Sometimes, when you go for an interview, you find yourself facing not one person, but a sort of panel instead. That can be very hard. You can really feel that you’re ‘on trial’ - and not being able to distinguish the Judge from the Jury doesn’t make that any better.
If you find yourself in that position, it’s very important to switch your attention from one person to another periodically and quite regularly so as not to exclude or ‘ignore’ anyone.
It's important, too, not to try to gauge the effect that you are having on any one person, because that can lead you to become ‘exclusive’. It's human nature to fix on a 'sympathetic' listener, but including everyone in a ‘conversation” is very important at any time, and is vital in these circumstances. The best interviews are (or become) 'conversations'.
For the same reason, try not to turn your back on anyone - and even if one person asks you a direct question, try to address your answer to everyone present.
I’ve been talking about practice. You can practice this, too: you really only need a couple of friends, or a couple of family members, and the questions that I’ve already provided to practice ‘panel’ interviewing.
If you find yourself in that position, it’s very important to switch your attention from one person to another periodically and quite regularly so as not to exclude or ‘ignore’ anyone.
It's important, too, not to try to gauge the effect that you are having on any one person, because that can lead you to become ‘exclusive’. It's human nature to fix on a 'sympathetic' listener, but including everyone in a ‘conversation” is very important at any time, and is vital in these circumstances. The best interviews are (or become) 'conversations'.
For the same reason, try not to turn your back on anyone - and even if one person asks you a direct question, try to address your answer to everyone present.
I’ve been talking about practice. You can practice this, too: you really only need a couple of friends, or a couple of family members, and the questions that I’ve already provided to practice ‘panel’ interviewing.
In the meantime, here’s something else to think about. Panel interviews – in fact, lots of interviews - often start with the ‘what we do here is…’speech. The interviewer – and the panel if there is one - knows that speech off by heart. Actually, if you’ve done your research, most of it won’t come as any surprise to you either.
But some of it might - so don't spend the 'what we do here' speech time thinking about the questions that you think you might be asked.
Listen very attentively to the ‘what we do here is’ speech. In the first place, it’s a useful mine to dig out relevant questions of your own. Secondly, you might need to demonstrate that you have listened to, understood, and are able to extrapolate from "what we do here...".
But some of it might - so don't spend the 'what we do here' speech time thinking about the questions that you think you might be asked.
Listen very attentively to the ‘what we do here is’ speech. In the first place, it’s a useful mine to dig out relevant questions of your own. Secondly, you might need to demonstrate that you have listened to, understood, and are able to extrapolate from "what we do here...".
And thirdly - all experienced interviewers know whether someone is actually listening. Or not...
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