Learn Interview Tips

These days companies are always introducing newer interview modules as they attempt to find newer ways to find chinks in the amour of the candidates thus giving them more reasons to disqualify that particular candidate. Companies are going in for a different set of interviews that would enable them to judge interviewees on the basis of skills and expertise for that particular job vacancy. Group panel interviews in another of the frequently used interview structures used by organizations to judge interviewees.

GROUP INTERVIEW – The group interview is an interview where a batch of interviewees are interviewed and/or observed by a select panel of interviewers. A group interview usually takes place when there is a walk in interview where a company is setting up a new facility like a BPO center or call center. The company needs fresher so they will usually give an advertisement in a local newspaper announcing a walk in interview. There are probably hundreds of candidates all looking for a job that reach the venue where the interview is going to be held. Then a group interview is held with the aim of taking in interested candidates while those who do not meet the minimum standards or find that they do not want such a job can leave.

Thereafter starts the actual interview process, group interview is carried out to see how different candidates who have not meet each other before talk and interact with the remaining candidates in that particular group. During the group interview candidates are given a simple response based questionnaire and they have to give responses. Here below are some tips that can be helpful when facing a group interview and also a basic guideline how your response must be when answering the questionnaire.

Firstly you must be able to understand whatever the discussion is going on during the group interview. Whatever topic is assigned you must have a positive opinion and contribute to the discussion in a healthy manner. This not a place to voice your dissatisfaction or voice your grievances of any nature, if you can influence the discussion in a positive and help give direction to the discussion then that would help your job prospects. Interviewers want to see how well you handle team work plus they judge you for your problem-solving skills.

During the course of the interview do not even initiate a discussion where you are trying to prove you are better any those in that group. Get along well with all candidates in that group and focus on giving your best.

PANEL INTERVIEW – This interview can be a little intimidating for some as an interview panel sits down to carry out the interview. The interviewers can be from the company that you have applied a job in or may be professional interviewers called upon specifically to conduct the interview.

Mostly interviewees are told that they would be called for a panel interview and some details like there would be more than one person in the interview are shared. However there is no obligation on the part of the company that they must share such information with the candidates. Once you are in the interview hall the panel of interviewers would fire questions at random to you. Questions can be related to the job, or they may be about your personal interest or why you left your last job.

Do not lose concentration, first make eye contact with the interviewer you would like to answer and begin your response. Do not make hurried answers, instead be calm and go about answering each question in manner that explains them well and to the point.

Surely both the group and panel interviews can be tough but then interviews are never designed to be easy. It all about companies trying to select the best person for that vacancy or job and if you think you are good for that job then all you need to do is prove and show that to them.