Below is this week’s submission the HRinmotion team has written for 24 hour newspaper – Tips for the panel job interview.

Tips for the panel job interview

A panel style job interview is perhaps the most prevalent style today and it usually consists of two or more job interviewers conducting the interview. Panel interviews are implemented by companies to reduce the bias that can come from having only one person conduct the interview. These interviews are usually done with someone from human resources, the hiring department and team members.

Here are some tips to prepare for your panel interview.

Research Panel Members
Before your interview it is a good idea to find out who the panel members will be, what their role is in the company and how to pronounce and spell their names correctly. Knowing who the panel members are will reduce the unknown and help with your anxiety. Understanding what the panel member’s role is within the company will help you address their concerns. For example, suppose the Manager of Finance is one of the panel members. It would be a good idea to address the cost saving or financial benefits of your accomplishments within your interview. It would be beneficial to address how your past work history helped to support the financial objectives of the company.

Know Their Names
It is important to know how to pronounce and spell the names of panel members. If you are not sure, ask the person who is setting up the interview or ask one of the support staff. After learning how to pronounce their names you should try to use it at least once during the interview. When you address the panel members directly by name, this will help build rapport with them. You may do this at the beginning during the introductions or at the end of the interview you can direct a question to one of the panel members when it is time for you to ask questions. For example, “John, as Manager of Finance how can this position support your technological objectives?”

Lastly, it is important to learn how to spell the names of panel members for your follow up letter. That is after your interview, you should send a follow-up thank you letter, thanking your interviewers for their consideration and summarizing a few quick points of how you will meet their top requirements. At this point, it is important to spell their names correctly.