Most job seekers are aware of the traditional interview format: a one-on-one conversation between you, the job candidate, and the employer. A panel interview, on the other hand, is a secondary type of job interview held by multiple interviewers at once.
While typically reserved for higher-level positions, panel interviews may also be used for efficiency’s sake—it’s a lot faster to have the hiring manager, the HR rep and the position’s direct supervisor all meet a job candidate at once rather than separately.
So how do you prep for a panel interview? Although the idea of getting interviewed by a group can be a lot more nerve-wracking than traditional one-on-one interviews, the key to passing to the next stage of recruitment is the same: preparation! Most of the same best practices apply: practice answers to common questions, have examples of previous work ready, and research the role and company.
If you take the time to prepare thoroughly, you'll be able to ace the panel interview just like you would any other. For our expert tips on preparing for a panel interview, continue reading!
Research your panel interviewers
Panel job interviews can be daunting, but you can prepare yourself to face a group of interviewers by doing some basic research.
Ask for the names of the panelists ahead of time so that you can study up on their roles and then tailor your responses accordingly. For example, if there’s a Marketing representative and a Sales representative on the interview panel, make sure your answers hit both a Marketing and Sales perspective and addresses what each person’s unique concerns would be. The idea is to speak to each panelist’s specialty.
Try learning the names of your interviewers. This can go a long way in establishing a connection and building rapport with the panellists!
Bring hard copies of your resume to the panel interview
Bringing enough hard copies of your resume is a subtle, non-flashy way to show your interviewers that you’re prepared. Before you sit down, offer each person a physical copy of your CV so they can reference it during the interview.
It’s also a good idea to bring a few extras in case there are any unexpected people sitting in on the interview.
This shows the panellists that you’re well organized and prepared for the panel interview. It can also help keep the discussion focused and efficient as panellists will have a structured document to refer to when asking questions and listening to your responses regarding work history, experience, skills and education.
Make eye contact in a panel interview
One of the most important things in a panel interview is to make eye contact with all of the panellists. Regardless of who is asking the question, where they are in the room or what they’re level of seniority is, make eye contact with everyone equally.
A good rule of thumb is to start your eye contact with the person who asked the question, then shift your gaze around the room to include everyone in the conversation, and finally come back to the person who asked the question. This will show that you're confident and engaged, and it will help put the panellists at ease.
Body language is equally as important as eye contact in a panel interview. Make sure you’re sitting upright and maintain good posture. Avoid slouching or bending over a pile of notes as this can make you seem underconfident or uninterested!
Prepare for virtual panel interviews
As much of the world of work has gone remote, it’s not uncommon to see virtual panel interviews. You should treat these just as you would treat in-person interviews. Here’s a quick checklist to run through before your video panel interview:
- Make sure your internet connection, computer, microphone, and webcam are working properly.
- Take the interview in a quiet, well-lit space.
- Remove any untidy distractions in the background of your video.
- Have your digital resume ready to send to panellists.
- Dress as you would for an in-person interview.
- Log on to the call a few minutes early.
- Have brief notes ready to reference when answering questions.
Bring water and a notepad to your panel interview
Even seasoned interviewees can feel a little nervous when they’re up against an interview panel. That’s why it’s key that you help yourself feel more at ease on the big day.
Take a bottle of water and a notepad with you to your panel interview. Taking the occasional sip of water will keep you hydrated and will even give you the opportunity to take small pauses throughout the line of questioning. These couple of seconds you need to regroup your thoughts can make a massive difference to the quality of your responses!
Jotting down notes can also give you a brief break to process a question or quickly rethink an answer. A notepad is essential in a panel interview, as you’ll be taking in a lot of information and writing down notes can help you remember what panellists say, structure your responses and come back to points later.
The bottom line on panel interviews
There’s no way around it, the best way to ace a panel interview is to prepare as much as possible beforehand. If you’re tight on time, focus your efforts on researching panellists and the company, printing hard copies of your resume and practicing eye contact and positive body language. Ask a friend or family member to give you feedback on some pre-prepared responses and try to keep your cool by treating it as just another job interview (but with extra people). Have faith in yourself, you’ve got this!
If you’re looking for more tips on passing interviews and landing your dream job, check out the Adecco Canada blog! Not sure where to find work? Head over to our job board where we post Canada’s best employment vacancies.