Hunger Games: The Job Interview

December 10, 2016 3:21 AM

I've been invited to a job interview which will include a 45 minute group interview with two other candidates. I've never done this kind of interview before, and I want to know how I can come out ahead. Do you have any advice?

I'm not sure I'm totally qualified for this job. I'm also not sure I even want it, but I really like to take advantage of interviews. I find them challenging and I try to use them to prepare for interviews I'll have in the future that I might really want to nail. This interview sounds especially challenging, because I've never done this debate contest Thunderdome thing before. What should I do to distinguish myself in this situation? The job is in technology management at a smallish creative company.

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (10 answers total)

From Ask A Manager, my first stop for all interview-related questions:

Q: Several days after submitting a job application, I received this response: “We will be conducting a group interview for the [title] position on [date and time]. Kindly confirm your attendance via email.”

This is a professional job requiring a specialized master’s degree and 4+ years of experience, so the invitation strikes me as slightly insane. I haven’t attended a group interview in years, and definitely not after getting my master’s. Is it normal to conduct group interviews for these types of positions? What does this say about the organization?

A: That they suck at hiring and don’t mind putting candidates in demeaning positions. No, group interviews are not normal for professional positions, nor are they sound practice. (I’m assuming this is an interview of you and a group of other candidates, not a panel interview where you’re meeting with a group of interviewers. The latter isn’t weird; the former is. This sounds like the former.)
posted by Sweetie Darling at 4:34 AM on December 10, 2016 [10 favorites]

I've never heard of such a thing, and I've been in the business for years. But FWIW, here's my advice: Most companies have either a statement of values or unwritten rules regarding how they want people to interact, collaborate, etc. The way to nail this sort of unconventional interview is to exemplify those values. So, for example, if they emphasize collaboration and teamwork, you would listen carefully and attentively to the other interviewees when they speak, then riff off what they said after first complimenting their comments. If it's a dog-eat-dog atmosphere, which would certainly be suggested by their choice of an interview format, then making sure that you are heard even if it means speaking over a co-interviewee would be the way to go.
posted by DrGail at 5:55 AM on December 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

I worked in hiring for a long time and I've never heard of anything like this. On its face I don't understand how it could possibly work in terms of candidate confidentiality. Could you maybe give us a few more details - did they give you any explanation as to why they're doing it this way? Might be able to get more applicable advice.
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:23 AM on December 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

I am a hiring manager at a smallish company - a bit more tech/dev than creative, but similar hiring needs. It would never cross my mind to do this. I wouldn't do this if I needed 3 fry cooks and had 5 candidates, much less on a professional/creative staff position. If this kind of asshattery ever tempted me, I'd like to think that sooner or later I'd remember that industries tend to be small, small worlds, and that I didn't want to be known throughout said industry as "that agency..."

Honestly, my way of differentiating myself would be to tell them to drop me from consideration, but if you want to participate, I think I would just go in with a straight-up belief that you aren't going to get and don't want the job and are there to learn about the industry and gain a war story for yourself. I'd probably be paying attention to the 2 other candidates for signs they might be feeling the same way. You might gain some allies in your industry and/or job search down the road. Even if one or both are dismissive of you and seem to be trying to do you down, I'd be nonchalant and stay on the high road.

My '80s rom-com movie script for this would be that the 3 of you go through the charade, click with each other as colleagues, and form a rival business that puts the interviewing company out of business, but that may or may not be realistic...
posted by randomkeystrike at 6:59 AM on December 10, 2016 [16 favorites]

I agree with randomkeystrike. The opportunity for value here seems to lie with the other candidates rather than the company.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:03 AM on December 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

I had to conduct group interviews for our grad program (it was a terrible idea and we dropped it like a stone after that year).

One applicant stood out because he totally dominated conversation and used up 90% of the time. Don't be him. Don't spar with him if you're paired with him, either.

Answer questions concisely but thoroughly (don't be the person who needs an answer dragged out of them, that won't happen here), acknowledge the other person and act like you're having coffee with two colleagues, and you'll be fine.
posted by Dashy at 7:24 AM on December 10, 2016 [3 favorites]

The only places I've encountered that did this were hedge funds, trading firms, and the like, where the Randian eat-what-you-kill, finance is a bloody jungle type culture prevailed. It was stupid. If this is still a place you're interested in for whatever reason (hey, sometimes the money's good), I would think about what they are hoping to see out of this process. What position are you interviewing for? What's the company's business model? What do they actually do all day, and where do they do it? Use whatever contacts you have + google for recon, then exhibit the behavior you think they want you to exhibit. It's usually pretty obvious what it is if they give you a competitive game or something.

This will almost certainly be a shitty place to work, but only you know if other considerations outweigh the likely shittiness.
posted by schadenfrau at 10:23 AM on December 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

Oh sorry, just read the last two sentences (no idea why I glazed over that before).

Um, this sounds more shitty now. Say what you want about Randian ruthlessness, at least it's an ethos. This sounds like bullshit "culture fit" garbage, and if you're not what they're already looking for, there might not be any way to win.

If you still want to go through with it, I'd do the whole "be the best version of your professional self" thing, and recognize that there isn't really a way to game something with no rules.
posted by schadenfrau at 10:27 AM on December 10, 2016

The one time I was in a group interview, the place turned out to be kind of culty and full of other red flags. It might be interesting to go for the experience, but it's not worth trying to "win."
posted by Metroid Baby at 10:29 AM on December 10, 2016

I get that it's a tough marketplace out there but any company that would put you in a position like this is not a company you or the other candidates want to work for.
posted by turbid dahlia at 6:40 PM on December 11, 2016 [1 favorite]