Panel interviews are not similar to other individual interviews. Unlike other types of interviews, the panel interviews contain more than one member at the interview. All those interviewers strike questions one by one at the interviewee and the interviewee is supposed to answer those questions.
These panel interviews are said to be difficult as there are a panel of seniors and often the candidate gets nervous seeing lot many people in the interview room. So, in order to crack the panel interview, follow some of the following panel interview tips or steps:
Panel Interview Complete Guide:
1. Research work is important:
For any sort of work, the research is important. So, even if you are an interviewee, research is required. You need to research about the judges who would be interviewing you.
Often you get informed about the panel and you can know about them from among the contacts you have. If you get informed even a little about the panel, you would come to know about the types of questions that can hit you.
2. Confidence is the key:
For every kind of work, the thing which is important is your confidence. You have to be confident if you want to master your interview. Even if you give the wrong answer, you will be able to crack the interview if you are confident.
Confidence is the solution to every problem. The managers in the organization aspire for the best candidate and the first and the foremost thing which they see is the confidence. So, be sure and firm of what you do.
3. Be calm in the storm:
The panel looks like storm to the person sitting in front of the panel. So, this is a factor or you may say a trick that every interviewee must know that is to remain calm. Remember that every individual has different kind of attitude and the energy. So everyone would ask queries as per their expertise and field of interest. Whatever may come in front of you, just remember to stay calm even in the storm. Only this way, you will be able to rise above and get enrolled.
4. Try to be normal and converse with them:
Conversation with the panel will make you feel homely and normal. This is because if you will not talk to them, you may seem dumb and this won’t work at all for cracking the interview. It is important to have dialogue and a conversation. This makes a ground for the candidate and tranquility is maintained during the interview.
5. Try to sync your views with that of the company:
What your panel says or whatever is the aim of your company, try to speak about that. Letting them know your aim is not bad but first you should speak of what they want and then move on to tell your own career goals.
Remember to tell everything in favors of the company even if you know something negative. This is because if you will raise some negative point, you may get fired on the context of not being loyal to the company and its policies.
6. Let your values align with that of the company’s:
Your body language and the values would come to notice of the panel with your single wish to the panel. So, make sure your actions should not go against that of the company or you may have to suffer the brunt in terms of not getting selected for the job.
Before going for the interview, just make sure that you are aware of the values and the policies of the company. Only then you will be able to go for what the company demands in every individual.
7. Be true to what you have done:
Never lie. Be true, even if it is bitter. Truth is important because once you lie about anything, be it an experience or anything else, you could be caught telling a lie. Also the panel would counter question you, for which you might not have a befitting rely. So, for the safe side, it is better not to lie and just keep everything in your consideration.
8. Tell them a story to relate:
How would panel come to know whether you are true or no? Obviously through what you say and what you have done. Show them your work if you have an experience. While you showcase your work to them, make sure you relate your incident too. This is also important because only showing the work and staying mum will show lack of confidence in you. So, it is better to engage yourself as well as the panel into the conversation and allow them to ask you queries, so that you are able to answer them confidently.
9. Explain them how your skill fit for the particular job:
It is your duty to explain the panel how your skill fits perfectly into the job. The duty of panel is know your best and it is your duty to tell them what you are best at and how you can show up your best work. Remember it is a competition so you must carry a professional attitude in the office and work.
10. Engage even the silent one’s:
During the interview just do not stick to one person. Also try and engage the silent one’s during the interview. You never know, sometimes even the quiet note takers have a greater influence. So, do not give a chance to find fault in any point.
Try and cover everything during the interview. Be more human by smiling, nodding, panning and this would help to overcome the awkward situations that arise sometimes.
11. Reply in a positive manner:
Your answers should reflect positivity. If they ask you to do some work, you must not reply by saying that you do not know how to do or any silly answer must not be given. Try and answer smartly by saying yes! I would certainly like to give it a try and do my best to solve it. Your positivist may inspire them and you master the interview at the end of the day.
