The Essential Job Interview Handbook by Jean Baur

Author:Jean Baur
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Career Press
Published: 2013-04-25T04:00:00+00:00

15

THE PANEL: ONE OF ME,

SO MANY OF YOU

Panel interviews can be a bit scary because it can feel like an inquisition. You have to focus on a number of people at once, and can be uncertain where to look or what to do when panel members give conflicting information.

Let’s look at why companies choose this type of interview and how you can best prepare for them. A panel interview does two major things: saves time (everyone is in the room together, which is efficient) and panel interviews allow the group to all have the same experience and to learn from each other’s questions as well as the candidate’s answers. Let’s say the lead interviewer has an aggressive style and shoots out questions in rapid fire. The others on the panel can observe how you respond, as well as how you answer the questions they ask. Some companies find this an easier way to gain a consensus—often right after you leave the room.

Tips for preparing for panel interviews:

As always, research the company and the particular department.

Find out what you can about the panel members (using Google, LinkedIn, and your network).

Think of this experience more like a presentation than an interview, and practice good, solid delivery skills as well as the content (accomplishment stories) for your probable answers (for tips on presentation skills, see Chapters 5 and 21).

If possible, prepare a bit of show and tell. It’s amazing how helpful it is to both you and the panel if you can hold up something you’ve created in the past, whether it’s a flow chart or a valve you helped design.

Use your MAP to stay on track and to help reduce nervousness and ask if it’s okay to take notes (this gives you a bit of breathing time and helps you remember who said what).

Remember: They wouldn’t have invited you in if you weren’t a strong candidate, so help them see how you can contribute to the department and company.

Probe for needs politely. You might use a phrase like, “If I understand you correctly, you need a manager who can do x, y, and z. Is that right?”

Use your eye contact strategically. This means look at every member of the panel—always when they’re talking—and one thought at a time when you’re answering. You may want to give more visual attention to the senior people in the room, but don’t let this cause you to ignore anyone. If you do, they won’t be voting to have you hired!

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