Are you extremely tensed to attend a peer interview shortly? There is no need to worry. This type of session has become increasingly important to get a complete idea of a candidate and his/her suitability to work in a team environment.
Peer interview questions are quite common like any other interrogative session by employers. These are asked from a team's point of view and not the senior management.
In this type of session, the new job applicant meets the employees of the organization one by one and interacts with each other. The co-worker interrogates the candidate to figure out his/her qualifications and then reports to the senior management.
The applicant may also clarify doubts about the organization, work culture, job description, etc. This process builds up a good relationship with the new employee and maintains it in the future too. The concept of interviewing and interacting with the team will help you to evaluate your potential colleagues and your team spirit.
You may refer to some sample questions below to use as a guideline for yourself.
This is a typical question almost asked in every interview. You have to know the details about the company in advance. Research well and collect every information possible from their website, blogs, social networking sites (if they have an account) and existing employees.
You have to be very positive while answering this question. Highlight the positive sides of your career and growth prospects. Also, highlight what you have learned from your past employers and how will you use them to enrich your knowledge and skills. Never give any negative reason/s for leaving a company, until it's worth mentioning.
Interviewers want to know about your involvement in daily work procedures. Consider the position you have applied for and the positions you have worked on in the past. Relate your past experience with the current position and build your answer accordingly. Don't mention about any past-time jobs and focus only on work.
"The first thing I do in the morning is to check my e-mails and respond to them. Then I start making a to-do-list for the day...."
You have to be very cautious while answering this. You must know the job description in detail. Try to focus your answer on the most interesting job and explain why. Try to justify your answer with the benefit you will receive in terms of knowledge and skill enhancement. Avoid giving examples of work which will not interest you. Twist your answer to indicate that all the work mentioned in the description has been fortunately of your choice and interest.
Try to include all the positive and accomplished jobs that you have been able to achieve successfully during your professional journey.
Peer interview is conducted to assess your potential in working in a team. You have to give a convincing answer with examples of team work from your past experiences. Rate yourself accordingly.
This will portray your abilities to handle pressure. Be positive and answer how will you manage the work set up in such a situation while prioritizing the job requests.
Never say that anything is a barrier in the way of your job, as it will show your limitations. This is an organized process of working which helps to finish a job on time.
"Deadlines should never be considered as a barrier. It is a path which prevents us from being casual and helps us to move towards a focus or aim in order to complete a job on time..."
Evaluate the skills you have to handle such a situation. Mention that your way of working involves a good strategy, wherein you decide a plan for these situations in advance with the boss. On major cases, you may take the approval of a more senior person (may be your boss's boss) to carry out the work responsibilities in his/her absence.
You have to be extremely tactful while answering this question. Give several examples and tell him/her how will you handle these types of situations.
"It depends on the situation and the particular manager...." - Elaborate with examples from the past.
The recruiter wants to know how are you different from others and can add value to the organization. Be very positive and persuasive. Connect the requirements and your unique abilities.
"With good experience gained in the industry, I can help the department to avoid certain mistakes we generally commit in this type of job. I can perform all the relevant jobs effectively that the organization is looking forward to..."
You must take the maximum benefit from the peer interview questions mentioned above. Remember that these may not be different from the usual process, but the way you deal with them is more important. Though the HR and the management takes the final decision, a peer's opinion is considered to be an important part of the selection process. So be positive and head on for the interactive session. All the best!