Panel Interviews

You can expect to encounter more than one interviewer in many of your interviews. Employers use panels because they speed up the selection process by involving, at one time, all of the people affected by the appointment. They also help to counter personal bias and bring a variety of perspectives to bear on the decision.

A panel interview can be a daunting experience. It will consist of anything from two to six interviewers, who may take turns asking you questions, ask you a set of questions relating to a specific area, or take notes while one person does most of the talking.

The keys to performing successfully in a panel interview are to be confident, and to direct most of your answer to the person asking the question, involving the others by glancing occasionally in their direction. Try to look at everybody at some point in the interview, but focus on their questions and your replies.