Reader's Question: I have been employed (private sector) by the same private employer for many years and I applied for a position at a university (public). The interview was all day and by the entire department (30 or so employees). It was an interrogation!
I understand that the university wanted everyone to feel part of the decision making, (shared blame if candidate doesn't work out, etc.) but why put a person through the gauntlet? Some may not like my skills or personality but I may not like theirs either.
What are the statistics about success in hiring regarding one-to-one interviews or one-to-many interviews?
My Response: Your group job interview does sound a bit like an interrogation. But, the answer may be as simple as the leader determined that everyone in the department needed a voice in determining whether their candidates fit the department's culture. Or, their group job interview process may red flag you that the position and department might not be a good fit for you. Think about it from both perspectives.
The goal of many interviews is to help the department members "own" the candidate and help the person succeed when he or she comes onboard. Approaches to interviewing depend on the organization's culture and what they are trying to accomplish. At my company, private sector, up to twenty people might interview a candidate in a first and second interview, but it depends on the position.
The last time I was interviewed for a university position, fourteen people met with me around a conference room table for hours. This was a stressful group job interview.
The only stats I have seen on an interview's contribution to a successful hire are in this article about selecting and hiring employees, but it depends on what they were trying to accomplish with their interviews. Also, approaches to candidates often evolve over time based on what organizations have found successful in the past. Group job interviews may have produced their most successful employees.
In reality, at the end of the group job interviews, and you can assume in the public sector that all candidates faced a similar grilling, someone was hired. Or, the position was unfilled or any of a number of outcomes occurred. But, you are a more competent interviewee and you have earned bragging rights forever about the day you faced the interview squad of 30.
Please respond in comments if you have additional thoughts for this reader.
Image Copyright Jacob Wackerhausen
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