GMP   PEOPLESEARCH   RECRUITMENT   INTERVIEWS

Singapore - While group interviews may be less time-consuming compared to one-on-one interviews, this form of interviewing may be biased against introverted candidates.

Today, group interviews have become common practice in the fast moving consumer goods sector and in functions such as customer service, sales and marketing. It is also conducted by larger companies when they are looking to recruit large groups of people.

Companies adopt this recruitment methodology because it helps employers to better distinguish the leaders from the followers, team players and silos in the group, said Eve Lim (E. Lim), director of GMP Technologies. "Such traits in different candidates would impact the roles that employers are looking to fill."

According to Jaime Lim (J. Lim), consulting director of PeopleSearch, companies that conduct group interview are seen as open, competitive and performance driven.

However, E. Lim warned that while outgoing candidates would stand out more than introverted ones, they may not necessarily suit the role or organisation. Similarly, she said candidates with potential may be overshadowed by the more extroverted candidates. A group interview can also create a competitive atmosphere which may make some candidates uncomfortable.

Hence, interviewers need to be clear on their recruitment objectives and hiring criteria when conducting group interviews and refrain from creating an environment that would unjustly pit candidates against each other.

"The amount and accuracy of information gathered is dependent on the perception of a person," said E. Lim. "In this regard, interviewers should maintain an objective view of all candidates as far as possible to ensure a fair interview process."

To avoid such inconsistency, J. Lim added that a company's evaluation methods must be well established and understood by the interviewer. "Some companies may record the interview session so they can recap the moments and shortlist candidates for discussion," she said.

 

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