Why Are Panel Interviews Intimidating for Veterans?

You have stood in front of senior officers, delivered briefs under pressure, and reported to people who could end your career with a word. But sitting across from four civilians in business casual who are all staring at you with clipboards? That hits different.

Panel interviews involve two to six interviewers asking questions simultaneously or in rotation. They are standard in federal government hiring, common in healthcare, education, and large corporations, and increasingly popular in mid-size companies that want multiple perspectives on candidates. If you are applying to federal positions through USAJOBS, expect a panel almost every time.

The intimidation factor for veterans usually comes from two places. First, you are used to one-on-one conversations, not performing for a group of evaluators who are all scoring you at the same time. Second, military briefings follow a rigid format where you control the flow. Panel interviews are unpredictable. Questions come from different people, in different styles, and you cannot predict the sequence.

The good news is that panel interviews actually favor prepared candidates. Because the format is structured, the questions are usually predictable, and your competition is likely as nervous as you are. Veterans who prepare specifically for the panel format consistently outperform those who treat it like a regular interview.

How Do Panel Interviews Work?

Understanding the mechanics of a panel interview removes most of the mystery. Here is what to expect before you walk in the door.

The panel typically includes the hiring manager, a representative from HR, and one or two people who would be your peers or cross-functional partners. In federal interviews, the panel may also include a subject matter expert who evaluates technical competency. Each panelist usually has assigned questions, and they rotate through them.

Most panels use a structured format where every candidate gets the same questions in the same order. This is especially true in federal hiring, where equity in the interview process is legally required. The panelists score your answers independently on a rubric, and the scores are compared after all candidates have been interviewed.

Panel interviews usually last 30-60 minutes. You will typically face 5-8 questions, which means you have roughly 4-7 minutes per question including the panelist reading it aloud and you answering. Plan your answers to be 60-90 seconds each, leaving room for follow-ups.

Some panels allow follow-up questions. Others do not. If the panel is strictly structured (common in federal hiring), the interviewers may not be able to ask clarifying questions even if they want to. This means your answers need to be complete and self-contained. You will not get a prompt to elaborate.

Dominic Landed a Six-Figure Role
With a Top Defense Firm.

"The most effective resource I used in my transition."
— Dominic, E-7, Marines

Read their story →

Federal (USAJOBS) & private sector formats Translates military jargon into civilian language Tailored to each job — not a generic template

Get My Free Resume

2 free tailored resumes, cover letters & LinkedIn optimization

How Do You Make Eye Contact with Multiple Interviewers?

This is the number one tactical question veterans ask about panel interviews. In a one-on-one interview, eye contact is simple. With four people watching you, it feels impossible to give everyone adequate attention without looking like you are watching a tennis match.

Here is the approach that works: direct your primary eye contact to the person who asked the question, but include the rest of the panel with brief glances at natural transition points in your answer. When you start a new thought or make a key point, shift your gaze to another panelist for a few seconds, then return to the questioner.

Think of it like briefing a room. You are primarily addressing the person who asked, but you are including the room. Do not lock eyes with one person for your entire answer. Do not rapidly scan back and forth. Settle on the questioner for the first sentence, glance at another panelist during your second point, and finish your answer looking at the questioner again.

If one panelist seems disengaged or is writing notes and not looking up, do not force eye contact with them. Focus on the people who are actively listening. They will catch up when they review their notes.

What Questions Should You Expect in a Panel Interview?

Panel interviews tend to use behavioral and situational questions. The most common categories are the same ones you would face in any interview, but the panel format means you need tighter, more structured answers because multiple people are scoring you simultaneously.

Prepare answers using the STAR method for the most common veteran interview questions. Leadership, conflict resolution, problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork are the five competencies that show up in almost every panel interview regardless of industry.

Federal panels will often ask questions directly tied to the competencies listed in the job announcement. Before a federal panel interview, print out the vacancy announcement and highlight every competency under "How You Will Be Evaluated." Then prepare a STAR story for each one. This is not optional for federal interviews. It is the scoring rubric they are using.

Some panels include a situational question: "What would you do if..." These test your judgment and critical thinking in real time. For these, take a breath before answering, outline your approach, and explain your reasoning. Panelists are scoring your thought process, not just your answer.

You may also face technical or role-specific questions if a subject matter expert is on the panel. Review the job description carefully and be ready to discuss specific tools, processes, or methodologies mentioned in the posting.

What Should You Do Before, During, and After a Panel Interview?

Before the Interview

Research every panelist if possible. If the interview invitation includes names and titles, look them up on LinkedIn. Understanding who is in the room helps you tailor your examples. If the hiring manager is from operations and the HR rep focuses on culture fit, you know which aspects of your stories to emphasize for each person.

