Intro price $29/month (regular $49) $29/mo intro price Ends October 31 Join by then and keep $29 until you cancel. Lock in $29
Start a free mock

Types of interviews

What is a panel interview?

A panel interview is one interview with two or more interviewers at the same time, often the hiring manager, someone from HR and people you'd work with. They usually take turns asking questions, each one rates your answers, and they compare notes after you leave.

NailedIt has one AI interviewer, not a panel. Use it to rehearse the answers a panel will ask for.

A woman in her 50s with short silver hair and a navy blazer at her kitchen table in the evening, rehearsing an interview answer out loud to her laptop beside a notepad

Who sits on the panel, and what each one listens for

Indeed's guide for employers suggests three to five interviewers. CareerOneStop, the Labor Department's career site, describes them as coming from different levels or departments.

  1. The hiring manager

    Often the one leading. Louisiana Monroe's HR guide names the immediate manager as the usual lead interviewer. Expect questions about the work in the posting.

    Hiring manager interview questions →

  2. People you'd work with

    Future teammates, or someone who has done the job. New Orleans's civil service guide tells departments to include future teammates, and Indeed's sample panel questions ask how you like to work.

  3. Someone from HR

    Indeed lists someone from HR among the usual panelists. Give them the same full answers you give the hiring manager, since each panelist rates you.

  4. Someone from another team

    If the job means working closely with another department, Indeed suggests adding someone from it. Expect a question about working across teams.

How a panel interview works

  1. 1

    Introductions

    One panelist chairs and introduces the others, OPM's interview guide says. Write down each name and role as you hear them.

  2. 2

    They take turns asking

    Often the same questions every candidate gets, with follow-ups. Each panelist takes notes and rates your answers on their own.

  3. 3

    Your questions, then their ratings

    Expect time for your questions at the end. After you leave, the panel compares ratings and tries to agree on one.

Panel interview questions

Mostly the questions any hiring manager asks, from several people instead of one. Indeed's guide for employers suggests topics like these.

  1. “Tell us about a hard situation at work.”

    One real story: what happened, what you did and how it ended.

    Behavioral interview questions →

  2. “How do you like to work?”

    It checks whether your style fits the team, Indeed notes. Back your answer with one example of working with others.

  3. “When did you persuade someone you didn't manage?”

    Name their role, how you made the case and what changed.

  4. “What would you do in your first 90 days?”

    Tie it to the posting: what you'd learn first, one early fix and one result you'd aim for.

  5. “Tell us about a conflict at work.”

    What the disagreement was about, what you did and how it ended, with no blame.

    How to answer “How do you handle conflict?” →

  6. “What questions do you have for us?”

    Indeed calls it one of the most important questions in a panel interview. Ask each panelist something about their part of the work.

    Questions to ask the interviewer →

One method for answering any of them →

Panel interview tips

How to answer when several people are listening.

  1. Answer the person who asked, then the room

    CareerOneStop's advice is to direct your answer to whoever asked and include the rest of the panel in your eye contact.

  2. Give the quiet ones full answers

    Each panelist rates you on their own before they compare notes, OPM's guide says, so answer the quiet one as fully as the chair.

  3. Assume they haven't read your résumé

    California's state guide for candidates says most interviewers haven't read your application, so repeat what matters.

  4. Answer every part of the question

    The same guide says each part of a question is scored. Take a breath first if you need to, and ask them to repeat a part you lost.

  5. Use their names

    Refer back to what someone said, by name.

    Say“As [name] mentioned, [their point]. In my last role, I [what you did].”

  6. On a video call

    Panelists may join from different places on one call and take turns, Indeed's guide for employers notes. Say the name of the person you're answering.

How to prepare for a panel interview

  1. 1

    Find out who's on it

    Ask the recruiter for the panelists' names and roles, then look them up. CareerOneStop suggests researching each interviewer ahead of time.

  2. 2

    Prepare for each chair

    For each panelist, a story that fits what their job cares about, and a couple of questions for them. CareerOneStop suggests questions for each person when you meet a team.

  3. 3

    Rehearse out loud, with follow-ups

    California's state guide tells candidates to practice behavioral answers out loud. Have someone ask follow-ups too, because panelists can.

After the interview. CareerOneStop says to send thanks to everyone you met with, so write to each panelist.

Rehearse the answers a panel will ask for

NailedIt has one AI interviewer, not a panel, so it can't put several people in front of you. It does ask the kind of questions real hiring managers ask, out loud, follow up on thin answers and score five skills. Your first two scored mocks are free, with no card.

Start a free mock interview

More guides: Phone screen questions · Salary expectations · Phone interview tips · Calming interview nerves · Negotiating a job offer · What not to say in an interview · Asking for a raise · Practicing for an interview · Answering interview questions · Why it's hard to find a job · Asking for a promotion