Many of us have a primal fear of public speaking, so naturally, who wouldn’t love being on the spot in front of a table full of people who can steer our professional future? Panel interviews are intimidating, plus they carry a few more rules than a one- or two-person interview does. And while it’s normal to be nervous, you can mitigate nerves by preparing for a panel interview, even if you don’t absolutely know it’s coming. This mainly takes the form of things you shouldn’t do if you find yourself facing a panel.

During your next panel interview, make sure you don’t:

• Focus on only one person. It’s tempting to direct your answers at the director, president, or otherwise most senior person on the panel, thinking you need to best impress the person who will have the most say in hiring you. Would you speak only to your manager and ignore the rest of your teammates? It’s likely everyone on the panel will have a say in whether you get hired, and you won’t win any votes by looking elitist. A good rule of thumb: Begin each answer by responding directly to the asker, then divide your eye contact between the other members of the panel. Work is a team effort, and so is interviewing!
• Do all the talking. Your interviewers are gauging your fit with the company, as you should be gauging your fit with them. Don’t be so desperate to sell yourself that you forget to listen and ask questions. The information they share with you will help you decide if you want to work there!
• Dismiss a question. Some interview questions are hard! And just like real life, you may not have all the answers handy. It’s not always about having the right answer—it’s about how you respond when you don’t. Rather than get flustered, dismissive, defensive, or leave it at an uncomfortable “I don’t know,” show your go-getter attitude and follow-through: “I’m not absolutely sure of that answer, but I’d be glad to follow up after this interview.”
• Forget your interviewers’ names. It’s a small but powerful gesture to show each interviewer you paid attention to their name, if only in the handshakes at the end, when you smile and thank each person by name. If you are able to learn the names and job titles of your interviewers in advance, see what you can find out about them on the company website. You will never regret doing extra research before your interview. And before wrapping your interview, ask for business cards so you know how to address your thank-you notes.