| Congratulations! Your persistence and well crafted | | | | determine how well the candidate will conduct himself |
| resume has opened the corporate doors for an initial | | | | or herself under a stressful environment. Unlike a |
| job interview with a representative from the Human | | | | standard interview, a group questioning forum can |
| Resources department. You have already performed | | | | engender a level of stress that reveals hidden |
| your research and due diligence on the company and | | | | characteristics and idiosyncrasies which may not |
| now prepared to allow your personality, confidence, | | | | emerge in a typical one-on-one setting (comparable to |
| and experience help you to impress your interviewer. | | | | Captain Queeg in the Herman Wouk novel - "The |
| After a highly positive and encouraging initial screening | | | | Caine Mutiny"). Employers are also interested and |
| process, you receive an invitation for a follow-up | | | | curious if you possess the requisite skills, disposition, |
| interview to meet several members of the company. | | | | and spirit to mesh and execute your responsibilities |
| You're jubilant and ecstatic over the exceptional news. | | | | with other team members under varying business |
| Your hard work and diligence is beginning to pay off! | | | | climates. |
| You now have the opportunity that you've been | | | | Getting Through a Panel Interview |
| preparing for; to inspire the interviewer with the innate | | | | It is difficult to build rapport with each member during a |
| skills, talent, and resourcefulness that will help make a | | | | panel interview; especially in a large conference room |
| successful company even more successful! It is your | | | | that is neither warm nor friendly. Consequently, |
| shining moment! | | | | introductions are vital to creating the right first |
| A Disarming Revelation | | | | impression. The following are a few helpful pointers to |
| You arrive in advance of your scheduled time, well | | | | help get you through a panel interview: |
| groomed, portfolio in-hand, ready to meet your | | | | Know Your Interviewers - Record the name of each |
| interviewer. After a few minutes, you are cordially | | | | panel member, their seating position, title, and area of |
| greeted by a company representative and | | | | responsibility (especially the most senior |
| subsequently escorted into a spacious corporate | | | | representative). |
| conference room. You are advised that you will be | | | | Your 'Elevator' Speech - Regardless of the type of |
| participating in a 'panel' interview with six or eight | | | | interview, always be prepared to provide a brief |
| employees representing several relevant | | | | synopsis of yourself to an interviewer. This includes |
| multi-disciplinary sectors from within the corporation. | | | | your experience, specific areas of expertise, key |
| As a candidate, you had no visibility that you were | | | | achievements, growth, and accolades. |
| entering an environment where you will be barraged | | | | Take Notes - Always be prepared to take notes, |
| and grilled by a myriad of employees with diverse | | | | recording key elements or comments to respond to |
| personalities and roles for your follow-up interview. | | | | later in the meeting if appropriate. It's also an excellent |
| Stunned, stressed, and intimidated, this is not the type | | | | 'delay' tactic should you elect to respond to a specific |
| of intimate one-on-one interview you expected. Your | | | | or tough question later in the interview. |
| choice is either to compose yourself and embrace the | | | | One Question at a Time - Remain calm, concentrate, |
| challenge at hand or, remain anxious and negatively | | | | and answer each question (one-at-a-time), from the |
| convey your stress and dazed emotional state to | | | | individual panel member in a thoroughly focused and |
| members of the team. The prudent and professional | | | | thoughtful manner; as though you were participating in |
| course is to adapt, gain control of the situation, and | | | | a 'one-on-one' interview. As such, you help maintain the |
| forge ahead with confidence. | | | | decorum for the interview. |
| Why a 'Panel' Interview? | | | | Maintain Eye Contact - Help establish a rapport with |
| Today's challenging economic climate demands a high | | | | the panel member asking you the question with solid |
| degree of agility, composure, and straightforward | | | | 'eye contact', and by referencing their name. Feel free |
| thinking at all levels. Corporate openings are thin, | | | | to momentarily glance at other members when |
| consequently, companies are far more discriminating | | | | responding, however, always return with full eye |
| today when screening and interviewing potential | | | | contact to the member asking the question. |
