employeeze

  In the last year, I’ve been interviewed by two organizations via the panel  interview. Most people, myself included, dislike (or dread, or hate in many cases) this interview style.  I don’t mind a 2:1 approach, but more than two people evaluating me feels too much like a power match (and putting the candidate in a “stress” situation is often the actual goal). And what I *really* don’t appreciate is not *knowing* I’m going into a panel interview ahead of time.

Although the intellectual preparation for a panel interview is no different than for a traditional 1:1, the *mental* aspect is much different. In my case, it may even affect  the decision of what I’m wearing and the type of note-taking tools I use.  There is a different dynamic  for me talking to one person than a group of people. My body language is different, and my concentration is both more and less focused.

That being said, what are some of the things you can do in a panel interview to make a better impression?

-Recognize that when you are in a panel interview, it actually levels the playing field for you as a candidate.  The interviewers are outside of their respective comfort zones as well, especially if most of them have offices containing personal momentos. It also means that they don’t have a computer screen in front of them, or a phone, which can be distracting and break the flow of your conversation with them. Keep your poise and try not to fidget.

-If you know in advance that you will be interviewed by several people, ask the recruiter or recruiting/HR assistant how much time will be allotted for you to ask questions, and whether it is built into the interviews as a dialogue or “them first, me second” agenda. If at all possible, try to engage in a dialogue, where you have the opportunity to gain some authority and show your understanding of the myriad questions being thrown at you.

-Make sure that during your interviews you main eye contact with the person asking the question; don’t let your eye wander all over the room.

-Take notes when you first sit down and each member of the panel is introduced. Get name and title if you can; don’t be afraid or nervous to ask then to repeat the information while you are writing.  The first panel I had in the last year was with four people, and it was pretty easy to figure out who was who. The second involved eight people and they were introduced so fast that I only got about half of them, and had to try and figure out what department and function they represented based on the context  of their questions.

-DO take notes. Listen to what the questions are, what they repeat in different ways, and try to determine if there is a pattern or theme to the sorts of questions they are asking. From my eight-person interview,  I got a lot of questions about “finding” talent, and what methodology did I use to identify the competition. This led me to believe that their previous recruiter was reactive rather than proactive, which was later confirmed when I had my follow up interview with the director of HR.

-If you are offered cup of water or some other beverage, take it.  A lot of interview etiquette guides counsel against accepting beverages, but in a panel interview, you may need it.

 Above all, don’t let this type of interview truly stress you out. Stay as calm and collected as possible. 

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