- Hey everyone. This is Self Made Millennial,
I'm Madeline Mann. Today we're talking about how
to impress the interviewer during a panel interview. How to prepare and what to expect. You are exceptional,
and I want to make sure you're adding value to the world in a way that lights you up. So make sure to subscribe to
this channel and hit the bell (bell dings) to get a new career advice
video every Thursday. There are so many dynamics
at play in a panel interview. This video will give you a strong overview and then stay to the end, because I reveal the number
one mistake I see people make in these interviews, and
it is so simple to fix once you're made aware of it. First, let's begin with
what are the typical panel interview formats. A panel interview can flow
a lot of different ways. At the core, it is where you have more than one person
interviewing you at a time. And it can be where they're asking you many of the typical interview questions. It can be where the
majority of their questions are behavioral/skill-based questions. They may give you a case study scenario or even a presentation, where you need to show your competency or your plans for the role. In this video, we will focus more on the question and answer
side of a panel interview, since that is a component of
many of these interview styles. But, I will come out
with a video very soon on the key things to know about doing presentations
in the interview. So, I will link that link
everywhere when it comes out. Second, why did they choose
a panel interview format? Panel formats can be more efficient. The hiring loop can
receive all the information about you at the same time. It also adds additional challenge to your communication style, to see how you can present
yourself in a meeting setting. And finally, sometimes they do this to put you in a high stress situation, where rapid-fire questions
are coming at you, especially if your job is one
where you are going to have to think on your feet in a
high pressure situation, such as if you're an educator or a medical professional, for instance. Here are five tips of what to expect to make sure you rock
your panel interview, and then I'm going to tell you the number one mistake
I see people making, and finish off with the key
steps and special resources for after the interview,
that can really save you if you didn't do so well on the interview, or if the interviewers are maybe a little on the fence about you. First, walk into the room
and shake each person's hand, and have a resume
printed for each of them. I'm always tempted to walk in,
do a quick wave and sit down, but reaching over to them,
making physical contact, that makes you look much more
confident, even if you're not. Then also shake their
hands on the way out too. And don't leave anyone out. Even if one person is an
intern or a secretary there who is simply there for support. Second, what will they ask? Well, most panel interviews, if they are purely
question and answer format, without a presentation,
they will expect you to give an overview of yourself
by asking something like, tell us about yourself. This needs to be buttoned up, concise and confident because this
will really set the tone. I have a free worksheet
to help you sketch this out with your own answer. And so I will link that
in the description. Two more questions that
they're highly likely to ask include, why do you want to work for us? And why should we hire you? You cannot falter on these two. You should have these answers
repeating in your head like the lyrics to Call Me Maybe. I already have full videos
of each of these questions where I break it down
step-by-step, give you examples, so I will link those
both in the description. And finally, the other
predictable question is, do you have any questions for us? And a heads up, if they ever ask you this your answer should always
be, oh, absolutely. Which brings us to number three. Third, ask for the names
of the interviewers on the panel ahead of time. You should have their names
and titles written down in the notebook in front
of you during the interview or if they say their names in the moment make sure to jot those down. And then make an effort
to address the panelists by their names, to connect with
them on an individual level. One of the best ways to
impress each member is to craft questions specific to the person. Zeroing in on different
individuals at different parts of the interview will
help them to feel special, feel seen and will gradually
help you to win over each person, one by one. So, a general question you could ask which wouldn't be targeted
at any one person, and everyone would go down
the line and say their answer, which is still a fine approach, an example would be, from your perspective what is the number one thing
you want this role to focus on in the first six
months to best add value to your area of expertise? Or, an example of a more specific question aimed at someone is, "Francesca,
I saw that you are one of the longest tenured people in the room and have seen the company
go through a lot of changes. What challenges have you seen
this role faced historically? And do you see those
continuing into the future?" As you were researching these
people, notice the number of years they've been at the organization. If they have worked in multiple
departments or domains. If they come from a different industry and likely had to learn a new industry, possibly just like you
are going to have to, all of these pieces of research
will be done on LinkedIn ahead of time and we'll make
you seem so freaking smart. Fourth, ask for clarification. If they ask a question that is super broad or you just don't completely understand, ask for clarification. Interviewers actually like it
when candidates seek clarity, such as, when you say
perform an activation, what do you mean by that? Or another example is, okay
you'd like to hear an example of an escalating conflict,
are you interested in one with a client or with a team member? This helps you to ensure
that you are answering in the right way and not rambling on and simply waiting for
some sort of head nod or a visual cue that you're
in any way on the right path. Fifth, behavioral interview questions. It is likely that they will ask you behavioral interview questions, such as, tell me about
a time you had to deal with a late shipment. These are questions
where they are trying to understand how you handle
different situations. I have a video that goes
so deep in on this topic and is one of my most
highly praise videos. So I will link it in the description but let me give you a preview here. You'll want to follow
prompts to get a bunch of stories from your
work history on paper. I'll link a free download of
some really helpful prompts. And once you have all
of these stories down, look up behavioral
interview questions online and practice reading a
question and then matching it with one of your stories
that you wrote down. There is certainly an
art to it to get stories to fit multiple questions. You have to be a little bit creative with how you introduce the story. And you'll generally emphasize
different points based on the questions, but you
will be amazed at how you're able to answer nearly every
behavioral interview question with what I call building
out this story toolbox. You've got to watch that whole video, but this approach will
seriously set you free. So here's the biggest
mistake I see people make in the panel interview. That is, not making equal eye contact with each person on the panel. You are going to be
overwhelmed with stimuli, okay? And you're going to be
doing your best to answer. And you will likely have
the tendency to focus all of your energy towards the
person asking you the question or towards the person who
is the decision-maker. Big mistake. Have you ever stood in a group at a party and someone is chatting telling a story and they don't even acknowledge you? Or you're out shopping, and a sales clerk directs every question
to the person you're with and none of them to you? It feels weird and it feels lousy. You want every person on
the panel to feel cherished. So, start your answer by looking
at the person who asked it but shift your gaze to the others during the rest of your answer. Now, even if you don't do your
best in the panel interview, there are a few things you
can do to seal the deal. First, within 24 hours send every panelist a thank you email. If you have any questions about
how to go about doing that, I have a video that will
give you all the details. And so I will link that
in the description. I'll also give you a free digital download of email templates for you to use to follow up after a job interview. This is crucial to stay
top-of-mind for the company and to show your passion
and interest the right way. I will link that in the
comments and in the description. Like this video and
subscribe to this channel. Thanks so much everyone. Wi-Fi high five!
