Interview Panel:
Definition, Benefits, Best Practices & Comparison

An interview panel is a group of two or more people who interview a single job candidate at the same time. Panel members typically include potential supervisors, managers, team members, HR specialists, and other decision-makers within an organization who collectively evaluate the candidate's suitability for the role.

The purpose of a panel interview is to allow different people and key stakeholders at the organization to get to know and evaluate the candidate from multiple perspectives. Instead of a single interviewer explaining to other staff members how each candidate performed, everyone on the panel gets a fair and well-rounded view. This helps ensure that the candidate chosen for the role is truly the best out of the bunch, as more opinions contribute to the final decision.

Panel interviews are common in many industries, including higher education, health care and medicine, government, corporate business, tech, nonprofits, media, and retail, especially for senior positions with many demands and responsibilities.

Related terms: panel interview participants, hiring committee, group interview, interview process

Panel interviews serve 4 primary purposes in the hiring process:

• Allow multiple decision-makers to meet the candidate at once, saving time in the hiring process
• Enable decision-makers to form their own impressions rather than getting secondhand information from a single interviewer
• Help organizations observe how well candidates engage everyone in the room and handle stressful situations
• Reduce unconscious bias and vet candidates on multiple aspects of the role through diverse perspectives

The goal is to choose the best talent for the role by using a broader perspective. Rather than a single interviewer making the decision, panel interviews help ensure that the candidate chosen is truly the best fit, as more opinions contribute to the final decision.

A panel interview typically includes 3 to 5 members of the hiring organization representing various perspectives and stakeholders. The panel usually consists of someone from the HR department, a supervisor or hiring manager, a potential peer or team member, and someone from another department with whom the candidate would need to collaborate.

Panel members can include potential supervisors, managers, team members, HR specialists, and other decision-makers within a company. The right mix of hiring committee members should include individuals who were most responsive during the goal-setting process for the role. Organizations should aim to include a diverse balance of interviewers in terms of gender, race, and other factors of diversity.

During the interview, each person gets the chance to ask specific questions related to their involvement in the company and their specific stake in the hiring outcome. The ideal candidate should add value as a team member to their peers, a resource for other departments, and an asset to their department and the organization's bottom line.

Panel interviews typically include 5 types of questions asked in a specific order:

1. Questions that build rapport and allow candidates to feel comfortable, such as "Can you tell me about your background and training?" or "What is the accomplishment you're most proud of?"
2. Questions that explore experience and past professional achievements, such as "What is the most difficult challenge you faced in your last role, and how did you solve it?"
3. Questions that reveal process and work style, such as "Describe a typical day on the job: What do you do first, next, and last?"
4. Questions that test technical knowledge and role-specific expertise, such as "How do you stay informed on the latest innovations in your field?"
5. Questions that gauge interpersonal skills and soft skills, such as "Tell us about a time when you accomplished something as part of a team"

Interviewers commonly ask behavioral questions to get a sense of the candidate's personality and see how they would fit in at the organization. Candidates should be prepared to answer interview questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), which requires giving specifics and telling the story of professional achievements with concrete examples.

The questions asked in a panel interview are usually similar to those in a one-on-one interview. One significant difference is that multiple people will ask questions rather than just one. Questions will vary depending on the role and the organization, but certain questions are likely to be asked, allowing candidates to practice answers beforehand.

Panel interviews offer several advantages for both candidates and organizations. For candidates, there are 3 key benefits:

• More people might like and approve of the candidate for the role, increasing chances of advancement compared to a one-on-one interview where a single person's opinion determines the outcome
• Candidates only have to explain their experience and qualifications once instead of repeating themselves across multiple interview rounds
• Candidates can observe interpersonal dynamics among employees, understand the culture better, and hear a variety of perspectives about working at the organization

For organizations, panel interviews allow more perspectives on candidates more quickly, provide insight into how candidates fit into the role and organization, and inform the panel of how candidates communicate their qualifications.

However, panel interviews also present challenges. For candidates, it can be difficult to know who to direct answers to, how to distribute attention, and who to make eye contact with. Panel interviews are also more time-consuming than one-on-one interviews and can feel more stressful and intimidating, especially for candidates who have never experienced one before. The format acts as a stress test, which can be beneficial for organizations but challenging for candidates.

For interviewers, the panel interview can become complicated because of differing perspectives. If there is not a clear consensus on a final candidate, it can be difficult for the panel to agree, leading to clashes during the hiring process.

