These five tips can help you feel more in control of the process while facing a group of interviewers—with a professional, enthusiastic demeanor that helps win the job.
1. Direct Your Attention To Each Person On The Panel
Upon starting the interview, get each person’s name (and ask for their business card or jot down the name), and then look at each person as you introduce yourself. This will help to break the ice and establish a connection to all of your interviewers.
While fielding questions, avoid staring at a single person (nothing makes you look more “frozen” than doing this!). Instead, make it a point to relax, smile, and open your gaze to the others in the room.
Even if a single member of the group asks you a particular question, look around at the others while you answer it. Doing so will help you project a confident image and build rapport with the entire panel.
2. Expect To Repeat Yourself
While one of your interviewers might take your answer the first time, you can almost expect someone else to either ask for clarification—or ask it again, later in the interview.
Why? Because, just like our verbal abilities, many of us have different listening styles. What is clear to one panel participant may need further explanation for another person.
In addition, each panelist comes to a group interview with a different agenda. You can expect a prospective peer to be interested in your technical or analytical skills, for example, while the boss might be more curious about why your last job was so short in length.
You may also find yourself repeating information from earlier interviews. This is perfectly normal in the context of a multi-interview hiring process, so avoid coming across as impatient or noting that you’ve answered this query before.
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