What is a Panel Interview?

A traditional job interview involves just two people – an interviewer and the candidate. However, a panel interviewhas two or more people interviewing a single candidate. The goal is to choose the best talent for the role by using a broader perspective.

Successful panel interviews include choosing the correct interviewers. Usually, this involves different staff members from various departments. That could consist of someone from the HR department, a supervisor, and a team member. During the interview, each person would then get the chance to ask specific questions related to their involvement in the company.

The reason panel interviews work well is that they help gain the perspective of multiple departments in a single interview. Rather than a single interviewer explaining to other staff members how each candidate was, everyone gets a fair and well-rounded view. It 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 work well for the candidate in some ways. Instead of having to explain who they are, what their experience is, and what they can bring to the table over and over again, they only have to sell themselves at that single interview. It’s more daunting on the candidate, but that is beneficial, as the panel interview acts as a stress test. If a candidate communicates clearly in front of multiple staff members, it’s a good sign of their skills.