I will be interviewed virtually by 5 people at the same time.

Mystery Woman

Tell us more for better jobs, advice
and connections

Don’t miss out on new opportunities.

Update your profile

YOUR TOPICS

Your feed isn’t personalized yet. Follow topics like career advice, lifestyle or health.

YOUR GROUPS

Discover and join groups with like-minded women who share your interests, profession, and lifestyle.

COMPANIES YOU FOLLOW

Get alerted when there are new employee reviews.

YOUR JOB ALERTS

Get notified when new jobs are posted.

Your post is published!

Mariska Bogle

Skilled leader. Zombie apocalypse survivor.

02/17/21 at 1:33PM UTC

I will be interviewed virtually by 5 people at the same time.

Seems a bit daunting. Any advice?

24 Comments

Melissa

02/17/21 at 2PM UTC

That does seem a little daunting. However, take it as an opportunity and use the setup to have your notes and resume handy. As you prepare for the interview, it's probably helpful to put out some notecards around your space with the list of the company's core values, the names and titles of the individuals on the meeting, and any specific accomplishments or metrics you would like to have handy or have difficulty remembering. When I speak or do presentations virtually at work, I find it a little easier to do it virtually for the reasons above - I can put the reminders to the right of my camera or add notes for myself. You may need self-reminders to smile, a quote that makes you laugh, or to look at something that reminds you of the outstanding person and worker you are. Good luck!

2 Replies

Mariska Bogle

Skilled leader. Zombie apocalypse survivor.

02/17/21 at 2:03PM UTC

Great advice! Thank you.

Aurora Meyer

Accredited Public Relations Professional

02/17/21 at 3:52PM UTC

Don't be afraid to take a few deep breaths and pause before you answer. Find a way to repeat the questions to both buy yourself some time in thinking and to make sure you are answering what was asked. Practice being comfortable with silences and don't rush into speaking just to fill the void. Feel free to take notes during the interview and when you write your thank you notes, write them specifically directed to all five people. Make sure you are finding ways to interview the organization to make sure you are a good fit for the organization and the supervisor's style (for example, do you need lots of feedback and want chances to check in or do you prefer to have a task and complete it in a designated time period) and workflow (do you like one project at a time from start to finish, or juggling multiple projects). You can do this!

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 7:39PM UTC

Thanks. Taking a pause before answering and using silence are great points as well as note taking. I tend to jump in and speak quickly. And yes, this is about me interviewing them as well.

Sweet Caroline

2.65k

02/17/21 at 2:50PM UTC

I found that format challenging, I tried to maintain eye contact with the person who asked a question and then otherwise sit back from the screen so everyone could see me.

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 8:29PM UTC

Got it. Thanks!

Andrea Tibbetts

02/17/21 at 3:16PM UTC

I have had a three person virtual interview. The most impressive move I made (ha ha..at least I thought I was clever :) ) is asking them questions about their job. It is equally important for you to be happy and to know a good bit about the company. Ask specific questions that they can answer about their roles in the company. It make them feel good about themselves and it shows you know what they do for the company. For example, I asked the person over the department I'd be working in how he felt about the recent change they made to their manufacturing process. My point is that they too are on interview. Make it work both ways.

User edited comment on 02/17/21 at 3:19PM UTC

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 8:57PM UTC

Since they represent different entities within the organization, they all have different points of view. Personalization is good. Shows I did my homework.

Anonymous

02/17/21 at 3:19PM UTC

The idea of five people sounds daunting but there is an advantage to this format - which is the ability to have a conversation. One on one interviews are fine but not all interviewers are equally talented - aka if an interview doesn't go well it's not always our 'fault'. With my previous group interviews I found it much easier to have a conversation and people typically chimed in to build on comments or observations made by their peers. I learned a lot from watching and listening to these dynamics. In one situation I did not know the answer to a question and instead asked the group how they hand handled it - which led to a really lively discussion. At any rate this might sound Pollyannaish but my experiences with group interviews have not been stoic turn taking where someone asks a question and everyone else remains stone faced and silent while I responded. I hope yours will not be, either.

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 8:32PM UTC

Thank you. Hope it goes the way you described. I would prefer a conversational tone.

KimmieFH

314

Reach your goals through positive connections

02/17/21 at 3:23PM UTC

Remember that it's porbably a little daunting and uncomfortable for them too. See if you can set up a zoom with a couple friends beforehand and let them grill you a bit and practice but also learn to have fun with it. Simply being comfortable in the format is an opportunity to impress because most people are not and they probably don't expect you to. Also, it would be a great opportunity for you to be able to share/present things you may not normally get to in an in-person format. You could share your PDF resume on the screen for everyone and even have some other visuals handy on your desktop to share! Best of luck!

