What is an Interview Panel?

Interview panels are groups of people, usually company officials, that interview applicants for jobs. Hiring managers, HR experts, team leaders, and occasionally colleagues who will work closely with the recruit make up the panel.

The main objective of an interview panel is to evaluate applicants' abilities, experiences, and suitability for a particular post. Each panelist offers their own experience and viewpoint to the review, providing for a complete applicant evaluation.

Interview panels may utilize behavioral, situational, and competency-based interviews to assess candidates' prior performance and job prospects. Panelists may also pose questions related to their expertise.

Interview panels also assure fairness and impartiality in applicant assessment by structuring and standardizing the interview process. Panel discussions after interviews enable members to offer their thoughts and aid applicant selection. Interview panels are essential to recruiting and selection, helping companies meet their strategic goals and employee demands.

Example of Interview Panels

A global technology corporation employing a software engineer may use an interview panel. The interview panel may include the engineering department recruiting manager. This senior software engineer will be the new hire's peer, a human resources representative, and a project manager or product owner.

The recruiting manager leads the panel and discusses technical needs and team dynamics. The senior software engineer assesses technical competence and team fit. HR maintains compliance with business standards, helps structure interviews, and advises on fair hiring. The project manager or product owner evaluates candidates on their project needs and commercial goals.

To thoroughly analyze candidates, the panel interviews them using technical questions, behavioral situations, and cultural fit evaluations. The panel reviews input, discusses applicants' merits and flaws, and decides who to hire after the interviews. A collaborative approach guarantees that the selected candidate satisfies technical criteria and fits the team's culture and values.