Panel interviews

Occasionally you will push open the door to discover two or more people waiting to interview you. Don’t panic! Here are our top tips for when you're facing several interviewers.

Panel interviews are actually fairer and sometimes easier than the normal one-to-one. If a solitary interviewer doesn’t take a shine to you, you’re sunk, but in a panel, that person could be overruled by others who did like you. Having several interviewers can make the experience more relaxed, as there is more opportunity for friendly chat.

The rules of engagement are similar to one-to-one interviews, and you should prepare just as you would for any interview. If you’re going to have a panel interview, you will usually be told ahead of time. It can be a more efficient process for the employer, as they just have to set up one interview, during which each person will ask you questions relevant to their area. It’s likely that you have never faced a panel interview before, so there are a few things you should consider before you enter the room.

Who will be on the panel? There may be a mixture of personnel specialists, technical experts and line managers. Listen carefully as they introduce themselves, because knowing who’s who can determine how you answer their questions. If you’d be working closely with one person, make eye-contact and try to establish a rapport with them.
Who should I look at? Direct your answer to the person who asked the question, but make sure to include the others with a few brief glances. This will also show that you have good meeting skills, which will be useful if the job involves client contact.
What do I do if one member of the panel looks bored? The bigger the panel, the greater the likelihood that its members will have different interests. Bear in mind that a technical question is not likely to interest a personnel manager, for instance, so focus on the technical expert instead.
What if someone starts scribbling notes? Don’t let this throw you – obviously they need to keep a record of what’s going on – good and bad.
What if they ask the same question twice? This is not a cunning ruse to test the honesty of your earlier answer, it’s a mistake. Someone wasn’t paying attention. There’s nothing you can do about it, so just get on with answering the question… again.

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