Panel Interview

A Panel Interview is a technique that allows several members of a hiring company to interview a job candidate at the same time.  Members of a panel interview team typically include the hiring manager, a client of the hiring manager's organization, and a member of the human resources department.

During a panel interview, each member of the interview team takes a turn asking the job applicant questions.  This allows each member of the team to hear the same response given by each applicant.  Normally, the interview team has a pre-established list of questions they will ask of each candidate interviewing for a particular job.

Since each applicant is asked the same set of questions, and all members of the panel hear the same response from each applicant, this method makes the decision making process, sometimes referred to as data integration, much easier.  Panel interviews are an efficient method of conducting interviews; however, they may be more stressful on the job applicant due to the large number of people present at the meeting.