Hello, my name is Richard McMunn from the interview training company, PassMyInterview.com,
and in this tutorial, I am going to teach you how to pass a group interview. In particular,
I am going to give you my four Cs for passing any group interview whatsoever! So, it does
not matter which company or organization you have your group interview with, please do
watch this tutorial from beginning to end, because it is going to make a massive difference
to your preparation and more importantly, your performance at the group interview! Now,
before I get into the tutorial, a very warm welcome. My name is Richard McMunn. That's
me in the center, the bald chap. I've been helping people for about 20 years now to pass
their interviews, and I do that by giving you top scoring tips. And I will do exactly
that during this tutorial. I've got some really good, solid insider information to give you.
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So, here's my promise to you. What will you get out of this group interview tutorial?
Well, I'm going to give you in-depth knowledge of what a group interview is and how you will
be assessed. And that's important to understand so there are no surprises when you go to your
group interview. You turn up and you are fully, fully prepared. Second thing, I'm going to
give you my 4 C's - and I'll go through each of those in detail for passing ANY group interview.
I will also give you suggestions of what to say during the group interview to score highly.
Okay. And a lot of this stuff is not what you would imagine it to be. You are not competing
against the other candidates. But I'll tell you exactly what to say and do to make sure
you stand out. You will also get my 11 DO's and DON’Ts of group interviews. Don't miss
that part. I will go through 11 things that you really need to do, and also not do, during
your group interview. And then also, I will give you my GROUP INTERVIEW SCORING SHEET.
I'll go through it in detail and explain all of the things that hiring managers, employers
and recruiters look for from candidates like you during group interviews. So, we've got
a lot to go through! Make sure you have a pen and some paper with you and take notes
as I progress. The first thing we need to do is assess what is a group interview. So,
if you say I've got a group interview coming up, we need to understand what it is. And
if we understand what a group interview is, then you have more chance of passing. Basically,
a group interview is used by employers and hiring managers as a screening process to
assess what you are like in the company of other people. That's very important to understand.
What you are like in the company of others? So, are you rude to people? Do you interrupt
people? Now, those are things/indicators that would demonstrate to any employer that you
are not somebody they would want to employ. We have to be positive. We have to be friendly
and we have to include others in conversations during the group interview. They may also
assess how you work as part of a team. There may be, during some group interviews, some
kind of activity that you have to carry out. And then at the end of it, you would get asked
questions as a group. Also, it's used to assess how you interact and communicate with the
other interview attendees. We are going to cover that in detail during this tutorial.
That's very, very important. How you interact and also how you communicate. Now, a lot of
people think they have to do a lot of ‘talking’ during a group interview. That is not the
case. Yes, there are some things that I want you to say during your group interview, but
I also want you to LISTEN to other people very, very carefully. And on that basis, in
a group into, remember this: you are NOT competing against the other candidates. You are going
to use the other candidates to your advantage. So, what format could the group interview
take? Now, my advice is to go along to your group interview with an OPEN MIND. Okay. Be
prepared for any eventuality. But these are the most common formats during group interviews.
Take the first one: A group interview can be where the interviewer gives you a topic
or a subject of interest to discuss amongst the group. They may say… they may actually
ask you to come up with a subject or a topic of interest. They might say… “Okay, group,
I want you to talk about a subject of interest.” And then go… “right off you go.” And
then one of you has to come up with a suggestion to talk about. So you might say, and this
will be a good one… “Okay. I think I'd like to talk about climate change. You know,
my opinion on climate change is X, Y and Z.” So, have a subject in your mind to talk about.
It could be climate change and start off a conversation. The second thing, what format
will the group interview take could be: the form of some kind of role play activity. This
is usually in customer service group interviews or a group team assessment where you have
to work together to complete a task. Now, at the end of that task, you would then be
asked questions at the end about how you felt the team performed. Now, if they do ask you
questions as a group about how the team performed, make sure you are positive and constructive.
