Handling panel interviews
Employers – including many in public sector organisations or in private-sector companies
providing public services – increasingly opt to use panel interviews as part of
the selection process. A little preparation makes the prospect far less daunting:
All for the best
- A melting pot of views: Firstly, don’t fear panel interviews –
they’re not there to trip you up (as many suspect); panels are often convened simply
to get a wider range of views about potential recruits without having to keep inviting
candidates back, or so that clinical or technical care staff and their HR colleagues
can compare notes on the same interview performance
- Peer support: Occasionally, panels interviews may be arranged so
that a line manager has the support of his or her colleagues in order to secure
authorisation for the post
Glass half-full, not half-empty
- Over thinking: Don’t over-tax your mind looking to spot which panel
members has been planted with a brief to trip you up – not only would that be bad
practice on the part of the employer, it’s likely to turn good people off the idea
of working there – instead, think positive: only if they liked you would they commit
the time of so many off their key people
- Remember, remember: Be sure to include a recall of earlier interviews
as part of your preparation – you may not meet the same people but it’s likely that
at least one panel member will have been given notes – don’t struggle to find something
new to say; keep your answers consistent
Eye contact
- Share your attention: No matter how many of the panel speak directly
to you, maintain eye contact with everyone; it’s fine to focus mostly on whoever
has asked the question you’re answering – but don’t neglect the others (they may
be your potential office-mates; you want to give a good impression)
- Body language: Panel members who say little or nothing may be watching
(deliberately or absent-mindedly) your body language while the questioner maintains
eye contact with you
- Silent for good reason: You might be nervous – but so might some
of the panel; if individual panel members report to others on the same panel, they
may be worried about saying the wrong thing in front of their manager