In this guide
Interviews and salary conversations
How to handle a panel interview
Why panels ask set questions and score each answer, who usually sits on them, and how to keep eye contact and your examples working for everyone in the room.
Why organisations use panels
Panels are common in the public sector, education, healthcare, charities and larger companies. Several interviewers hearing the same answers makes the decision fairer and easier to defend, so the questions are often fixed in advance and asked to every candidate in the same order.
That has one practical consequence: the panel may not follow up if your answer misses part of the question. Each answer has to be complete first time.
Who sits on a panel and what each wants
| Panel member | Usually listening for |
|---|---|
| Hiring manager | Whether you can do the job and fit how the team works |
| Senior colleague or peer | Technical or practical depth |
| HR or recruitment partner | Consistency, values and the process being followed |
| Stakeholder from another team | How you would work with people outside the team |
| Service user or student representative (in some sectors) | How you would treat the people the role serves |
If the invitation does not name the panel, it is reasonable to ask who will be interviewing you. Knowing that someone from finance is attending, for example, tells you to have a budget example ready.
Answering several people at once
- Start your answer looking at the person who asked the question.
- As you give the example, glance around the panel so everyone feels included.
- Return to the questioner for your final point, so the answer has a clear end.
- If panel members are writing while you speak, pause briefly between parts of your answer rather than speeding up.
Note-taking is part of scoring, not a sign you have lost them. Silence after an answer often means they are finishing notes.
Making each answer score
Panels often score against the criteria in the job description or person specification. Read the question for its criterion: a question about a time you handled competing deadlines is probably scoring planning and prioritisation, so the answer should show both.
Illustrative example
An answer that covers the whole question
Before
Question: Tell us about a time you had to manage competing priorities and how you kept others informed. Answer covers only how the work was reorganised.
After
The same answer adds one sentence on communication: “I emailed both team leads that afternoon with the revised dates and the reason, so neither found out at the deadline.”
Two-part questions are common on panels. Answering only the first part can lose half the marks for that question.
Questions at the end
When the panel invites questions, direct each to the person best placed to answer it. A question about the team's priorities goes to the hiring manager; a question about training or induction may suit the HR member. It shows you noticed who does what.
Common questions
Can I ask the panel to repeat a question?
Yes. Fixed-question panels expect it, and some will give you the question in writing. It is better than answering a different question.
Should I shake hands with everyone?
Follow the panel's lead. A smile and a greeting to each person is enough if handshakes are not offered.
Put it into practice
Prepare with interview practiceDrafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.