Candidates should prepare for a panel interview by following 6 essential steps:

1. Contact the employer and gather information about the names and roles of everyone on the panel, the interview location, topics to be covered, and materials to bring
2. Research the company and reflect on how qualifications match the ideal candidate for the position
3. Look up common job interview questions and rehearse answers, practicing the elevator pitch to sell why they are the right fit
4. Anticipate questions and practice using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to formulate compelling stories about prior experience
5. Prepare at least 3 questions to ask all interviewers to learn more about the organization and demonstrate interest
6. Have all materials ready, including picking out a comfortable and professional interview outfit, printing multiple resumes, and checking directions to the interview location

Candidates should research each panel member through social media or the company's website to understand how they might address each member's concerns during the interview. If the interview involves a presentation or job-related task, candidates should prepare and rehearse in front of friends or family and implement their feedback.

For virtual interviews, candidates should ensure a strong WiFi connection, position the laptop at eye level, and arrange proper lighting. When properly prepared, the panel interview will be less scary and chances of succeeding are higher.

Candidates can succeed in a panel interview by mastering 5 emotional and interpersonal aspects:

1. Acknowledge emotions and recognize that nervousness is natural, using deep breathing exercises or reviewing interview materials before the interview
2. Make eye contact with each panel member and give all decision-makers equal attention, even if one acts as a facilitator
3. Set the pace for the conversation by pausing after each question, listening carefully, taking notes, and asking for clarification when needed
4. Prioritize personal connection with each interviewer on the panel and make sure to smile, showing personality and being authentic
5. Follow up by capturing contact information of each panel member, thanking everyone for their time, and sending a thank you email to each panelist afterward

Candidates should speak clearly and deliberately, taking time to deliver answers. An interview is a dialogue, not a monologue, and should be a conversation. Candidates should remember that this is their career decision too and set an intention of making the right career decision while presenting qualifications.

During the interview, candidates should look for opportunities to ask prepared questions and demonstrate that they really care about working at the organization and are passionate about the position and the organization's mission. The goal is to make everybody feel important and show that the candidate will be an asset to the organization.

A panel interview can take place at any time during the interview process, including during the first or one of the final rounds of interviews. What stage of the interview process a panel interview happens depends on the organization and the specific role.

Panel interviews are often used as a final interview stage where candidates meet with people they would be working with after passing the manager interview stage. However, some organizations conduct panel interviews earlier in the process to consolidate multiple rounds of interviews into a single experience, saving time for both the organization and the candidate.

Organizations should conduct effective panel interviews by following 5 structured steps:

1. Define the goals of the role by seeking input from employees within and outside the department, focusing on outcomes the role would achieve
2. Assemble and train 3 to 5 interview participants, ensuring they understand which topics to avoid and creating an atmosphere of warmth and civility
3. Devise an interview script and applicant rating system, using a script to ask the same questions for every candidate to help avoid unconscious bias
4. Ask the right mix of questions organized by question type or by area of expertise, with various members of the panel taking turns
5. Compare assessments and select the right candidate by debriefing after each interview and meeting for a longer conversation after the final interview

Before each interview begins, each panelist should have a copy of the job description, candidate resume, and rubric to score each candidate. The lead interviewer, usually the hiring manager, should greet the candidate, usher them to the interview room, and introduce them to the panel interview participants.

Organizations should focus on creating an atmosphere that allows the candidate to feel comfortable and confident enough to gain an accurate assessment of their capabilities. A diverse panel of interviewers with varying levels of expertise and operational perspectives makes the hiring process richer, less subject to unconscious bias, and more likely to end in a right-fit hire.

An interview panel is often compared to 2 related interview formats:

Interview Panel vs. One-on-One Interview

A traditional job interview involves just two people, an interviewer and the candidate. In a one-on-one interview, the candidate only has to impress one person and the conversation is typically easier to accomplish as a dialogue. In contrast, a panel interview involves two or more people interviewing a single candidate at the same time, requiring the candidate to engage multiple stakeholders simultaneously. Panel interviews are tougher and more stressful than one-on-one interviews because candidates must impress multiple people and distribute their attention across the entire panel.

Interview Panel vs. Group Interview

While both formats involve multiple people, an interview panel features multiple interviewers evaluating a single candidate, whereas a group interview involves multiple candidates being interviewed at the same time. Panel interviews focus on gaining diverse perspectives from various stakeholders about one candidate's fit for the role, while group interviews allow employers to compare multiple candidates simultaneously and observe how they interact with each other.