An internal panel interview is not like any other interview! It is a little more demanding and harder because you need to prove yourself in front of people who claim to already know you. They could be your supervisors or colleagues. But just because you have worked at a company for a certain period of time does not mean you can take this interview lightly. This is where you get a chance to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and assure the panel that you are indeed fit for the position in question. The panel interview, also called a committee interview, was initially used in the healthcare and science industries because of the plethora of internships available. But, as the days progressed, the corporate world also included this in their processes. This type of interview is considered more reliable because panel members are accountable to each other and from the applicant’s point of view, it is not so time consuming. But, the difficulties set in when the interviewer knows your drawbacks and starts questioning you about them — the pace, generally fast, can also be an issue here. Read the next section to know how to deal with this kind of interview efficiently!
Panel Interview Tips
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The first tip for facing a panel interview is preparation — always research and prepare before entering the room. Learning a bit more about the departments and professional background of the hiring team will not harm you. Although you might think that you know a lot already, it might not be entirely enough. Research can help you identify exactly what position interests and suits you.
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Take a copy of your resume, cover letter, experience and performance reviews, if any, and a copy of your marks cards from university to the interview room. Keep all this well documented in a file and place it neatly on the table in front of you. Usually an internal panel interview looks like a conference room.
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Play up your strengths like never before! You don’t have to say things like: I am strong, I am hard working and I am a team player and so on. They probably already know this about you. What you need to do is quantify your abilities and tell them exactly how and where you used these qualities and how did the organisation benefit from it. Your advantage here is that you would probably know what impresses the manager.
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Organizations dig improvements! Talk about how you would like to bring about change if offered the role in question. However, always bear in mind never to bad-mouth any of your colleagues with respect to any previous projects. This gives you a bad reputation in front of more than just one person!
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Even though these people have seen you day in and day out, it is your duty and wisely so, to maintain a professional and formal attire. Don’t ever come casually dressed! Try not to fidget with your hair or clothes and show your nervousness.
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Show them you are really interested by asking questions. Pre-plan these and make them specific. For example: instead of saying “what kind of job am I getting into”; you can say “what do you want me to accomplish in the first three months if I am offered the position”. Avoid self-serving questions.
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Finally, there can be only two outcomes of this interview. Either you get the job or you don’t. Take both in your stride and don’t beg for the position. This makes the situation awkward for both parties involved. Whatever your position, make sure you send a thank you note. Being polite comes with no strings attached even it is simply to a colleague or co-worker.
The three most important pointers about an interview are: what to expect, how to perform and how to present your case. We’ve got all these covered in the above article regarding an internal panel interview! Hope you benefit from it!
