Hiring By Committee

Many of us have gone through those type of interviews that have not been our best, as well as our fair share that we knocked their socks off. The reasons that we have received about getting the job or not getting the job can be as long as Shaquille O’Neal’s arm. However that happens, the hardest type of interview to “hit it out of the ballpark” is what is called Hiring By Committee. Those companies that operate under the idiom of – it takes a company to hire one employee – ask those who come in for interviews to be interviewed by several of their trusted employees all at the same time.

Early in my career I had one such instance where, without any foreknowledge I was interviewed by a committee set up by the president of the company for the position being hired for. Although I felt that I did a good job, I also felt that if I had been able to prepare beforehand for answering these, “Tell me about yourself..” questions in front of 7 or more people I could have done better.

There is a certain strategy you would take when you are interviewed by one person verses when you are being interviews by a committee, and the following tips are things you can use if you run up against a company that has this Committee-Hire philosophy:

• Do our homework beforehand – Research the company you will be interviewing with to the fullest extent possible. You will be able to find a lot through their web site, any trade periodicals, press releases, and perhaps even “googling” their name online. Try to get the department heads, their mission statement, and if they have it somewhere, their philosophy of doing business. These will help you to be able to stay clear and even in some instances go towards their company’s hot buttons and would give you the edge in the interviewing process.

• Get the gauge of the participants – When involved in a group interview process you need to be able to size up each participant in the committee. Never assume anything, it just might turn out the most quiet one in the room is the ultimate decision maker. You can get a sense of the authority by observing whom your interviewers make eye contact with as they speak. Show equal respect to each participant and let your professionalism shine through. One tactic that has been found successful is to have a question for each as they are introducing themselves to you. Make it specific as possible to what they oversee, and make the question a genuine search to understand their position better.

• Can’t be shy, toot your own horn – have prepared and at the ready three or four characteristics of the position and what you possess, have had experience with or want to concentrate some of your efforts on. Be prepared to demonstrate examples from your experience during the session. That question of, “What do you feel is your strength…” and “What do you feel is your weakness…” is almost assuredly going to come up. Be ready for it.

• Expect the unexpected – Sometimes in a group setting someone will say something that supports or takes away from the point you want to bring across to the committee, be ready to clarify your position and to bring that someone and supporting their position. Add to their comments, but be aware that you do not deride or belittle the person for their opinion, remember equal respect for all.

• Show patience and grace in the pressure cooker – You need to be collected and quick to the response because usually there are more being interviewed for the position in the process. Just keep in mind a poorly phrased answer can do more damage than saying nothing at all. Try to anticipate the questions and have your answers for those at-the-ready.

• Assert yourself – If you have something meaningful to say and someone else is speaking, wait your turn. Make sure your voice is heard, but avoid dominating the conversation, it could be a turn off to those in the process.

• Play up your people skills – During a group interview, the decision maker may split the group into small teams and assign a hypothetical problem or case for each to ask those being interviewed about. In these situations, the groups asking those being interviewed are likely looking to see how the questions are answered and the approaches to clarify the circumstance of the question used by the interview-ee. How you tailor your answer to the right type of department head asking the question can be the determining factor on if you get the job or not. Be ready to have answers for those in IT and in Fulfillment, and Marketing Departments as well.

• Play up your professional experience – Especially if it’s extensive. Interviewers enjoy hearing examples of different aspects faced by a professional and how you tackled the problem, or resolved the concern, or saved money for the company you had worked for previously. Letting them know how expert you are in working with the day to day, as well with interacting with other staffers, managers, and employees gives them the glimpse you need to give for them to see you are the best person for the position they want to fill.

Preparing for a group interview is very similar to getting ready for a traditional one-on-one interview. The keys to succeeding is acknowledging there may be other applicants, but distinguishing yourself to the Hiring Committee as the candidate of choice. If you can do this in a professional and polished way, you may be chosen for a follow-up interview or the job itself.

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