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 8:58PM UTC

Good points. Thank you.

Nirupama Raghavan

318

Digital Strategy Consultant & Retail Expert

02/17/21 at 3:41PM UTC

I suggest that you create a note mat for yourself. List out the names of each interviewer and their titles. Leave plenty of space under each to take notes on what each person is asking/telling you about the company. This will help you with personalized thank you notes after the interview. During the meeting, when listening, alternate between looking directly into the camera and looking at the person speaking to you. The former will allow them to feel heard and the latter will allow you to watch their body language. When responding, alternate between looking directly into the camera and looking at all interviewers to see their reactions. (I promise that this is easier than it may sound.) The biggest risk is people talking over each other, so you may have to defer to them a lot. Good luck!

Eva Steortz

Disney Executive Turned Executive Coach

02/17/21 at 4:09PM UTC

PRACTICE! Be sure you have rehearsed answers to the most common interview questions. VISUALIZE SUCCESS! Right before the call do a victory pose and imagine them being quite obviously impressed with your awesomeness. BE REAL! It's ok to smile and admit you need a moment to think before answering if you do feel overwhelmed at any time. HAVE FUN WITH IT! It's easier to think of all of these challenges as part of life's grand adventure. You got this!!!!!

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 9PM UTC

Yes, practice! I need to be more at ease with myself (smiling) with them and the process. And yes, visualization is key. Thank you.

Carrie Topolski

2.24k

Empowering women and beyond!

02/17/21 at 4:15PM UTC

I went through a panel interview before. It's a bit challenging but the most important thing is to make sure that you test out your video and audio. You want good lighting. The lighting should be in front of you and not behind you as it tends to darken the picture. The best thing you can do from there is sit back and let them ask their questions. The one I did I thought I totally flopped but they ended up hiring me. Just be honest with your answers. If you don't know the answer then ask them to rephrase it. If you still don't know the answer then explain just that! I found they were more responsive to me saying I didn't know how to do something or how to answer a question then trying to make up a story of me thinking I knew. Wishing you the best of luck. Stay strong and stay confident! You've got this!

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 8:53PM UTC

Thank you Carrie! Good advice.

Amy Carothers

482

Brand Marketing and Publishing Manager

02/17/21 at 4:18PM UTC

Make sure to connect with each interviewer. While primarily looking into the camera, we tend to focus on it instead of making eye contact. Unbeknownst to you, someone might feel slighted or ignored and that person might end up being the deciding factor. Remember in-person interview etiquette and try to adhere to it as much as possible. It's all about connections and making the case regarding what you bring to the table while helping the department/company.

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 8:55PM UTC

Got it. Thanks. This whole zoom interview is a different approach and I need to manage it to the best of my abilities and with the help of your suggestions!

1 Reply

Amy Carothers

482

Brand Marketing and Publishing Manager

02/17/21 at 9:28PM UTC

Wishing you all the best and good luck! As others have mentioned, take advantage of the online setting and have bulleted notes. What skills or topics do you want to discuss by the end of the call? Have a list of 5 questions ready in case they answer a few of them during the interview. Check out their websites, social media and about us/latest news section so that you can converse about what's relevant to them. After being prepared, relax and remember that you're interviewing them as well. You got this!

Anonymous

02/17/21 at 4:24PM UTC

remember that at least ONE of those people is just there for formality... they are not probably going to engage very much. OR, they are members of the team... and seeing how they interact with each other might provide you with valuable insight.

1 Reply

Mariska Bogle

02/17/21 at 8:48PM UTC

Interesting. Thanks.

Melissa Nobile

329

Handbell Choir Director

02/18/21 at 1:56PM UTC

We are currently interviewing for a new priest for our parish. There are 7 on the committee and really have to have panel interviews. We have a list of questions for each interview and we keep the list consistent with each and every candidate so we can accurately compare. We do try not to bombard the candidate with questions, as we definitely don’t want to intimidate. I think the best thing to remember is that everyone in the interview wants the best candidate for the position. They aren’t there to trip you up. They want to get to know about you and your skill set. The panel interview allows everyone to hear the answers to the questions at the same time, so when the panel meets to discuss the candidate, it’s a much faster process. Good luck!