How to Survive a Panel Interview
A one-on-one job interview is stressful enough, add three to five people sitting across from you asking questions, and you have the worst nightmare for some people. Nobody knows how to have a good time, but after a little preparation and practice, you come across as a confident, great candidate despite the daunting format.
Why panel interviews are used
Often times, companies use panel interviews to gain a broader picture of you as a candidate. They need ratings from those working on the role you are about to interview and also from those working in that role. Some examples of who might be on the panel:
- Hiring manager
- Team or department leader (sometimes it can even be a VP or CEO)
- The teammate you would often work with
- Someone who can appreciate the technical skills required for this role
- Someone looking for a suitable culture (maybe another teammate or HR representative)
Depending on the company’s approach, they may ask panelists to ask you the same set of questions as other candidates, or they may let the group members decide the questions themselves. In any case, you should be prepared to answer a series of technical, skill, situation or behavior questions.
When faced with a number of people tasked with analyzing every word you say can be stressful, Hannah Morgan, job search strategist and founder of CareerSherpa.net , focuses on a common goal between you and the panelists:
As with any job interview, you should use that time and access to people who have an insider’s perspective to figure out if you’ll be successful there.
Treat your panel like a professional
Ask your HR employee in advance who you will be interviewing and if these interviews will be individual or group interviews. This way, you won’t be surprised or confused when you walk in and see a group waiting to talk to you. If you’re looking to go the extra mile, search each person on LinkedIn or the company website to find out what their role is and how that might be relevant to the job you’re interviewing for. You will have a better understanding of who may be asking what types of questions, and also what kind of general connections you have with them.
During your interview, you might be tempted to focus on those who respond warmly to you or are enthusiastic about your answers, but Morgan mentions that you should focus on everyone in the room. Those who seem more detached or are not sure if you are the right fit are the ones you need to bring to your interview. As you answer one person’s questions, you can look other panelists in the eye to see how they are responding to your answer.
Taking notes during the interview can help you remember who said what or who you might want to talk to, but be sure to confirm this at the beginning of the interview with something like, “I hope you don’t mind if I take some notes.”
Pay attention to your body language during the interview, you do not want some group members to seem closed off by turning away from them or not looking at them while you speak.
Complete a good note
As with any job interview, you should try to end the conversation on a positive note by thanking everyone for the time, shaking their hand tightly, and smiling warmly. You can also put in the extra effort by sending an additional thank you letter. Morgan recommends either sending personalized notes to each panelist (don’t submit a form note, they can compare them) or a note to the hiring manager that mentions each panelist so the manager can share his thoughts as needed.