Interview Panel Insights

After 16+ years of working in tech and interviewing 500+ candidates, I can say that the most technically skilled candidate often doesn’t get the job. In fact, I’ve seen the most technically brilliant person in the room lose the offer, more than once. Because once you’ve proven you can do the work, the question changes. The panel stops asking, “Can they code/design/ship? And starts asking: Do we actually want to work with this person every day? I’ve seen candidates talk down to interviewers, and brilliant minds fail to explain their ideas clearly. Every time, they didn’t get the offer. And then someone slightly less technical came in who was collaborative, clear, and easy to work with, and got the job. So here's what you should do to stand out. 1. Explain things simply If interviewers can’t follow your thinking, they won’t trust you to communicate in a team. Practice explaining your ideas as if you were talking to a smart friend outside your field. 2. Share credit, not just results Talk about how you worked with the designers, QAs, and the PMs. That signals you know how to play as part of a team. 3. Stay humble Panels don’t want a know-it-all. The best candidates say things like, “There are a couple of approaches here, and here’s how I’d weigh the trade-offs.” That shows maturity and openness, two traits teams trust. 4. Don’t underestimate likability This one decides more offers than you’d think. In debriefs, I’ve heard panels say, “I don’t know if they were the strongest technically, but I’d love to work with them.” This is the reality of hiring in modern product organizations. Competence gets you considered, but likability, communication, collaboration, and trust decide if you’re chosen. Repost this if it resonated. P.S. Follow me if you are a tech job seeker in the U.S. or Canada. I share real stories and proven strategies to help you land interviews at the top companies.

What happens behind the scenes in hiring panels - and how to influence it. Let’s demystify something a lot of experienced candidates get wrong: ✅ The interview isn’t over when you leave the room. ✅ It’s just beginning… for them. Here’s what happens after your final panel: The team regroups. 🗣️ “What did you think?” 🗣️ “Would you want to work with them?” 🗣️ “Do they get our world?” 🗣️ “Can they deliver at this level?” 🗣️ “Any concerns?” This is where offers are made - or quietly die. So how do you influence that conversation before it happens? 🎯 1. Think beyond one good answer. You’re not there to win over one person - you’re there to leave 4–5 people aligned on your strengths. Every response should serve a bigger narrative: 💬 “This is how I think.” 💬 “This is how I lead.” 💬 “This is how I solve problems that matter.” 🎯 2. Don’t just speak to the panel - read the panel. Some will go quiet. Some will challenge you. Some are half-convinced. Your job isn’t to impress. It’s to connect. Ask clarifying questions. Bridge gaps. Build trust across the table. A great panelist might advocate for you. A sceptical one might block you. 🎯 3. Preempt what they’ll say after you leave. Instead of hoping they don’t bring up a weakness - address it head-on: 🗣️ “I haven’t worked in your exact industry before, but here’s how I’ve ramped quickly in new domains.” 🗣️ “This role spans cross-functional teams - I’d love to share how I’ve led across silos.” You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be trusted. 🎯 4. The best candidates influence the recap. They don’t just give strong answers. They shape a story the panel can repeat: 👉 “She’s clearly strategic.” 👉 “He listens and adapts.” 👉 “They’ve led through complexity before.” That’s what turns a panel into a champion. Bottom line? Don’t just prepare to answer questions. Prepare to influence the conversation that happens after you’ve logged off. Because that’s where decisions are really made. #InterviewTips #PanelInterviews #JobSearchStrategy #LeadershipHiring #SeniorJobs #CareerGrowth #HiringInsights #InterviewPreparation