Prepare 8-10 STAR stories that cover the major competency categories. Write them out, practice them aloud, and time each one. Bring a notepad and pen to the interview. You may want to jot down the question before answering, especially if it is long or has multiple parts.

Prepare your own questions for the panel. Good questions show genuine interest and help you evaluate the opportunity. Ask different panelists different questions based on their role. Ask the hiring manager about team priorities. Ask the HR rep about onboarding or professional development. This shows you see them as individuals, not a faceless group.

During the Interview

When a panelist asks a question, pause for two or four seconds before answering. This is not awkward. It shows you are thinking about the question rather than reciting a prepared script. In a panel setting, this pause is even more important because it gives you time to pick the right story for the right audience.

Address every panelist by name if you know their names. "That is a great question, Ms. Rodriguez" personalizes the interaction and shows you are paying attention to each individual. If you did not catch someone's name, it is perfectly fine to ask at the beginning.

If a question catches you off guard, it is okay to say "let me think about that for a moment" before answering. Panelists respect this more than a rushed, rambling answer. Take five seconds, organize your thoughts, and deliver a structured response.

After the Interview

Send a thank-you email within 24 hours. If possible, send individual emails to each panelist that reference something specific from your conversation with them. If you only have one contact email, send one message that acknowledges the full panel. Keep it brief: thank them, reference a specific part of the conversation you found valuable, and reaffirm your interest in the role.

How Are Panel Interviews Different for Federal Jobs?

Federal panel interviews follow stricter rules than private sector panels. Understanding these rules gives you a significant advantage.

Every candidate gets the exact same questions. Panelists cannot deviate from the script or ask follow-up questions in many federal agencies. This means your answers must be complete on the first pass. Do not assume someone will prompt you to keep going or ask for clarification.

Panelists score each answer independently using a standardized rubric. Your total score determines your ranking against other candidates. This is why structure matters so much. A well-organized STAR answer is easier for panelists to score highly than a rambling response that buries the key information.

Federal panels often include a note-taker or recorder who is not part of the scoring process. Do not be thrown off by someone in the room who is writing constantly but never asks a question. They are documenting the process for compliance purposes.

Some federal interviews allow you to bring notes or a portfolio. If this is the case, bring printed copies of your key STAR stories and reference them if you need to. Check with the interview coordinator beforehand to find out if this is allowed.

Your resume is the foundation that got you into the interview room. Make sure it aligns with the stories you are telling. If you used translated military experience on your resume, your interview answers should reinforce those same accomplishments in greater detail.

How Do You Handle Curveball Questions from the Panel?

Even in structured panels, you will occasionally face a question you did not prepare for. Maybe it is a technical question outside your area of expertise, a hypothetical scenario you have never considered, or a behavioral question about a competency you did not anticipate.

Do not panic. Take your pause. Then use this framework for unknown questions: acknowledge the question, connect it to a relevant experience, and deliver your best answer using whatever story fits closest. "I have not faced that exact situation, but a similar challenge I handled was..." keeps you in the game without pretending to have experience you do not have.

If the question is genuinely outside your knowledge, say so honestly and explain how you would approach finding the answer. "I am not familiar with that specific regulation, but my process for learning new compliance requirements involves [specific steps]." Honesty combined with a clear learning approach scores better than a bluffed answer that the subject matter expert on the panel will immediately see through.

Veterans tend to perform well under pressure, and a curveball question is just pressure in a different uniform. Use the same calm, structured approach you used when things went sideways during your service. The panelists are watching how you handle uncertainty as much as they are listening to your answer.

Strong interview preparation starts before the interview room. If you need help building a resume that gets you in front of panels in the first place, your LinkedIn profile and resume should tell the same professional story.

Walk Into the Panel With Confidence

Panel interviews reward preparation more than any other interview format. The questions are predictable, the scoring is structured, and the candidates who arrive with practiced STAR stories and a clear strategy outperform those who wing it.

Research the panelists. Prepare 8-10 STAR stories covering the major competency categories. Practice eye contact distribution. Pause before answering. Address panelists by name. Send individual thank-you emails. These are the specific tactics that separate the candidate who gets the offer from the four others who interviewed the same day.

You have briefed rooms full of people whose decisions carried real consequences. A panel of civilian hiring managers is a smaller room with lower stakes. Prepare like you would for any mission brief: know your material, know your audience, and execute with confidence. The panel format is built for someone with your training.

Practice with BMR: Try the free Interview Preparation tool to get AI-powered practice questions tailored to your target role.