Learn English – Is it alright to say good afternoon Sirs and Madams in a panel interview

colloquial-languageconversationpoliteness

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.

Best Answer

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.