Talk about a couple of things. Talk about the team's strengths. Say… “these are
the things I think we did really well, and these are the things I think we can improve
on.” Don't say: “these were our strengths, but these are the things that we weren't very
good at.” Think about the language that you use. So say… “yeah, the team was really
good in these areas, but I think we could improve if we did this for next time.” And
that's a great way to demonstrate positivity within a team! Now, the third format for a
group interview is simply it can be a way for an interviewer just to ask you all COMMON
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS in front of each other. They might say… “Right, Richard, you start
off and you tell me why you want to work for our company?” Now, this is a great thing
for an interviewer because it saves them time and resources, but it also, more importantly,
gives the interview or the option to see how you interact and communicate when there are
other people around. So, I'll tell you where you can get answers to the 21 common interview
questions that are asked during group interviews in a second. But those are the three formats.
I think it's very important you go along with an OPEN MIND to your group interview. Let's
now move on to how do you prepare for a group interview? So, you go along, you want to pass.
I understand that. And I'm here to help you. How do we prepare? Well, we prepare by following
my 4 Cs for passing a group interview. I want to go into each of these in detail, because
they are all significant and they all tie in to the marking sheet, which I am going
to show you at some stage during this video. Number one, the first C is CONDUCT YOURSELF
PROFESSIONALLY at all times. Now, you might say to me… “Well, Richard, of course I'm
going to conduct myself professionally!” But let me give you some tips before you go.
Make sure you're going to wear a smart and formal outfit to the group interview. If you
look the part, it shows you take the process seriously. Some people won't make much of
an effort, but you have to. It's really important. That doesn't mean that you go out and buy
an expensive suit. Far from it. You know, I have a suit which cost me about £15 from
Marks and Spencer, but it looks really good! It looks really smart. If you can't afford
one, then borrow a suit from somebody. Now, when you arrive at the interview location,
make sure you stand tall, smile and be confident, but not arrogant, and then greet the reception
staff positively. Say to them… “Hi, my name's Richard and I'm here for the group
interview.” And they might say… “Thank you. Sit down over there and wait to be called.”
Now, I've had it before where I've interviewed people as part of a group interview. I've
not been that sure about them. There was something that concerned me and I would go and speak
to the reception staff and say… “You know that gentleman that came? What was he like
when he walked in to the building?” So remember, the interview starts when you walk through
the interview location. Shake the hand of the other interview candidates when you are
in the interview room and introduce yourself. Be professional and friendly. And remember,
the other candidates are not your enemy. Okay. That's a good thing. So, that's a bit of a
relief that you are not competing against them. Think about your own performance. Be
positive. Be friendly and polite at all times. Very, very important. What about a firm handshake?
Now, a lot of people struggle with a firm handshake. And I'm not talking about the kind
of handshake, if you've had it before where somebody shakes your hand and they nearly
break it!! I'm not talking about that, but a firm grasp, a firm handshake, says a lot
about you. And also when you shake somebodies hand, keep it firm, but also look them in
the eye and smile and say… “Hi, my name's Richard.” I know your name isn't Richard,
by the way, but say… “Hi. My name's Rebecca. Pleased to meet you.” It says a lot about
you. So when you shake the hand of the other candidates, do that. But also, when you introduce
yourself to the interviewer, I’d do that as well, too. The second C is to CONTRIBUTE
CONFIDENTLY during the group interview. Make sure you are confident in your communication.
Be confident in your abilities, but not aggressive. And do not steal the limelight from somebody
else at any time. Do not do that. Okay. Be the first to answer a question if one is put
to the group by the interviewer. Or if they say… “Alright, I'd like you to speak about
this subject and discuss it amongst yourselves.” Be the first person to talk about one thing,
but don't go all out to start every conversation. You just start one thing. What we need to
do, but remember, I'm going to come onto this in a second is that you have to LISTEN to
other people when they are speaking. So remember, you have to stand out during the group interview
or the interviewer won't remember you. Make sure you TAKE THE LEAD at some stage during
the group interview and that might be through being the first person to start off a conversation.
Being the first to answer one of the interview questions and look to involve other people
in the conversation. And I will tell you what to say in order to trigger that in a second.
It's a great way to get extra marks because it's on the marking sheet. Acknowledge someone's
viewpoint. If somebody speaks then say: “Yeah, that's a good point of view. You know, I agree
with you on that.” or “That's a good point of view. This is my opinion.” So, number
three, the third C is to COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY. Communicating effectively means what you say
and how you say it. But you should also LISTEN more than you speak. Take a note of that…
it’s really important. Listen to others and show that you are listening and you can
gain easy points for listening intently. Reaffirm what someone has said during the interview.
