Impress an Interview Panel
An employment interview with one person can be angst-riddled enough, but what if you walk in the door and see a trio or more who are about to pepper you with questions? Here's keep your cool and collectively dazzle them.
Instructions
1. Research the position for which you are interviewing. This means that you not only should know what types of duties you will be performing if hired, but also something about the objectives of the company itself. Should one of the panelists ask what attracted you to submit a resume, rehearse an answer that touches on topics such as its diversity of products, its reputation in the community or perhaps how it responded to a recent social or economic crisis.
2. Find out, in advance if possible, who will be participating on the interview panel. Typical panels will consist of your prospective supervisor, the individual who is vacating the position and someone from the Human Resources Department to ensure that inappropriate questions aren't asked.
3. Rehearse some practice interview questions with trusted friends. Have them put you through a rigorous battery of questions about your past experiences and career objectives and a series of hypothetical scenarios.
4. Dress appropriately for the position. Try various ensembles in front of friends and take note of outfits that garner the most approval. If you know that you look great, this is going to enormously elevate your confidence level. For ladies, be sure to have a manicure prior to the interview. For both sexes, make sure that your clothes are clean and pressed,and your shoes polished.
5. Bring extra copies of your resume to the interview along with a list of references.
6. Arrive early. If you're going to a part of town that you're not familiar with, it wouldn't hurt to do a practice drive a few days in advance. This includes figuring out where to park. There's nothing worse than arriving late and frazzled.
7. Shake hands firmly and confidently with each member of the panel and be sure to repeat their names.
8. Spread your attention and eye contact to each member of the panel as you reply, regardless of which member is posing a particular question.
9. Take your time to gather your thoughts and respond to each question. If a question is unclear to you, don't feel shy about asking for clarification.
10. Be sensitive to panel interactions and nonverbal communication while you're talking. It should be fairly easy to discern where the power base is in a panel hierarchy based on who the members look to after each reply.
11. Provide definitive examples of work and volunteer experience that relate to the specific job requirements. Elements that will most impress interview panels are those that demonstrate increases in productivity and revenue and decreases in workplace conflicts and absenteeism.
12. Have a list of intelligent questions to pose to the panel after they have finished interviewing you. These should address questions such as corporate vision and growth and opportunities for professional advancement and continuing education. These will demonstrate that you have a long-term commitment to the company's success.
13. Ask at the conclusion of the interview when the panel expects to make its hiring decision. This subliminally communicates that you currently have other irons in the fire.
14. Send personal thank-you cards to each of the individuals on the panel. If need be, ask the receptionist or assistant for the correct spelling of each individual's name if you did not receive business cards during the interview.
