• Understand who should be included in the interview process
• Understand how to develop effective questions for interviews
• Understand how to conduct a remote interview
• Understand how to conduct an in-person interview

Interviewers and Interview Formats

Who participates in an interview is determined by a number of factors such as organizational culture, internal HR policies, position-specific needs, and business or industry practice.

one-on-one interviews

One-on-one interviews are meetings between two individuals.

One-on-one interviews are commonly conducted by an HR representative or the hiring manager. These interviews may take place over the phone, in person, or by video call.

series interview

In a series interview, also known as a serial or sequential interview, a candidate is evaluated in a series of one-on-one interviews with multiple interviewers.

These interviewers usually include an HR representative, the hiring manager, and representatives from the teams the position is a part of and works with. Each interviewer will have a unique perspective and ask questions unique to their understanding of the job and its function within the company. Typically interviewers will all discuss their observations and evaluations with the hiring manager, who will make the final decision.

panel interview

In a panel interview, a group of several interviewers meets with the candidate at the same time.

When using this format, interviewers generally ask an established set of questions in order while taking notes. In some organizations, interviewers will fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form is similar to a grading rubric, with individual questions weighted like evaluation criteria and totaling 100 percent.

After the interview, participants compare their observations and evaluations. Potential benefits of a panel interview include a broader and more reliable evaluation of a candidate’s abilities and greater ownership of the results, which may also extend to greater support for the successful candidate during the onboarding process and beyond.

There are, however, some potential drawbacks of a panel interview:

• If a member of the interviewing team feels a particular candidate is a competitive threat, they may use the evaluation to sabotage the candidate.
• If an interviewer resents the position or feels it should be filled by a friend or colleague, results will be skewed.
• If an individual interviewer or the interview committee makes a hiring recommendation that’s overruled by management, there may be resentment toward the successful candidate and a decrease in the individual or committee members’ engagement or motivation.

Regardless of the format used, those involved in the selection process should be trained in effective interviewing techniques and briefed on questions that may not be asked for legal reasons.