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Topic: Group interviews
| Author | Message |
| wineaux | Posted – 10/11/2007 3:19:33 PM | show profile I went on my third interview for a large non-profit. The interview went well, and when it was over, he told me that he decided I'd be apart of the final three that would be apart of a group interview with himself and a few other employees. Anyone ever do a group interview? I never have, and don't even know what to expect. It it like they throw a meaty bone in the center of the room and let us have at it? Or, are questions fired at us and we take turns answering? I am trying to prepare and don't even know where to begin. |
| AWC | Posted – 10/11/2007 3:35:32 PM | show profile I once had an interview where 9 current employees met and questioned me as a group. It was definitely unusual, but I actually enjoyed it -- with that many people in the room it was easy to make it more of a "discussion" than a strict interview. And I got the rare opportunity to see the group interact with each other -- something most prospective employees never get to experience prior to accepting a job. |
| wineaux | Posted – 10/11/2007 4:04:37 PM | show profile Oh, I've been interview by several employees at once, and that doesn't bother me. It's the thought of being interviewed with two other possible candidates for the job that's scaring me! I think at the very least it will be highly uncomfortable. Although, in the employer's defense, I'm sure it will be fairly noticable who will shine, with the ability to make direct comparisons. |
| Jill of all trades | Posted – 10/11/2007 4:20:02 PM | show profile | email poster I hate to ask, but how badly do you want this job? The group interview situation you're describing sounds inefficient at best and like some kind of blood sport at worst (the "meaty bone" reference made me think of it). |
| ZeldaMedia | Posted – 10/11/2007 4:31:03 PM | show profile That's Draconian How terrible for you wineaux. I have had group interviews but only the "me and the insiders". Never me, the other potential emplyees and the insiders all in one room. What kind of nonprofit is this? It doesn't make any sense and it may even be illegal violating confidentiality or something.. .. It must be the wonderful economy we have. |
| rulebook | Posted – 10/11/2007 5:19:23 PM | show profile Draconian? Please. I've given them and I've been subject to them. I think it's a good way to conduct a "chemistry test", particulalry when it is among people who are potential contemporaries within the office. Said differently, you don't want the only interview with your future boss to be in a group setting, and I do think they should be done sparingly (as in, if you have three interviews, two should be one-on-one, and one could be a group. Something like that). I do think they are actually easier- as one poster said, it's more of a conversation. Of course, this particular company could act like a firing squad, which would be inapporpriate. I've just never encountered that particlualr dynamic. My advice is to rest easy, go with the flow of the conversation, and try and get them to laugh. You'll do fine. |
| wineaux | Posted – 10/11/2007 5:50:07 PM | show profile It's a HUGE non-profit with a great reputation. They have been extremely thorough with the interviewing process and I haven't felt uncomfortable with any of the steps needed to be taken until he mentioned the group interview. I was rather surprised when he said I'd be with the other two candidates, being interviewed by several employees. It seems like a tactic to see how unnerved one gets in the situation, and a way to see if we will try to one-up each other. I thought I had proven myself to be on my toes throughout the three other interview and don't really think it's necessary to be thrown into the room to interact with people I'm competing with for a job. It's really making me think I will pass on the job. I'm still contemplating telling them that I won't be there for the interview b/c I think their tactics on this last one aren't something I'm responsive to. |
| foodlit | Posted – 10/11/2007 8:02:53 PM | show profile wineaux, I think you have misunderstood. I suspect that what they meant was that each of the final three candidates will then do a group interview. What that means is that you will each interview separately, one at a time, but with the group, and that may be all at once or one after the other. You never know. I've been recruiting for almost 15 years, and never, not once have final candidates interviewed against each other in the same group. Doesn't happen. Only time group interviews of candidates happen are when companies are looking to hire a group of people, like bank tellers, or cust service types of roles. Good luck, Pam |
| wineaux | Posted – 10/11/2007 9:35:09 PM | show profile Thanks Pam! For once, I'm glad I got it wrong. |
| caitlinkelly | Posted – 10/12/2007 8:49:15 AM | show profile I've been through two of these, one with about 15 people and one with four. It is instructive indeed to watch the dynamics between the people you might potentially be working with -- in one interview (no joke) the man who would have been my boss slept through most of it while his colleagues took up the slack...You have come this far (congrats!) and will likely be terrific. Good luck. |
| wineaux | Posted – 10/12/2007 10:40:08 AM | show profile Do you think I'd look like an idiot if I called his assistant (he gave me her number and said to call her if I had any questions) and ask her to clarify? I was listening pretty intently when he told me about the interview, but now I'm unsure after the poster who said group interviews aren't done. My husband told me he has been through several interviews where he was in the same room as other potential employees, but he is in a different business than ours. |
| foodlit | Posted – 10/12/2007 11:33:39 AM | show profile Wineaux, I wouldn't call, because it could reflect poorly on you. I would just show up prepared to meet with a group. I can guarantee you won't be interviewed with the other two contenders. It just doesn't happen. Early stage possibly, but never a final interview. Good luck, Pam |
| wineaux | Posted – 10/12/2007 12:05:49 PM | show profile thanks Pam! I'm going to suck it up and see what happens. I've been on a few interviews this week, and although this job isn't the top contender (what I really want) it's a close second. I want to give it a chance, as it would be a great opportunity on many levels. |
| astrahook | Posted – 10/12/2007 2:26:33 PM | show profile Just because you've never had your clients do it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I had a group interview with 3 finalists and 5 hiring managers!! |
| foodlit | Posted – 10/12/2007 3:50:50 PM | show profile Astrahook, Obviously there are always exceptions, any idiot knows that. My point was simply to talk wineaux off the ledge! It's nervewracking enough to go into a group interview...terrifying if you think you're going to be there with the finalists. And I repeat, it almost NEVER happens. I've worked with HUNDREDS, maybe even thousands of clients by now, and have never seen. Does that mean it will NEVER happen? Of course not. Any idiot knows that. But it is highly unlikely. He/she has enough to worry about, why add to it by worrying about something that probably won't happen. :) Pam |
| astrahook | Posted – 10/12/2007 3:57:48 PM | show profile so that someone can prepare mentally for something that very likely will happen. |
| foodlit | Posted – 10/12/2007 4:01:11 PM | show profile You think it's very likely? Are you serious? I give up. So much for trying to help. |
| wineaux | Posted – 10/13/2007 11:24:25 AM | show profile Pam, I've really appreciated your advice, and everyone else's. I'm going to go to this interview prepared for both ends. I won't be surprised if there are the other candidates in the room, but will be extremely relieved if they are not. I feel better now than when I wrote the first post becuase of the great feedback I got here, so I thank all of you for helping me. I know our business is one that can be really harsh, so my skin just needs to thicken now that I am interviewing with some big hitters. I'd always worked for small non-profits and tiny mags/newspapers, so unless I want to continue being overworked and underpaid, I need to suck it up. |
