
Importance of Group Interview
Here are three ways why a group interview is a significant method for every organization, be it small or large:
- Interviews conducted in groups with a number of applicants are extremely effective because they help save a significant amount of time.
- A group interview is a powerful tool to evaluate if a candidate is capable of communicating confidently with others and how well they adjust to a new work environment
- Such interviews come really handy for jobs that mainly require prompt decision-making or those that require customer collaboration.
Find more advantages of group interviews in the next section.
Advantages of Group Interview
There are many but let’s have a look at the top advantages of group interviews:
Candidate Comparison
For one job opening, you often interview multiple candidates. In such a scenario, it is not that easy to compare them all and decide who stands out. This is when a group interview comes into the picture.
With a group interview, you can get all the shortlisted candidates under the same roof where they can showcase their talent and skills while helping you to make a smart comparison.
Save Time
The company hiring can save time on the whole interview process, which is one of the best things about group interviews. This could be because there are a lot of good candidates or because they need to fill the position quickly.
Evaluate Confidence
Confidence is a must-have skill in every profession. Now, anyone can be confident when they are having an interaction with just one individual. However, only a 100% confident person can stay calm during group interviews. So, a group interview also helps you differentiate between a confident and non-confident individual.
Group Interview Tips For HR Managers
As an HR manager/interviewer taking a group interview, you must keep the following tips in mind:
Inform Candidates Beforehand
Don’t you want your candidates to do well in the interview so that you can fill the post ASAP? If yes, you should always keep the candidates informed about the interview method. This will help them to come prepared.
Be Prepared
Before the group interview, meet every interviewer who will be part of the discussion. Make sure the questions are ready, every panel member knows the evaluation criteria, and who will ask what question.
Panel Introduction
Ask panel members to introduce them like their name and designation to the candidates. This will establish a more comfortable dialogue henceforth.
Quick Discussion
Immediately after the interview concludes, engage in a discussion with the panel regarding the candidates’ overall impression. It will facilitate the assessment and selection of candidates, making the process more efficient and faster.
There you go!
That’s everything you must know about group interviews. If used in the right way, group interviews are the best tool to evaluate and hire the right candidates for your organization.
FAQs
1. Why employers use group interviews?
The group interview provides the firm with the opportunity to determine the kinds of behaviours that indicate that the individual will perform well on the job before the organization invests time and money in the hiring process.
2. What is a panel interview?
When two or more individuals interview a candidate at the same time, it is known as a panel interview. Potential supervisors, managers, team members, human resources professionals, and other decision-makers within an organization are all examples of people who might be members of a panel.
3. How to prepare for a group interview?
HR managers must notify candidates that they will be interviewed in a group, meet interviewers and give them all the details of candidates, introduce each interviewer to candidates, prepare questions for each candidate, and evaluate the candidates right after the round.