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I have a panel interview soon and was wondering if anyone had any tips and advice on how to do well at this type of interview. I've never had a panel interview before and am kind of intimidated by the thought of four people interviewing me at once (although I know it could be worse.)
Don't let them throw you. They likely will not be asking multiple questions at a time. Treat each of them as if they were the only person interviewing you...however, if you can overlap responses (such as refer to a response given to interviewer 1 while answering a question of interviewer 2) all the better.
One easy way not to be intimidated is to know that only one person is really the main decision maker and it usually is pretty easy to find out who (i.e. the supervisor or manager you'd likely directly report to).
So I have a mindset that I am really just interviewing with one person and he or she has a couple of advisors with them.
If you end up in an interview with a bad cop/good cop scenerio, where 1 or 2 interviewers have aggressive questions or say negative things about your background, you should know the main decision maker may not have those same concerns and just want to know how you handle the situation (i.e. defensive or blame others-bad; retrospective, how you learned, or how you will overcome the objection-good).
When you walk into a panel are you supposed to shake everyone's hands? I couldn't find anything about that when I googled panel interviews. Some advice said wait to sit until they tell you to.
When you walk into a panel are you supposed to shake everyone's hands? I couldn't find anything about that when I googled panel interviews. Some advice said wait to sit until they tell you to.
Yes, you go over and shake their hands, unless they direct you to the seat first.
Make solid eye contact with everyone on the panel when answering questions (not just the person who asked). As someone else said, suss out who the main decision-maker is.
Answer one question at a time.
Don't get flustered.
Make solid eye contact with everyone on the panel when answering questions (not just the person who asked). As someone else said, suss out who the main decision-maker is.
Answer one question at a time.
Don't get flustered.
Very good point. Look around at everyone when answering the questions. Treat it almost like a press conference and their reporters. That might help relax you, they're interested in what you have to say.
I really believe a panel interview beats going around and talking to 3 or 4 people with one on one interviews.
Many times you will say something that one person in the group will miss but someone else will get(this is a good thing), vs. having to have individuals rule you out.
Yes, you go over and shake their hands, unless they direct you to the seat first.
And if you are seated in the room before they come in, stand up when you shake their hands.
Also, if they hand you business cards, lie them out on the table in front of you so they line up with how they are seated across from you. That can help you remember their names and positions.
Thanks everyone for your responses and advice. I had my interview earlier today and I think I psyched myself out a little, but overall it went okay. If I don't get this job and I need to keep interviewing, I think I will have to work on upping my professionalism. Sometimes it can be easy to let it slip during an interview.
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