One of the most fascinating parts of my job as a recruiter is getting to experience the full arc of the candidate journey: the excitement I hear from the candidate leading up to a panel interview, observing the interview itself, and then participating in the candid debrief conversation that begins the moment the candidate leaves the room.
- “That person would be great to work with.”
- “Excellent examples, great storyteller”
- ”Strong executive presence and communication skills”
Other times, even when the résumé was impressive and the technical background looked strong, the discussion becomes more hesitant:
- “I’m not sure whether she actually answered the question.”
- “He was difficult to follow.”
- “She used the same example for everything”
As a senior recruiter at UCOP, I have sat through hundreds of panel interviews over the past 15 years, from student interns to senior executives. Candidates often ask recruiters for candid feedback after an interview, but recruiters have to be careful with the type of feedback we share. Feedback has to remain fair, consistent, job-related, and not based on subjective impressions that could be misunderstood. Even a well-intentioned comment like “you did not communicate clearly” can land differently than intended, especially if a candidate feels it may relate to accent, disability, nerves, or another personal factor.
That is one reason I wanted to write this article. I cannot always give candidates the full behind-the-scenes debrief, but I can share the patterns I have seen repeatedly about what helps candidates stand out in a panel interview.
In part one of this two-part series, I will be sharing what panel members are often saying and thinking during the debrief discussion. Part two, published in June, will focus on how candidates can prepare and present themselves in ways that help the panel see them as a strong hire.
For UC employees, it is no surprise that UC is consensus-based for pretty much everything. Hiring managers and panelists are required to review anti-bias training before participating in a panel, and they generally come in with the best intention to follow policy, fairness principles, and common sense. Candidates are asked the same core questions, evaluated against the same criteria, and reviewed by a group of typically 3-5 people, not just one person’s opinion or decision.
That structure can sometimes lead to stiffness that candidates may not feel in a typical 1:1 interview. But the underlying question is still the same: Has this person effectively demonstrated that they would be able to do this job well?
What Interview Panelists Are Saying
One of the most common comments I hear is, “They didn’t really answer the question.”
This feedback is not about intelligence. It is about clarity. A candidate may provide a long answer full of background information, technical jargon, or résumé highlights, but the panel is left trying to locate the actual answer. During a debrief, that type of ambiguity (or lack of clarity) creates uncertainty. Sometimes nerves get in the way and panels empathize with this, but if it is a struggle to organize their thoughts consistently throughout the interview, panelists may wonder how they will communicate in a meeting, explain a risk, or respond under pressure.
Another frequent concern is, “They were difficult to follow.”
Similarly to not answering the question, some candidates will go down rabbit holes, add too many unnecessary details, or find themselves forgetting the question and just recounting a long story that is not clearly connected to the question. This too may be related to nerves, but panelists can’t help but start imagining real workplace situations. Could this person lead a meeting? Could they explain a problem to stakeholders? Could they represent the team professionally? Would executives, clients, or campus partners trust them?
Candidates do not need to sound like professional public speakers. Even for candidates who are naturally quieter or introverted, what matters is whether the communication feels organized, genuine, and clear.
Panelists also notice when candidates are too abstract.
- “I’m a strong collaborator.”
- “I’m very strategic.”
- “I’m passionate about leadership.”
Those are fine statements, but how has the candidate demonstrated those things? The statements do not prove very much by themselves. In the debrief, panelists want to remember a specific example: the challenge, the decision, the candidate’s role, the outcome, and what the person learned. Specific examples build credibility. Vague answers are easy to forget once the interview is over.
Another type of vague answer panelists notice is when candidates do not specifically identify their own contributions. Panelists often share that the candidate had a lot to say, but kept using the royal ‘we.’ The person evaluating is left wondering what it was that the candidate actually did, which is not the impression any candidate wants to leave.
Internal candidates can face their own version of this problem. Because they may already know the panel, they sometimes become too casual or assume everyone already understands their work. They may gloss over accomplishments, use shorthand, or forget to explain the scope and impact of what they have done. But a panel interview is still a professional competitive evaluation, even when the panel includes colleagues.
I have also heard panelists say, “They used the same example for everything.”
Candidates absolutely should prepare stories ahead of time. But if every answer comes back to the same project, the panel may start to wonder whether the person’s experience is narrower than it looked on paper. Strong candidates usually have several examples ready, such as examples of leadership conflict, technical problem-solving, collaboration, a failure (and what they learned from it), adaptability, or judgment.
The questions candidates ask at the end of the interview matter more than people realize.
When a candidate asks very generic questions, such as “What are the next steps?”, or says they have no questions at all, the panel may interpret that as a lack of preparation, curiosity, or genuine interest in the role.
Thoughtful questions can reveal how seriously a candidate is considering the opportunity, how well they are trying to understand the organization, and how they think about success. When it is the candidate’s turn to ask questions, they never want to say, “No, I do not have any questions.” Even internal candidates who already know the team and feel like everything was covered can almost always find something meaningful to ask. A strong question can leave the panel with one final impression that the candidate is engaged, prepared, and already thinking about how to contribute. We will get more into the types of questions strong interviewers ask in part two.
Final Thoughts
Hiring managers are evaluating more than whether someone can do the technical work. They are also thinking about risk. They do not want to jeopardize hard-earned relationships with customers, colleagues, executives, or campus partners by hiring someone who may struggle to communicate clearly, navigate sensitive situations, or build trust.
In the end, debrief conversations often come back to a few core questions:
- Did this person answer what we asked?
- Were they clear?
- Did their examples feel credible?
- Did they show sound judgment?
- Could we picture working with them every day?
Panelists take time to jot down their thoughts, score how well they believe the candidate answered each question, and then have a thoughtful discussion (sometimes even a heartfelt debate) about the candidate’s strengths, concerns, and overall fit for the role. That is the part candidates do not get to hear.
In part two, I’ll share how candidates can use these insights to prepare more strategically, tell stronger stories, and present themselves in a way that leads the panel to say, “this is the candidate to beat.”
Stay tuned…
Additional Resources
How To Succeed in a Panel Interview: Tips and Questions
How to Ace Your Next Panel Interview
12 Tips To Prepare for a Successful Panel Interview
Look for Inside the Interview Debrief, Part Two: How to Help the Panel See You as a Strong Hire in June.
Author
Connie Tremblay
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner / Executive Recruiter
University of CA Office of the President
About the Professional Growth Series
Our new Professional Growth series will explore topics such as mentorship, interviewing, career pathways, and learning and development opportunities, with a focus on helping employees grow, connect, and thrive across the UC system.