And this is such an easy way to show you are a brilliant communicator and a team worker.
So let's say we've got, you know, this lady here on the right has been asked to stand
up and talk. This gentleman here on the left wants to say something. So he just says…
“Well, that's a really valid point you've just made. Does everyone else agree with Mary's
view on this subject?” And if you can remember people's names, that is another great skill
to have! So, we say that's a really valid point you just made. Does everyone else agree
with Mary's view on this subject? You are facilitating the involvement of other people.
Now, I've got another really great one to cover in a couple of seconds that will help
you to gain really high marks. I don't think anybody else will do this. So do stick around.
So, what he has just said, that gentleman, is it demonstrates that he has the ability
to accept other people's view, but also it demonstrates that he wants to INCLUDE OTHERS
in the conversation. That’s a really good thing. Include other people: have that at
the top of your list. You're going to start a conversation. You're going to be the first
to respond to at least one thing, but then you're going to include other people during
the group interview. So, here's a few ways to communicate effectively during your group
interview. Number one, acknowledge someone's contribution to this, to the discussion. So
you can say this: “Yes, I agree with you. That's a valid point and something I'd actually
considered myself recently. Does anyone have a different opinion on the subject?” Pause
the video, write that down and practice it and remember to say something like that during
the group interview. The second thing is you might disagree with someone. So if somebody’s
saying something and they contribute, you don't agree with it. It's okay to disagree.
You could say… “Yes, I totally respect your viewpoint, but I don't necessarily agree.
I actually believe there's a better way of doing things.” And then explain what it
is. Don't just say I don't agree with you. Be respectful. “Yes, I respect your viewpoint,
but I don't necessarily agree. I actually think there’s a better way of doing it.”
And then give your opinion. That is absolutely fine to do it, but always be respectful. Number
three, ask them to clarify what they are saying. You could say. “Could you just expand on
what you are saying there for me, please?” It's an interesting viewpoint you've got and
I'd be keen to hear more.” That will get you marks, OK. If you include… because you're
asking somebody and communicating effectively, you are listening intently and then you are
asking them to expand on their subject matter. Now, this is the fourth C, which is a really
good one, and I can guarantee pretty much nobody else will do it. But you are going
to, and you will get marks for this. And that is CHAMPION OTHER PEOPLE to get involved.
So this is the #1 BEST WAY during group interviews to score highly. And it shows that you are
a highly employable person because you care about other people and you want to involve
them. If you notice somebody within the group either too shy to get involved, or if they
have not yet had the opportunity to contribute, say this to them. “I notice you have not
had the opportunity to say anything yet, Sarah. What's your opinion?” So, if everybody else
is talking and again, I can pretty much guarantee there will be at least one person in the group
who is trying to dominate the conversation. And I will tell you how to tackle those people
in a second. But if some part, somebody is shy and they're not getting involved or they're
trying to say something, then they can't get in. And you're a confident person. You could
say: “Oh, can I just say something? I've noticed you've not had a chance to interact
yet. Would you would you like to say something?” And that will get you high marks. It's a brilliant
thing to say. I used to do that before. I remember going along to a group interview
many, many years ago and there was somebody there… It was a young lad who was sat there
who kept trying to say something and he couldn't. And I said… “Let's let him talk.” You
know, it's a really good thing. It's a great thing because it shows you care and you are
involving others, which is all about teamwork. So just to quickly recap, I'm going to come
on to the marking sheet in a second. And the 4 Cs, for passing your group interview: CONDUCT
YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY at all times. CONTRIBUTE CONFIDENTLY, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY and CHAMPION
OTHERS to get involved. Those are the 4 Cs you might want to revisit. All of these, in
fact, I would suggest that when we get to the end, you go back and watch this video
again. Okay. The 11 DO'S AND DON'TS! So we're going to go through those 11 DO'S AND DON'TS,
and then I'm going to cover the marking sheet. Don't forget, if you're enjoying this. I hope
you are. Please give it a LIKE and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE. Thank you very much. Okay, here
we go. Number 1 - Do arrive early at the interview venue and introduce yourself to the interviewer
and the other candidates. If you arrive early, it shows you are keen. It shows you are enthusiastic
to work and above all, it demonstrates you have the core quality of being PUNCTUAL. I
would get there about half an hour before. That's what I would do. I'd get to the venue
well early. I really would do. Number two of the DOs. The interview starts as soon as
you walk through the reception of the interview location. Don't forget that. So be confident,
not arrogant. When you walk in, stand tall and smile. Be nice to everybody, including
the reception staff. I’ve already covered why that is important. Another Do! Do wear
a smart formal outfit, clean your shoes and make an effort to impress. As I say, you don't
have to wear anything expensive. I would just be conservative in regard to the colors that
I wear, but I would look smart because it shows you’re professional. Again, if you
show you've made an effort, it demonstrates you are serious about the job and you are
highly employable. Number four, this is a don't. Don't mess around at the interview
or try and crack jokes and try to make people laugh. That's not the purpose of a group interview.
