Preparing for a panel interview can be very daunting. Knowing you will be speaking to multiple interviewers can often put job seekers on edge. Fears of interrupting, getting stumped, or misspeaking come to mind when thinking of panel interviews. The main difference, though, between a regular interview and a panel interview is how much you practice your own story. Below are three things you should know before preparing for a panel interview to make sure you’re confident and ready to move through the hiring process.
Know the Company
The first step when preparing for any interview is to research the company. You should know as much about the company and it’s product as possible. Scan all recent news for any important industry updates as well. Make sure you can speak to the product’s uniqueness and the company’s overall objectives. Highlight how your experience and career goals align.
Additionally, look for any instances where you see how your experience can help with the company’s current needs. Establishing you’re readiness to jump right in to the position and your knowledge to do so is great for showing hiring managers that you’re ready to make a move. Offering value in the interview process can set you apart from other candidates.
Know the Interviewers
Next, you should always research the background of whom you’ll be interviewing with. Understanding each interviewer’s work experience, current role, and interactions with the other interviewers can help you prepare better questions that relate to their function within the company. Look for similarities in between their experiences and your own to establish rapport. Also pay attention to how each person would interact with you if you accept the role. Use this information to ask important questions about the day-to-day operation of the role and how to be successful in the position.
When you dive into the interview, engagement is paramount for being successful. The more you interact with the interviewers during your interview, the easier it is for them to understand why you are the perfect fit for the position! The best way to guarantee establishing a relationship is through your thorough understanding of who each interview is individually.
Know Your Story
Lastly, when preparing for a panel interview, make sure you don’t forget to practice your own story. An interview is just as much of a self-pitch as it is to gather information on the company themselves. Spending equal time on yourself and what you want to learn about the company is best practice. Presenting concrete examples for attributes or skills is key in an interview.
Don’t get caught off-guard by having multiple people questioning you at the same time. Make sure you listen to what each interviewer is asking specifically and keep your answers targeted instead of in general. Pick what relates the most out of your experience and extrapolate on that. If you know your own story, and how you’ve established your best traits, you should be able to answer every question with ease.