TL;DR
- A group interview assesses several candidates at the same time, through shared questions, a discussion or a task. A panel interview is the reverse: one candidate is questioned by several interviewers.
- Employers use group interviews when they have several vacancies or want to see how people work with others. Panels bring more than one view to the decision, which Acas recommends as a way to reduce the risk of discrimination.
- Both formats need structure to be fair: criteria set in advance, the same questions or task for everyone, trained assessors who score separately, and adjustments for candidates who need them.
An invitation arrives: “You are invited to a group interview on Thursday.” Does that mean a room full of rival candidates, or a table full of interviewers? People use the words loosely, and the two experiences are very different. It pays to know which one you are walking into.
This article explains what a group interview is, how it differs from a panel interview, how each one works, how employers can run them fairly and how candidates can do well in either.
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What is a group interview?
A group interview is a selection method in which several candidates are assessed at the same time. They may answer questions in turn, discuss a problem together or complete a task as a team while assessors watch.
Prospects, the UK graduate careers service, describes it in its guide to interview tests and exercises as “an interview alongside fellow candidates”. It explains what the employer is looking for: “Employers are interested in your engagement with others in a competitive situation.”
Prospects adds that group exercises, usually involving eight to ten candidates, “are often used in assessment centres or when organisations have multiple vacancies”. That is the usual setting: graduate schemes, seasonal hiring and customer-facing work, where an employer needs to see many people and the job involves working with others.
What is a panel interview?
A panel interview is the reverse. One candidate is interviewed by several people at once. The Cambridge Business English Dictionary defines an interview panel as “a group of people who ask someone questions to see if they are suitable for a job or course”.
A panel often has two to five members, such as the hiring manager, a colleague from the team, someone from HR and sometimes a senior leader or a person from another department. Panels are often used in the public sector, education and healthcare, and for senior roles.
There is a good reason for them. Acas, in its guidance on interviewing job applicants, advises: “If possible, each interview should be carried out by more than 1 person to reduce the risk of discriminating.” Several people notice more, and check one another's first impressions.
- Group interview: many candidates, assessed together.
- Panel interview: one candidate, several interviewers.
Some employers combine the two in an assessment day.
How do group interviews work?
Formats vary, but most follow a pattern.
- Welcome and briefing. The employer introduces the organisation and the role, and explains the session. Often there is an ice-breaker. Prospects gives the example of “building a tower from straws, paper and pins”.
- Introductions. Each candidate says a little about themselves.
- Shared questions. The interviewer puts questions to the group, and candidates answer in turn or as they choose.
- A group task. Prospects describes two common kinds. In a discussion, “you're usually given a business scenario and asked to reach a logical conclusion”. In a role play, each candidate takes a function in a mock meeting.
- Observation. Assessors watch and take notes against the criteria.
- Short individual interviews, sometimes, for those who did well.
What are assessors scoring? Prospects lists the competencies that group exercises test, among them communication, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, persuasiveness and decisiveness. Notice that they are watching how you work with people, not only what you say.
A longer version is the assessment centre. Prospects' guide to assessment centres describes “a combination of tasks and activities that test your suitability for a job”, held over anything from an afternoon to two days, in which assessors “score your actions against competency frameworks”.
How does a panel interview work?
- Before. The panel agrees the criteria, the questions and who will ask what. One person chairs.
- Opening. The chair introduces everybody and explains the format.
- Questions. Members take turns, each usually covering an area: technical skills, experience, behaviour, motivation. Others take notes.
- Your questions. The candidate asks theirs.
- Scoring. Members score separately against the criteria before they discuss, so that the most senior voice does not set everyone's view.
- Decision. The panel compares scores and evidence, and the chair records the reasons.
Why employers use each format
| Format | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Group interview | Sees many candidates quickly. Shows teamwork and communication in action | Favours confident talkers. Quiet, capable people can be overlooked |
| Panel interview | Several views, less individual bias, one sitting instead of many | Intimidating. Hard to schedule. A dominant member can sway the others |
Neither format replaces evidence of whether someone can do the job. Use a work sample or structured questions alongside it. Our list of interview questions to ask candidates gives a starting set.
