You Don't Need to Fear the Panel!
For most jobseekers, a one-on-one job interview is stressful enough. When you start to add to that three to five other people all sitting across from you (or showing up on your zoom call) and firing questions your way, you have some people's worst nightmare. While it's not usually anyone's idea of a good time, with a little preparation and practice, you can come across as a confident, excellent candidate despite the intimidating format of a panel interview.
Why Use Panel Interviews Anyway?
Many times, when companies have panel interviews, they want to get a broad idea of who you are as a candidate. They often want to gain insights from not only the hiring manager, but also from those who are working above that role, as well as sometimes the others working in that role.
A panel could include:
While facing a row of people all tasked with analyzing your every word can be stressful, you should focus on the shared goal between you and the panelists. Making sure that this role is a fit for everyone involved. As with any interview, you should be using the time in the interview to figure out if this role would be successful for you or not.
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Tips for Handling the Panel
?The first thing you should do is make sure you know what kind of interview you are going to have. Ask your contact ahead of time who you'll be interviewing with and whether those interviews will be one-on-one or panel style. This way, you won't be surprised or thrown off when you walk in and see a group waiting to talk to you.
During the interview, it may be tempting to focus on those who are reacting to your responses warmly and are enthusiastic about your answers, however, you instead should focus your attention on everyone in the room. Those who are more distant may not be convinced you're a fit. These are the ones you need to win over during your interview. While answering one person's questions, try to make eye contact with others on the panel to gauge how they're responding to your answer.
Visium would also recommend that you take notes during the interview. These will be helpful for you to remember who said what or who to might want to follow up with. Make sure to acknowledge this at the start of the interview by saying something like, "I hope you don't mind if I take a few notes."
In addition, a panel interview means that you will have to pay additional attention to your body language during the interview. You don't want to seem closed off to some panel members because you're facing away from them or not looking at them while you speak.
Of course, the same advice that we give for typical 1 on 1 interviews is important to remember here as well. You want to make sure that you prepare before by looking at the company’s website and coming up with a few questions to ask during the interview.
While interviewing is always stressful, being involved in a panel interview doesn’t have to add additional stress. If you prepare well. Visium Resources can help you prepare for any situation that might arise during an interview. Take a look at our open opportunities today and let Visium guide you to your next career opportunity.