12. Look at everyone while responding:
While answering the panel, do not overlook anyone sitting in the panel. Just try and engage everyone. Also look eye to eye at everyone while responding. The one who questions you, should be answered by looking an eye into eye and only this is how you can show your confidence to them and win a chance of getting selected.
13. Your body language speaks a lot about you:
How you sit, how you greet, how you respond, your gestures, your body language also mark an important part in the interview. So, make sure you adopt a good and appealing body language. This is important because no company would want a person with wrong body language to represent their organization. After the entire representative only, put forward the company ahead. So, try and learn about the things which should not be done when it comes to the body language.
14. Take an initiative:
When you enter the interview room, do not first expect the panel to wish you. It’s you who have to take an initiative. The panel might not wish you of their own, but that does not mean you will also stay mum. May be they test you for whether you take an initiative or no. So, just make sure you do not miss even a single chance to find faults in you.
15. Do not make use of the unsure words:
When in doubt leave it out, is the formula you should apply when you go for an interview. Especially, when it is a panel interview, you should not speak something which is contradicting your own statement.
Sometimes, people make a mistake of using the words without knowing its meaning. So, do not make such a mistake. Something, of which you are not sure, should not be even touched.
16. Clarify all your doubts before heading for an interview:
Do not be in doubts while you move for the interview. Already the anxiety fills the space so do not fill yourself unto the brim with more emotions. Before you go for the interview, clear the air regarding any misunderstanding because even a single misunderstanding may throw you out of the line. So, be sure of what you say during the panel interview.
17. Rehearse a little before going for the interview:
Before going for an interview, make sure you rehearse a little. You may ask your friends and cousins to act as a panel and rehearse for the interview. You should ask them to put forward the blistering queries so that you prepare well for the interview. This would help you a lot in preparing for a panel interview . So, if possible just rehearse a bit so as to get a knack of how interviews go in a flow.
18. Be sure with the language:
Make use of one language when you interact during the interview. It should not be like that you are using both Hindi and English at the same time. Be good and fluent in one language and also converse in that particular language itself. This makes up a good impression on the panelist. Also it reflects your confidence for the language and its efficiency.
19. Your attire should be professional:
What you wear is all what you reflect. Your attire speaks a lot about you. So, make sure when you move for an interview, you are dressed in a formal manner. Formal dressing gives an impression that you are somewhere interested and serious about the work. So, it is on you how you would make interview a mockery or a serious affair.
20. Try to question them back:
Once you are done with the questioning, do question them if you have any doubts related to the job or anything else. The questioning should not be negative but should have a positive angle so that it creates a two way communication.
Asking queries back is not bad but it reflects your involvement in the matter. So, try to indulge yourself in the conversation with the panel and make the interview a lively process.
21. Do not sit like a dead pan:
Although you will be very nervous yet you should not sit like a dead pan in front of the panelist. Dead pan here refers to the expression less face. Your face should reflect that you are interested in the matter. So, once the conversation starts your involvement is necessary or your non interested attitude may bring you a fall and that you certainly do not want. So, if you do not wish to get fired, just make a smart move of your own and act smart during the interview.
22. Do not speak ill of the previous firm:
Whichever firm you have worked in, and for no matter for what reason you left the job; make sure not to reveal any of the fact. Speaking ill of the firm will let them know that once you leave this job, you would be spreading wrong words in the market which would decrease the credibility of the organization.
23. Respect the policies as well as the norms:
Every company has its distinguished norms and the policies which you should know before going for the interview. Do not go without being properly informed about the company and its rules. Knowing about the company will help you during the interview and also it will help you gain confidence, as confidence is possible only when you know something of everything.
So, above are some of the panel interview techniques which can help you to make a mark in the interview. Follow the above said points and you will surely see a change in yourself and that would be really helpful too. Apart from this, whatever kind of interviews it is, the process remains the same and also the confidence you carry should be similar. So, during the interview, your credibility as well the credibility of the firm depends wholly on you. It is on you to make the interview a success or a failure so every time you speak, speak right and do not beat about the bush.