How to run a fair group interview: six steps
- Set the criteria first. Decide what you are assessing, from the job description, and how each point will be scored. Do not score “presence”.
- Tell candidates the format. Say in the invitation that it is a group interview, how long it lasts and what it involves. Our interview call message templates show how.
- Ask about adjustments. Acas is clear: “By law you must ask anyone coming to an interview to tell you if they need reasonable adjustments so they can attend.” A group format can disadvantage some disabled candidates, so be ready to offer an alternative.
- Give everyone the same task and questions. Acas advises asking each applicant the same questions where possible, to ensure that you are treating applicants in the same way.
- Use trained assessors who score separately. Give each assessor named candidates to observe, a scoring sheet and a rule against conferring until the scores are in.
- Decide on evidence, and keep records. Acas suggests checking that decisions are based on how each applicant met each point in the job description and person specification. Store notes securely and follow data protection rules.
The same six steps suit a panel, with one addition: agree in advance who asks what.
Five habits for candidates in a group interview
First, find out the format. Ask whether you will meet a group of candidates or a panel of interviewers, how long it will last and whether there is a task. Then prepare as for any interview: know the job description, and have examples ready. Our guide to strengths and weaknesses can help.
In the room, five habits matter.
- Contribute early. Prospects advises candidates to “actively contribute, making your points clearly, concisely and confidently”. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to speak.
- Listen. Prospects warns: “don't criticise, interrupt or undermine others”. Assessors notice who is paying attention.
- Build on others. Prospects suggests openings such as “I agree and would like to add that”, which show that you heard the point and can take it further.
- Include others. Invite a quieter candidate in. Prospects offers the line “Does anyone want to add to this?”.
- Keep time. Watch the clock, summarise where the group has got to and help it to reach a conclusion. That is leadership without dominance.
Be courteous from the door, because in a group interview the assessment may start in the waiting area.
In a panel interview, answer the whole table. Begin with the person who asked, then include the others with your eyes. Note names at the start, and use them. Afterwards, send a short note of thanks, and ask when you can expect to hear.
Common mistakes by employers
Rewarding volume. The person who speaks most is not the person who contributed most.
No criteria. Without them, a group interview measures charm.
Surprising candidates. Springing a group format on people tests their nerves, not their ability.
An untrained panel. Members who have not read the applications, or who ask improvised personal questions, create legal risk.
Conferring before scoring. Discussion first produces agreement with the loudest assessor.
Forgetting the candidate's experience. Every candidate in the room is also a customer and a future applicant. Tell them when they will hear, and keep the promise.
Frequently asked questions
What is a group interview?
A group interview is a selection method in which several candidates are assessed at the same time. They may answer shared questions, take part in a discussion or complete a task together while assessors observe how they communicate and work with others.
How do group interviews work?
Most begin with a briefing and introductions, followed by shared questions and a group task such as a discussion, a problem to solve or a role play. Assessors watch and score each candidate against set competencies. Short individual interviews may follow.
What is a panel interview?
A panel interview is one in which a single candidate is questioned by several interviewers at once, usually two to five people such as the hiring manager, a team member and an HR representative. Each member scores the candidate, and the panel decides together.
What is the difference between a group interview and a panel interview?
In a group interview there are several candidates and they are assessed together. In a panel interview there is one candidate and several interviewers. Some employers use the term group interview for both, so ask which format to expect.
How do you stand out in a group interview?
Contribute early and clearly, listen, build on other people's points, include quieter members, keep the task moving and stay courteous throughout. Assessors are looking for people who work well with others, not for the person who talks most.
Are group interviews fair?
They can be, if the employer sets criteria in advance, gives everyone the same task, uses trained assessors who score separately and offers adjustments. Without that structure, they tend to favour confident talkers over capable candidates.
Your next step
If you are hiring, write down the three things that you most need to see, and design the task around them. If you are a candidate, ask about the format today, and practise two openings that build on another person's point.
For the whole hiring process, from the advert to the offer, read and download our recruitment and selection guide. The guide is free to read, and the PDF uses our short download form.
Want new hires to start with clear goals and regular feedback? Book a New Dynamics demo and bring your current approach. You can also email contact@new-dynamics.com.
