The Costs of the Panel Interview

Panel interviews are often viewed as an efficient way for organizations to evaluate candidates, allowing several team members to assess an applicant simultaneously. Typically, one candidate faces four to eight or sometimes even moreinterviewers at once. While this format streamlines the process for employers, it introduces a range of challenges for both sides of the interview.

The Pitfalls of Standard Questions 

Consider the classic and much overused question: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” While common, this question often fails to provide meaningful insight into a candidate’s suitability for the role. A bold response like, “I’d have your job in five years,” might be interpreted as motivated or arrogant, depending on the panel’s perspective. Alternatively, a candidate could redirect the question by asking, “What opportunities for advancement does the company offer?”-a response that shifts the conversation to more tangible career prospects. Ultimately, such generic questions rarely yield information that decisively impacts the hiring decision.

Panel Composition and Influence

Panel interviews often include individuals who will be direct reports or internal stakeholders of the new hire, rather than the actual decision-makers. In many cases, those with real hiring authority conduct separate one-on-one interviews. This can result in a panel where some members have limited influence over the final decision, which may create confusion or diminish the value of the panel’s input.

Real-World Challenges

Panel interviews can suffer from poor organization. For example, I was once interviewed by a panel of ten interviewers who lacked a clear plan: two extroverts dominated the conversation, while others struggled to contribute, sometimes repeating questions or failing to ask anything meaningful: "Debbie already asked my question". Such disorganization made the process awkward and unproductive, both for myself and the panel. It also revealed underlying issues about the company’s culture and their decision-making processes.

Advantages and Disadvantages

While panel interviews can reveal whether a candidate or interviewer is more extroverted or introverted, the disadvantages often outweigh this single benefit. The key drawbacks include:

• Increased Candidate Stress and Intimidation: Facing multiple interviewers can be overwhelming, leading to anxiety and potentially preventing candidates from performing at their best.
• Scheduling and Logistical Complexities: Coordinating the calendars of several busy panelists can delay the hiring process and create logistical headaches.
• Limited Depth of Assessment: With many interviewers, time is divided, often resulting in superficial questions and limited follow-up, which can prevent a thorough evaluation of the candidate’s skills and experience.
• Risk of Groupthink and Dominant Personalities: Stronger personalities may steer the conversation and influence the group’s opinion, sometimes at the expense of a balanced assessment.
• Poor Candidate Experience and Rapport: The formal, impersonal nature of panel interviews makes it harder to build rapport, which can negatively impact the candidate’s impression of the company.

Best Practices for Improvement

To mitigate these many disadvantages, organizations should:

• Define clear objectives and roles for each panel member.
• Prepare and coordinate questions in advance to avoid overlap and ensure comprehensive coverage.
• Foster a welcoming environment to help candidates feel at ease and encourage authentic responses.
• Use structured evaluation criteria to maintain fairness and consistency.

By addressing these challenges, companies can make panel interviews more effective, fair, and informative for both candidates and interviewers. Better yet, recognize upfront that panel interviews lack tangible value and be honest with the participants.