How they work and how to get ready for a panel interview
Panel interviews are different from traditional one-on-one interviews because they let more than one person look at your skills and qualifications at the same time. Getting different points of view can help your potential employer decide if they want to hire you or not. get ready for a panel interview
In this article, we’ll talk about what a panel interview is, how it works, and what you can do to feel comfortable going into one.
What is a “group interview”?
In a panel interview, a group of people ask you questions and decide if you are the best person for the job. When the interviewers on a panel work well together, they can use each other’s strengths to ask the best and most thorough questions.
During a panel interview, you can also show how well you work with others in a group by talking to more than one person at once.
How companies pick people to serve on boards
People who are on the interview panel usually know a lot about the company and the job. There may also be people in the group who talk to you a lot.
For example, if you are applying for the job of assistant police chief, the panel may include the fire chief, the assistant city manager, and the police chief. Most likely, these people could ask you important questions about the job. They might also look at your personality to see if you would get along with the rest of the staff.
People from different backgrounds can also be on interview panels to make sure that a lot of people have a say in who gets hired. Each member can tell you something different about what you’ve done, what you’re good at, and who you are.
How does a panel interview work?
Companies often set up panel interviews when more than one person applies for the same job. When interviews are done in one day, the interviewers can still remember what each candidate said, which makes it easier for the panel to decide who to hire.
Most of the time, the interview panel is led by the person in charge of hiring. If the hiring manager wants, a recruiter or someone from HR can also lead the interview. Based on how you answer the first set of questions, the panelists can ask you more questions.
For instance, the person in charge of hiring might ask what skills you have that make you a good fit for a job as a senior computer engineer. You could say that you’ve worked in the computer industry for 10 years and have led several teams on hard projects.
A member of the panel could then ask you to talk more about one of these projects and how you led the team to finish it. How you answer this question shows the interviewer how you have dealt with problems in the past and how you might act at their company if you were hired.
When the panel leader asks the last question, the interview will be over. They may also tell you when you can expect their final decision on whether or not to hire you.
How to wrap up a group interview
Follow these steps to prepare for a panel interview.
1. Prepare for your interview.
Once you know who is on the panel, try to find out more about them online. If you don’t know who will be on the panel, you could ask your potential employer in a nice way to send you a list of the names.
You can look them up on a professional networking site to find out what they do and how long they’ve been working there. Knowing what they do for a living and what they are responsible for can help you think of things to say during the interview.
2. Greet every person on the panel.
Say something like “Hello” or “Nice to meet you” to each person on the panel at the start of the interview. Pay close attention to what each person says during the interview. This shows that you value what they have to say and care about what they have to say.
3. Talk to all the panelists.
You might make the best impression on the people who are most likely to hire you if you talk to each member of the panel. You can show that you’re interested by giving the same amount of energy and thought to each panelist’s question. At the end of the interview, thank each person by name to show that you appreciate their time and respect them.
4. Imagine the interview as a conversation
If you think of a panel interview as a group conversation instead of a question-and-answer session, it can help everyone feel more at ease and work together. You should talk about your strengths and what you like about the job during the interview.
Make sure you are also ready with some questions of your own. If you join in the conversation, it may be easier for your interviewers to see you as a possible member of their group.
