Face-to-face group interviews

Group interviews assess multiple candidates simultaneously, evaluating their ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and demonstrate leadership in a collective setting. This method is particularly suited for roles that require frequent teamwork or significant customer interaction, providing a unique insight into each candidate’s interpersonal skills.

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Benefits and considerations of group interviews

Benefits

Efficiency: Group interviews save time by evaluating multiple candidates at once, streamlining the hiring process compared to individual interviews.
Team dynamics evaluation: Offers a real-time insight into each candidate’s ability to work within a team, crucial for teamwork-intensive positions.
Fairness and objectivity: Ensures all candidates receive the same information and are assessed under identical conditions, promoting equity in the recruitment process.

Considerations and solutions

Intimidation and dominance: The competitive nature of group interviews can make quieter candidates feel overshadowed by more dominant personalities.
- Solution: Facilitate a balance by assigning individual tasks within the group setting, ensuring everyone has an opportunity to contribute.
Individual assessment challenges: Evaluating individual contributions in a group context can be difficult.
- Solution: Incorporate both group activities and individual evaluations to assess candidates’ unique strengths.

What face-to-face group interviews are suited for

Attributes showcased: This method focuses on assessing teamwork and collaboration, along with adaptability and resilience in a dynamic environment. It showcases a candidate’s ability to contribute effectively to group settings.
Roles and industries: Suited to roles like customer service representatives and team leaders and aligns with industries such as hospitality and retail where collaboration is key.

Example: In the retail industry, a global brand might conduct a group interview for customer service representatives. Candidates are asked to participate in a role-play scenario where they must resolve customer issues collaboratively. This setting reveals their ability to listen, negotiate, and maintain composure under pressure while working as part of a team.

Conducting neuro-inclusive face-to-face group interviews

Face-to-face group interviews allow employers to assess multiple candidates simultaneously, focusing on teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. By implementing neuro-inclusive practices, employers can create a fairer and more accessible recruitment process, ensuring all candidates have the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.

Pre-interview preparation

Group interviews can be overwhelming for candidates due to their dynamic and unpredictable nature. The presence of multiple participants, fast-paced discussions, and unclear expectations can heighten anxiety.

Neuro-inclusive strategies

Neurodivergent awareness training: Ensure all facilitators and observers understand common neurodivergent characteristics and how they may present in a group setting.
Detailed interview information: Provide candidates with a clear outline of the group interview process, including:
- The schedule, including start and end times.
- The number of participants and facilitators.
- The activities involved (e.g., group discussions, role-plays, or problem-solving tasks).
- Access details (e.g., location, parking, public transport).
- Sensory details, such as room layout and lighting.
- Names and roles of facilitators
- Contact details of a dedicated support person from the organising to answer any questions or queries.
- Visual aids, like photos of the venue and facilitators, can help reduce anxiety.
Accommodations and adjustments: Encourage candidates to request specific accommodations, such as:
- Additional processing time for responses.
- Seating preferences to minimise sensory distractions.
- The use of sensory items.
Allow a support person: Clearly communicate that candidates may bring a support person, a job coach or support items to assist with understanding questions, managing stress, and providing feedback.
Support options: Allow candidates to bring a support person or job coach if they need assistance navigating the group setting.

Preparing the interview environment

Group settings can amplify sensory distractions, such as overlapping conversations, bright lighting, and room layout, which may make it difficult for candidates to focus or participate.

Neuro-inclusive strategies

Sensory-friendly settings:
- Minimise background noise by avoiding locations with loud machinery or chatter.
- Arrange seating in a semi-circle or U-shape to reduce feelings of being surrounded.
- Ensure consistent, non-flickering lighting and avoid strong smells like perfumes or food.
Break spaces: Provide a quiet area where candidates can step away if they feel overwhelmed. Share information about this space during the pre-interview communication.
Structured activities: Plan activities that allow for both group interaction and individual contributions, such as breakout tasks or turn-based discussions.

During the interview

Group interviews often require candidates to respond quickly, manage social cues, and adapt to group dynamics. Strategies can be utilised to ensure that participants are supported to achieve to their potential.

Neuro-inclusive strategies

Welcome preparation: Begin with a warm welcome, introducing facilitators and outlining the structure of the session to set clear expectations.
Name tags: Utilise name tags and uniforms to clearly identify facilitators.
Facilitated turn-taking: Ensure each candidate has the opportunity to speak without interruptions. Use a turn-based system or assign roles to maintain balance and avoid dominance by more extroverted participants.
Clear instructions: Clearly explain each task, providing written instructions alongside verbal explanations. For example, instead of saying, “Discuss how you’d solve this problem,” provide a step-by-step outline of what’s expected.
Direct language: Be mindful that some candidates might interpret phrases literally, like “grab a chair”, or “wait a second”. Use direct, literal language and avoid jargon to avoid confusion.
Flexibility in participation: Allow candidates to contribute in different ways, such as through written notes or smaller breakout groups, to accommodate diverse communication styles.
Focus on role-relevant skills: Assess candidates based on their problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills rather than their ability to navigate group dynamics or assert themselves socially if these are not key attributes required for the role.

After the interview

The post-interview period can be challenging for anyone due to uncertainties about outcomes. For neurodivergent individuals, this phase can be particularly difficult, as expectations about what happens next may not be intuitively understood. Employers can support neurodivergent candidates by being explicit and direct about the next steps. Providing clear information about timelines, outcomes, and expectations can alleviate anxiety, while transparent communication and constructive feedback can foster growth and a positive candidate experience.

Neuro-inclusive strategies

Clear timeframes: Provide explicit timelines for when or if outcomes will be communicated, along with any expectations from the candidate during this period.
Transparent feedback: Provide specific feedback, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
Panel debrief: Conduct a structured review, using the interview checklist, among panel members to consolidate feedback and ensure alignment in evaluations.
Process evaluation: Collect feedback from candidates about their group interview experience to refine and improve future processes.

Example of a neuro-inclusive group interview

Scenario: A retail company is hiring customer service representatives. The interview includes a role-play activity where candidates must collaborate to resolve a customer issue.

Actions taken:

The candidates receive a detailed agenda beforehand, including the activities, facilitator names, and instructions.
Facilitators have name tags, and use clear, direct and literal language.
The interview takes place in a quiet room with natural lighting, with seats arranged in a semi-circle to promote inclusivity.
Each candidate is given a turn to contribute during the role-play, ensuring all voices are heard.
Breaks are scheduled halfway through the session to allow candidates to recharge.

These adjustments enable all candidates to showcase their skills in a fair and supportive environment. Facilitators gain valuable insights into each individual’s strengths without unintentionally disadvantaging neurodivergent participants.

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‘In an organisational setting, inclusion is seen as a means to improve performance and employee satisfaction. It improves employee loyalty, creative problem solving and teamwork.

“In my previous role I did not disclose this information because I was already having difficulties with colleagues. In my current role I have disclosed to team members I am comfortable with.”

Autism SA completed a National Survey in 2023, where 72 neurodivergent people were asked if they had disclosed during the recruitment process or in a workplace. 33% shared that they had not disclosed, 40% said that they had disclosed their diagnosis, while 26% partly disclosed.

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Face-to-face group interviews

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