I will be attending a panel interview (with two men and two women). I don't know their names. I want to be more polite, but I am not sure whether it is alright to say
Good afternoon, sirs and madams
in the panel interview.
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9As context is everything, what country is the interview in? And what sector (Academic, technical, creative, ...)?– jonathanjoAug 17, 2019 at 12:51
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8And what country? This completely depends on context and culture.– Lightness Races in OrbitAug 17, 2019 at 20:40
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4Voting to close as unclear. Although the literal answer "No, not 'sirs' or 'madams'" is straightforward, the deeper question is whether it's appropriate to use this kind of language at all and that varies very much across the English-speaking world. Without information on where the asker is and the type of interview, we can't give a proper answer.– David RicherbyAug 18, 2019 at 9:13
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5 Answers
At an interview, you should not be too effusive with your greeting, or too verbose (unless invited by a leading question intended to draw you out). The interview panel makes the moves, so I suggest you be polite and uncontroversial.
Good morning / afternoon
is sufficient, with a brief look around the interviewers to make it clear you are greeting them all, and wait for them to take the lead.
answered Aug 17, 2019 at 19:45
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1I totally agree with Weather Vane. If you started of with good afternoon Sir(s) and Madam(s) in any of my interviews you would have been quickly finished. The last thing someone wants to employ is a person full of B.S. and this is how it would come over. Unless you already know the leading member of the panel you should be courteous and polite but follow the lead given by the panel. Not over confident, not arrogant, not servile but also not afraid of the panel.– BradAug 17, 2019 at 22:00
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3@Brad This is very culturally dependent. There are plenty of places where "sir" etc. are normal forms of address. Aug 18, 2019 at 15:01
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@David Richerby I agree and if you were to reply to a question with "yes Sir" and that is normally used in your area that is fine. My Comment has been taken out of context I stated "If you started of with good afternoon Sir(s) and Madam(s)".– BradAug 19, 2019 at 13:55
When politely greeting one person, we can say "good morning/afternoon/evening", and possibly add "sir" for a man, or "madam" for a woman, although these are now very old-fashioned in Western countries, except for e.g. royalty, judges in court, etc. "Sir" and "madam" do not have plurals. To greet a group, mixed in gender, we can say "Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen." ("ladies" always comes first).
answered Aug 17, 2019 at 12:40
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11Of course you're correct in what you say, but I'd comment that "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen" sounds like a performer addressing an audience rather than an interviewee addressing a panel. Aug 17, 2019 at 12:43
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1I don't agree. It sounds fine to me for an interview panel, if a little over-formal. The point was to make it clear that "sirs" and "madams" are totally wrong. Just saying "Good afternoon", and looking at the panel and smiling would work fine, in fact. Aug 17, 2019 at 12:46
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@jonathanjo I agree. The only groups of people that I've ever heard be addressed as "ladies and gentlemen" are essentially audiences. I say "essentially" because it might come before an announcement rather than a performance ("Ladies and gentlemen, we regret to announce that tonight's performance is cancelled"), but it's still coming before an address to a group of people. Aug 18, 2019 at 9:09
Yes, but "Ladies and Gentlemen" is more conventional nowadays.
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1This answer seems to echo what Michael Harvey's answer already says, and doesn't really elaborate or support its claim at all.– V2BlastAug 18, 2019 at 16:00
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1Also it would be a very strange and awkward phrase to use to address a small interview panel, at least in the US.– epsAug 18, 2019 at 16:10
No, don't say "sirs and madams" under any circumstances. "Madams" are women who run brothels.
I would recommend any of these.
- "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen."
- "Good afternoon, everyone."
- "Good afternoon."
Which is best depends on which country you're in.
In the UK I have very frequently and over many years been in meetings that begin with somebody addressing the group relatively formally. If they happened all to be men, no problem: "Gentlemen" does the trick. If all were women:"Ladies" is perfect . Likewise if there were several men and women "Ladies and Gentlemen" would be quite correct. But what do you say if there is only one woman? Far too frequently I have heard some kind of embarrassed "Er, Lady... and Gentlemen", on the false basis that the singular of "Ladies" is "Lady".
The correct form has to be "Madam, and Gentlemen". If she were there on her own (and recall that we are being formal here) you would address her as "Madam". That is not changed by the presence alongside her of men. The plural of "Madam" is "Ladies".
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5I frequently chair meetings of senior lawyers and administrators, most of them way more senior than me, and I just say "Hello everybody - thanks for coming". I am based in the UK, and we have really shed the deferential attitudes that we used to have. Aug 18, 2019 at 9:43
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@MichaelHarvey One does not have to be formal at meetings, and you clearly avoid it, but, if someone does wish to be formal, as they might at a public meeting, say, then my answer suggests a wrong way and a right way.– JeremyCAug 18, 2019 at 10:58
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I should add that the senior lawyers, judges, administrators, etc, smile and say "Hello Mike". Many of the men won't be wearing neckties. That's how far we have come. Aug 18, 2019 at 12:43