Imagine this scenario that you have been called for an interview, you reach the organization on time, and you are led to a conference room where there are five other candidates waiting. This My friend is a group interview. This style of interview is gaining fast popularity because it is in the interest of time of the employers, and they are able to interview a number of candidates in a short span of time. Group interviews can take you by surprise, and they may include a number of interviewers and a number of candidates as well. You may be asked to answer a number of typical interview questions that we will be sharing with you. But at the same time, you can expect a lot of problems and scenarios that will be shared with the group and you have to answer collectively and try to stand out amongst them in an appropriate manner.

What the employer is looking for is how you solve problems. How you demonstrate your skills in front of a crowd and how you interact with others. Your primary goal in a group interview is to secure yourself with a face to face interview So you have to work accordingly and try to stand out of the crowd in a positive manner. In this lecture, I will be sharing with you various tips that if you employ, you will be able to clear your group interview and secure a face to face interview with your potential employer. The first thing that I would urge everyone is that you should put on a poker face, because group interviews can catch anyone by surprise. So, you might be expecting that you'll have a solo interview or maybe a panel interview, and you end up sitting with five different candidates all competing for one position at the same time.

So in this case, try to be confident, don't overreact or be disappointed and try to make the best of things so that you can clear this test and move on to the next level. My second suggestion here would be that when you are waiting for the interview to start, I would suggest that you start making friends and start asking for the names of the candidates who are sitting next to you so that you can recall their names. Once you have the names, just write it down in a very small font on your resume or whatever piece of document that you have So that you can remember it. This will help you in the actual interview and I will tell you why. One common mistake that most candidates do when facing a group interview is that they try to isolate themselves from others. And while you are waiting for the interview to start, you will take out your notes and start going through those that is a mistake that you should not make.

Instead, try to engage yourself with the rest of the group try to get information of where they are coming from, if they have been working in any organization and try to inquire about their background in a very appropriate and a decent manner. I say this because it will give a very positive first impressions when the interviewers enter the room. At the same time, you never know maybe there is a camera installed, and they are observing your behavior before the interview actually starts. So try to use this time, this waiting time to your advantage. Don't start going through your notes. Instead, start engaging yourself with the rest of the candidates.

My next recommendation in this kind of an interview would be that you should try to involve everyone. When you are giving answers. Try to answer it As a representative, and that will automatically identify you as a potential leader. Now, I mentioned earlier that you should write down the names of the individuals or the candidates who are competing with you. That is important because if you start addressing the other candidates with their names, you will identify yourself as a facilitator, and someone who knows how to operate when they're other people around him or her. My next suggestion would be that you should be yourself when you're presenting yourself in front of a group of candidates who are also competing for that same position.

The thing is that it is very easy to go overboard and try to cut others opinion or maybe interrupting at a time when someone else is speaking. Try to avoid that. If an idea or a suggestion pops up in your mind. Just note it down and wait for the right time to say it. In these kinds of interviews. It is very easy for a candidate to become overly aggressive and that is something that will go against you and you will not be able to qualify for the next round.

Next up is that you should speak with purpose. Please do not say something just For the sake of saying, make sure that everything that you say has a purpose and whatever that you are saying will be remembered by the interviewers. The last point is that you should listen carefully. Now it is difficult when there are three or four different people talking at the same time, and it becomes a challenge to keep track of the overall conversation. So my suggestion would be that you should listen actively try to understand what each and every person is saying, wait for your turn to speak up and always know where the conversation is headed. In the end, I would like to tell you that you should use your body language in a way that you are able to identify yourself as someone unique amongst all other candidates, so that you are remembered and the interviewer are inclined towards giving you a solo interview call.

I would like to summarize this lecture by saying that group interviews are something that you will face one way or another and it is something that will always catch you off guard. But don't let this ticket to you. Instead, use this as an opportunity to portray your facilitation skills, your teamwork and Collaboration scales and try to convey your point of views in a positive manner. Something that I mentioned earlier in my previous lectures is that if you've done your research properly about that organization, you will automatically have a competitive advantage with all those candidates. So please always do your research. And this will help you tremendously when you're presenting yourself in a group