You can be cheery and friendly, but don't sit there and start telling jokes. Now, although
you should smile and be positive, remember, it is still a serious interview or application
process that you are going through, and you are being assessed all the time. Number five,
DO NOT view the other candidates as your competition. They are not. And hopefully I've been getting
that across during this tutorial. Remember important skills such as communication, collaboration
and teamwork are all being assessed at the group interview. So, there you are not working
against people, and I can pretty much guarantee that there will be some candidates there who
view you as their competition. Just let them carry on. Just be yourself and involve other
people and you will outscore them. I promise you that. Now, whenever you shake anyone's
hand, give a firm handshake and look them positively in the eye and say… “Hi, I'm
Richard. Pleased to meet you.” Or, if your name is not Richard. Don't say that! Number
seven, don't sit in the background out of the way and hope to just get through the group
interview process. That's not the way to do it. You have to stand out in one or more of
the ways I've covered in this video. But the good thing is, you don't have to be the one
whose, you know, you're not trying to be the standout candidate by being the first to everything.
That's not the point of this. Being a team worker and caring about others is involving
them and also listening to them as well. So whenever people are speaking during the group
interview, show you are listening by nodding your head and demonstrating you are paying
attention, you know, when somebody else is talking. Don't look down at the ground or
look away out the window, look at them and nod and show through facial expression that
you are listening to what they have to say. Subtle phrases such as: “Well, that's a
good point you just made.” That will help. Or you could say… “Yeah, okay. That's
a good point.” You know, just a couple of times, not too much that it looks exaggerated.
Number nine, do not dominate the conversation. Do not interrupt or speak over the other candidates.
Do not do that at all, because if you do, I can pretty much guarantee you won't be getting
hired. Now, what about if you are sat there and there are other people in the group interview
who are talking over others or interrupting? Do not look annoyed. Just remain calm. And
if they do it once… just leave them. Let them do that. But if it continues and it starts
to affect the group interview, you might decide to say. “I think we should let Michael talk
and let's listen to what he has to say.” So be positive. Or you could say something
like… “Would you mind. Can we just let Sarah finish, please? I'm really interested
in her opinion. Thank you.” You're being polite and you're also saying not can ‘YOU’
just let Sarah. You're talking about a group. So you're saying can ‘WE’ just let Sarah
finish? We’re really interested. Thank you. You're being polite, but you're saying “WE”,
which is important. You're talking about a group. You are not focusing on one person
deliberately. You're talking about group. So take a note of that. Number 10: do practice
an icebreaker and an introduction before you attend the group interview. I'm going to give
you an example in a second of an introduction, because there is a possibility, a distinct
possibility, that the interviewer will say… “OK, before we get into the group interview,
I'd like to go around the room and I would like everybody to introduce themselves.”
And most people will be like, oh, no, I don't know what to say, but I will tell you something
to say. A couple of lines in a second. Number 11: don't slouch in the chair when you sit
down. Sit upright. But not rigid. But don't fidget either. And always remember to concentrate
on what's going on. Don't just be looking to think I need to say something here. I need
to contribute. And then what? You've contributed. Look away. Wait. You are working to pass your
group interview when you are being quiet. Don't forget, you can score lots of marks
during your group interview when you are not talking and you will notice the interview
or the assessor, when somebody is talking, they will be looking around the room at everybody,
including yourself, OK. So don't forget to show EFFECTIVE LISTENING SKILLS. OK. What
about that icebreaker? I've got to come on to the marking sheet in a second. I keep going
on about that! But this group interview, icebreaker or introduction. So let's say this is the
facilitator and he says: “Let's go around the room. I'd like everybody to introduce
themselves.” Here is what I would say. “Hi, everybody. I'm Richard and I've been working
in this industry for over 10 years now. I am passionate, enthusiastic, I love working
with other people to achieve challenging targets. And I'm really looking forward to getting
to know everybody here today, and also more about the company as the group interview progresses
and it develops today.” Something like that. So take a note of that. Write it down and
just practice it a few times. So you've got something to say. Don't do any more than that.
