It’s becoming more common these days for technology companies to interview job candidates using a panel of interviewers, instead of meeting one-on-one. This means that the interview process may be even more stressful for the job candidate because he or she will be sitting in front of multiple people at once. This can be extremely daunting for even the most experienced techie, but there are ways you can prepare for the panel interview so you can ace it and land your perfect tech job.
Here are some ways to walk into a panel interview and walk out with the perfect job:
Give Attention to Everyone on the Panel
One of the most important tips here is to give attention to each and every person on the panel. This will ensure that you learn the names of everyone attending the interview, including their business card. Do not stare at a single person when answering questions. Make sure that you make eye contact with multiple people during the panel interview to show that you are speaking to everyone who is in attendance.
Research the Panel Members Beforehand
If at all possible, find out who will be on the panel prior to the interview session. If you can do this, perform a little bit of research for each panel member. This will help you make a connection with each person prior to and after the interview. You can mention things about their career during the interview session as well to impress as much as possible. Use the Technology Job Panel Interview to show what you know about the company and its culture.
Prepare Questions to Ask the Panel
It is a very good idea to prepare questions that you can ask the panel when the interview is wrapping up, but before you begin to say your thank-yous. Have a question prepared for each panel member so you do not ask everyone to answer the same question. By doing this, you are showing the entire panel that you are more than just a doer, you are also a thinker. This will help you to land the perfect tech job.
Engage the Silent Panel Members
Even if there are one or two silent panel members, you need to engage them as well while in the interview. In most cases, some of the most quiet members of the panel could be the ones with the most input on who gets hired for the open job. Use the silence from those panel members by taking a moment to think about an answer to a question, and then answer with a smile.
Send Thank You Notes
As with any job interview, a handwritten thank you note goes a long way towards impressing the interviewer. With a technology panel interview, you have a couple more to send. Do not send one note to the entire panel. Instead, write out individual thank you notes for everyone who attended the panel interview and make each one unique in its own way.
If you are facing a panel interview for a technology job, and need advice on how to ace the process, give Venteon a call! We help place top candidates in technology positions every day, and know all there is about each step in the hiring process.