If the atmosphere in the room is too tense, it will be difficult for the person you are interviewing to relax. Ask a question that has nothing to do with the interview. As an interviewer, your key role is to ask a question and not to get in the way. Focus on really listening to their answer so you can ask thoughtful follow-up questions.
There should be a natural give and take in the conversation, but the focus should always be on the candidate. When you lose focus, you lose this valuable opportunity. Telephone interviews are very valuable because they speed up the interview process and minimize wasted time, while screening the weakest candidates from the start. Remember that an interview is an unnatural environment in which the balance of power favors the interviewer.
You should conduct a skills assessment interview with candidates who have appeared on the shortlist after the panel interview has been conducted. There are currently some quirky interview techniques that circulate in articles on the Internet (and probably in interview rooms as well), but I strongly warn you not to use them. You can include behavioral interviewing anywhere in your interview methods, from selection, panel to final interview. The best way to do this is to compile a list of job aptitude interview questions for the first round of interviews.
Panel interviews are the same as one-on-one face-to-face interviews, but with two or more interviewers in the room. The key criteria for successful interviews are that interview methods are fair and transparent. Preparing for a job interview can be a lot of work, but your planning and preparation will pay off during the interview. Group interviews are used much less frequently than the other interview techniques we've mentioned, but they still have their place in modern hiring.