And, you know, don't dominate proceedings. Just say that. Introduce yourself. But when
you are giving your icebreaker your introduction, don't look at the interviewer… look at everybody
in the room. “Hi, everybody.” And then look around the room and also look at the
interviewer as well. And that is a good way to demonstrate that you involve everybody
else during the process. What about this interview SCORING SHEET that I've gone out on about?
Now, this is a real common group interview scoring sheet. OK. Let's take a look at it
now: Across the top here. We've got five, four, three, two, one. That is sometimes marked
between 10 and 1. But the paper says: five means that you are EXCELLENT in an accessible
area, 4 means that you are GOOD. 3 means that you’re AVERAGE. 2 means that you NEED IMPROVEMENT
and 1 means that you are POOR. These are the common group interview assessable areas. Firm
handshake and positive introductions. I’ve given you an introduction that you can practice.
Don't forget to look at everybody around the room when you are giving that introduction
and a firm handshake. Not too firm that you are breaking somebodies hand, but a solid
handshake and you look the person in the eye and smile: “Hi, I'm Richard. Pleased to
meet you.” Have a good ice breaker. A good introductory speech ready. Think about your
communication skills. Be clear, concise and relevant. Okay. Be yourself as well. Do you
involve other people during the group discussions? And have you LISTENED to what other people
have said? And you have to listen to what you're saying. This is how I can give you
an example of it. Do you remember when you had your driving test and you had to really
deliberately look in the mirror to show the driving instructor that you were looking in
the mirrors? Do you remember that? Well, that's the same with this, you know, a slight over
exaggeration of listening. You know, you want to show the interviewer that you are listening
to other people by how, you know, you and every now and again and you show facial expressions
when needed. Did you contribute? Did you answer any of the questions with confidence and clarity?
So don't forget, you don't have to be the one who is saying… “I'll start that conversation.”
No, not at all. You only have to start or lead once or twice at the most. You answered
all the questions correctly. I'll tell you where to get copies of the answers to the
questions in a second. You have positive body language. You didn't slouch or lose concentration.
And also you ended the interview positively and asked appropriate questions. So, let's
say you get to the end of the group interview. Everything's gone well. And then the interviewer
says… “Right, I just want to go around the room. And if you have any questions you
would like to ask me, please fire away.” And then you think: ‘Oh, no, what am I going
to say?’ So some people say, oh, I haven't really got any! But here are some good questions
to ask at the end of a group interview. Q1. Could you tell me about the future pans for
the company are? Sorry. That's a typo of what are the future ‘pans’… that should be
future ‘plans’ for the company over the next three to five years. I apologize about
that! Question number two. Do you have any new and exciting products or services coming
out soon? So that shows that you care about their products and services. Number three,
this is a really good one. Just out of interest, what's frustrated you in the past about people
who have held this position previously? And they might, they might say, oh, I don't really
want to say that, but they might go. One thing that you could do in the job that would really
help us is by doing X, Y, Z. That shows that you really care and you want to know what's
frustrated them in the past about people who've taken on this job, because that shows that
you don't want to make the same mistakes. So those are three questions you could ask
the end of a group interview. Now, I’ve literally run out of steam! I hope you've
enjoyed that. If you would like my 21 great answers to group interview questions, please
CLICK THE LINK in the top right hand corner or go through to my website, PassMyInterview.com.
I love creating these videos for you, genuinely. I hope you've enjoyed it! If you have any
questions, put them in the comments section below. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE and please
do hit the LIKE BUTTON: that always tells me that you are enjoying these videos. If
you don't enjoy them, there's no point in me doing them. So. Thank you very much and
I wish you all the best for passing your group interview. Have a brilliant day. Thank you!