Group Interviews: All You Need to Know

Group interviews are not part of every hiring process, but some employers use them to learn about multiple job candidates at one time. “Meet the team” interviews are sometimes confused with group interviews. Here’s a look at what you need to know about these forms of interviewing.

• What is a group interview?
• Pros and cons of group interviews
• How to conduct a group interview
• How to succeed in a group interview
• Sample group interview questions
• What is a ‘meet the team' interview?
• The role of group interviews in the hiring process

What is a group interview?

A group interview is when multiple candidates are interviewed at the same time. Group interviews are most common in industries like hospitality, food service, and retail.

Some group interviews involve one interviewer. In other cases, there are multiple interviewers, all asking questions of the job candidates. That panel often includes the hiring managers, relevant team members, and an HR representative.

Pros and cons of group interviews

Group interviews offer several advantages over other interview formats.

• Group interviews are efficient. They can save a lot of time by allowing organizations to interview multiple candidates at the same time.
• Every candidate will say they work well with other people. Group interviews enable you to see those skills in action.
• Group interviews are similar to many workplaces: there are many people in the room. They can help determine who fits in with the company culture.
• Group interviews show you who performs well under pressure. That can be useful for fast-paced jobs with a lot happening at once, such as a barista in a coffee shop or a hotel front desk clerk facing a long line of customers.

On the other hand, some of the challenges with group interviews include the following.

• They provide less time to get to know individual candidates. There’s less time for follow-up questions.
• They offer advantages to the candidates who try to talk the most or control the conversation. That makes it hard for the employer to judge the skills of the quieter candidates who don’t necessarily stand out in a group.
• The format adds a layer of stress for candidates who are already nervous about the hiring process.

How to conduct a group interview

Here are tips regarding best practices for running group interviews.

• Inform the candidates. Group interviews should not be a surprise to job candidates. Applicants should have time to practice for this format if they wish.
• Make sure you, as the employer, prepare just as the job candidates will. If there’s more than one interviewer, the group should meet and prepare. Everyone should know who will ask each question. They should know the evaluation criteria – what they are looking for in the candidates.
• Interviewers should introduce themselves. At the beginning of the interview, each interviewer should explain what they do at the organization and their role on the panel. For example, one person might say they are an organizational development professional at the company, and they’re there to ensure everyone in the interview group has a chance to speak.
• Take turns. The interviewers shouldn’t interrupt each other trying to get their questions in.
• Listen. Listening carefully is good advice for both interviewers and job seekers. But, it’s particularly important with groups, as it’s easier to be distracted by the body language of other people as one person answers a question.
• Discuss with the panel. Debrief as soon as possible so the candidates are fresh in everyone’s minds. Some companies also use interview scorecards or rating sheets after interviews to help in the selection process.
• Your process may change slightly if you record the interview. Recording job interviews has become increasingly common. There are technology vendors that handle “interview intelligence,” to help analyze the recording of the interview, such as listing which candidates talked for a percentage of the time.

How to succeed in a group interview

If you’re asked to participate in a group interview, here are some tips we find helpful:

• Do your research beforehand: You should be familiar with the organization and the role you are interviewing for. If you learn the names of the interviewers, look them up. Being prepared and informed is an essential quality for prospective employees.
• Be polite: By greeting both the interview panel and your fellow candidates individually, you demonstrate strong people skills. Introducing yourself will also provide you with everyone’s name, which you can reference later in the interview.
• Prepare your introduction: Group interviews will typically begin by asking candidates to introduce themselves. While this might seem like a simple question, it's actually the first opportunity to distinguish yourself from the other candidates. You should therefore write out and memorize a short introduction that succinctly outlines your background, experience, and what interests you about the job and the company.
• Listen: Pay attention not only to the questions the panel asks, but also to the answers of the other candidates. Understanding how other people answer a question is vital information to help you provide an even better answer.
• Don’t be afraid to answer first: While listening is important, it's also in your best interest to show initiative and be the first to answer a question or two. Look for questions that you’ve already prepared for and have a strong answer ready to go.
• Be a team player: Support some of your co-interviewers' statements and involve the entire room. You are, of course, trying to distinguish yourself as the best candidate for the position. However, doing so does not require you to answer each question differently from your co-interviewees. Instead, for questions that you have similar answers to than the other candidates, don’t be afraid to agree with, but expand upon or add complexity and detail to what’s already been said. Say something like “I think (name) is correct, (their answer) is important. What I’d add to that is x, y, and z.”
• Ask good questions: Asking thoughtful questions is as important as providing thoughtful answers. You should have questions prepared before you enter the interview room.

Sample group interview questions

Whether you’re conducting a group interview or preparing to be interviewed, review the following list of questions and suggestions. It will help you understand what the interview panel wants from candidates.

• How would your colleagues describe you?
• Can you describe yourself?
• Why do you want this job?
• What skills are most essential for this position?
• Based on our conversation today, who would you hire in this room?

What is a 'meet the team’ interview?

“Meet the team” interviews are usually the final interview before hiring a candidate. In other words, if someone is invited to meet the team, the organization is likely ready to hire them, and wants to make sure there are no major objections before they do so. The candidate will have already interviewed with the hiring manager. The meet-the-team interview is a chance for the candidate to meet future teammates, so both the candidate and the team can determine if there is a mutual fit.

These interviews are typically casual and often include an activity like going to lunch with team members.

The role of group interviews in the hiring process

Group interviews can be a useful part of the hiring process.

Instead of wondering how a prospective employee interacts with other people, group interviews give you a chance to see for yourself. They may be a better approximation of the workplace than an individual interview, as a typical workplace involves multiple colleagues and people with different roles and at different levels in the company.

Group interviews can also save you time, ultimately speeding up the hiring process.

Listen and watch carefully. You just may learn more about your job candidates during the group interview than you do from their resume, application, screening conversation, or any other step in the hiring process.