| candidates. Companies scrutinize, and place significant | | | | The 'Group Instinct' - Try not to let your guard down. |
| importance on the ability of an individual to effectively | | | | As a member of a group, interviewers tend to be |
| interface with other team members as a potential | | | | more direct and forthright. There's a natural curiosity to |
| trustworthy and professional colleague. | | | | uncover what kind of person you really are (beyond |
| Employers want to hire candidates who are positive, | | | | your expertise). Never get too personal about yourself |
| enthusiastic, strong communicators who inspire their | | | | and your shortcomings! |
| colleagues. Additionally, employers seek candidates | | | | Ask Relevant, Thoughtful Questions - Candidates are |
| who can effectively confront stressful situations (such | | | | often judged as much by the relevance and |
| as a panel interview) with self-confidence, poise, | | | | intelligence of their questions as by their responses to |
| exhibiting a well balance demeanor and level | | | | the various inquiries from the panel members. Your |
| temperament. Although the situation is somewhat | | | | questions should reflect the due diligence and research |
| disarming, if you were well prepared for the personal, | | | | which you have performed on the company. Try to |
| 'one-on-one' interview, you will rise to this new | | | | ask at least one introspective question for each panel |
| challenge. | | | | member. It's your turn to gain insight into the company |
| The Benefits for the Candidate | | | | and specific impressions from the panel. |
| Although weighted in the company's favor, the panel | | | | Closing the Panel Interview - Toward the end of the |
| interview is also of significant benefit for the | | | | interview, typically the most senior representative will |
| interviewee. Prior to all participants settling in, you have | | | | thank you for your time and for being so patient and |
| a unique opportunity to introduce yourself and be | | | | tolerant during a rather stressful session. At this |
| greeted by each of your future team members. | | | | moment, you should inquire to determine if there's any |
| Representing a cross section of selected departments | | | | additional information that the team requires. Scan |
| from within the company, you will gain insight into the | | | | each member for a response. If no further information |
| caliber, demeanor, and attributes of the employee the | | | | is required, express your gratitude for their time and |
| company recruits. | | | | for considering you for the position. |
| Intuitively, you also gain a first-hand assessment as to | | | | Don't' Forget a Follow-up 'Thank You' Note to each |
| how the team interacts with each other, and more | | | | team member. Do not send out a 'generic' note to |
| importantly, how you will fit into the team. During this | | | | each member. |
| introductory phase, you may even encounter one or | | | | In Summary |
| two 'coaches' on the team who may tactfully share | | | | Typically, a candidate is advised if a follow-up up |
| helpful and inspiring tips to place you at ease. Invariably, | | | | interview will be structured as a 'panel' session. |
| several participants may also have been subjected to | | | | Unfortunately, an HR representative, or your initial |
| a similar gauntlet. An added benefit for the candidate is | | | | interview contact, may not be aware of such |
| that a key decision maker is typically present. As such, | | | | circumstances until it's too late. Even if advised in |
| you have a platform to impress this individual with your | | | | advance, a candidate will never be at ease in an |
| research, expertise, and thoughtful questions. | | | | atmosphere where you are getting a barrage of |
| The Corporate Benefits | | | | questions from every direction. The fact is, a candidate |
| From a corporate perspective, time is a precious | | | | should never walk into an interview 'cold'. You've |
| commodity in a tough economic climate when staffing | | | | worked hard to reach this point. Regardless of the |
| is thin. Meeting concurrently with multiple staff | | | | change of circumstances and venue, always be |
| members (and potential colleagues), is a big time-saver | | | | prepared. There are very few members of the |
| for everybody. It is far more cost effective as | | | | interview team who would have escaped a |
| opposed to organizing multiple meetings and interview | | | | comparable event unscathed! According to prominent |
| visits. It's also easier to gain general consensus on a | | | | former Notre Dame and New York Jets football |
| candidate with one interview session as opposed to | | | | coach Lou Holtz, - "If you try to fight the course, it will |
| multiple individual sessions. | | | | beat you"! |
| The panel interview is an excellent litmus test to | | | | |