During the last few years, I have interviewed many PhD students for my positions and colleagues, and I found that sometimes students are confused about what they could expect. Here are a few things that might be useful to know for students. 1. Know your CV Start by reviewing your own CV thoroughly. Panel members will likely ask questions directly based on your experience, previous research, projects, or skills you've listed. 2. Understand the interview format If it’s not already clear, ask who will be in the interview panel. Is it just the potential supervisor or a group of academics? Don’t hesitate to ask what the interview will cover. It’s completely appropriate and helpful to clarify this in advance. 3. Research the panel members Take time to look up their research, publications, recent projects, and social media profiles. 4. Learn about the university, department, group and perhaps the country Get familiar with the university, its research culture, and the country where it’s located. Learn about the department, other academics working there, ongoing projects, and potential research centers you could be involved in. 5. Prepare to talk About your research: You should be able to clearly explain your past research, your contribution to any publications or projects. Stick to short, clear explanations and avoid lengthy introductions. Don't panic if the panel members ask you a few technical questions; usually, they won't be hard questions, and you will be fine if you have done your work. 6. Practice how you introduce yourself: If asked to introduce yourself, briefly cover your academic background, any research you’ve done, your technical or domain-specific skills, and anything else you think is necessary. 7. Prepare a few good questions to ask the panel You can ask about supervisory style and meeting frequency, opportunities to collaborate or publish, department culture and PhD community, etc. 8. Be ready to discuss future plans You might be asked: “Where do you see yourself after your PhD?” There’s no one right answer, but having a direction (academia, industry, policy, etc.) shows that you’ve thought things through. 9. Logistics check Most interviews are online these days. Make sure you test your internet, camera, and microphone ahead of time. Choose a quiet location, keep your CV and notes nearby, and dress well. 10. Above All: Be Genuine You don’t need to pretend to know everything or exaggerate. What matters most is your curiosity, your motivation, and how you behave. Be yourself, people can tell when you’re being real.

The 4 reasons candidates fail panel presentations (after 800+ SE & AE interviews reviewed) We’ve analyzed 700+ AE and SE panel presentations/demos Across US, Europe, and APAC The most common rejection reasons: #1: Low energy If you're not excited about what you're selling, your audience won't be either. In technical demos, this is deadly - buyers tune out when you sound robotic walking through features. → Show up with energy. Your tone and presence should make people want to act. Even when covering integrations or back-end functionality, your delivery needs to stay engaging. #2: Zero interaction They present at people, not with them. No questions or check-ins. Discovery doesn't end when the demo starts - you need to keep validating their environment, tech stack, and pain points throughout. → Make it a conversation. Use open-ended questions to involve your audience and keep them engaged. #3: Feature dumps They walk through what the product does without explaining why anyone should care. Buyers don't care that you have single sign-on or custom dashboards - they care about increasing revenue by 20% or giving their ops team visibility they've never had. → Connect features to outcomes. Show how your solution solves their problems and drives results for their business. #4: Poor question & objection handling Interview demos put candidates on the spot with questions they won’t always know the answer to, and that’s where many fall apart. They panic, ramble, or bluff instead of simply saying they don’t know. → Ask clarifying questions first. If you still don’t have the answer, say you’ll research it and follow up. Interviewers often ask questions they know you won’t have an answer to - not to trick you, but to see how you handle it. How you respond matters more than having the “right” answer. ____ Getting these four right is critical to landing a job offer. If any of them feel uncomfortable, practice with a friend and get honest feedback. Best of luck to anyone interviewing in 2026! 🙏

My best interview advice? Know your audience. Don’t just prepare for questions. Prepare for what each interviewer 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨 to hear to move you forward. Every person in the process has a different priority. Here’s how to think about it: 👇 --- 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵? The recruiter’s job is to filter out misaligned candidates. They’re checking: - Do you have the right experience? - Do your salary expectations fit (given your exp)? If they can’t quickly see you’re a fit, you won’t move forward. Connect the dots for them—don’t make them work for it! --- 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆? Hiring managers don’t just want qualified candidates. They need someone who can: - Learn fast and adapt - Start driving results with minimal hand-holding This is where your past success stories matter most! Come prepared with 3-5 strong ones. --- 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂? It’s not just about being likable. They want: - A reliable, competent collaborator - Someone who carries their weight - A culture fit (easy to work with) Make it clear that you’ll add value—not extra work or drama 😅 --- 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀: 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺? Panelists are assessing: - Clear communication - Confidence under pressure - Storytelling skills Be prepared to ask questions and keep their attention. Clear, confident delivery is crucial! --- 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? Executives think big picture. They’re wondering: - Are you a risk? - Will you elevate the team? - Can you drive long-term success? Do deep research, be bold, and come ready to handle possible concerns. 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 "𝘆𝗲𝘀." It will help you prioritize your prep and nail your interviews 👌

After giving & conducting 100+ coding interviews over the past 12+ years at startups and MAANG+ companies, I’ve realized one thing: —Interviews aren’t about who writes the most code. —they’re about who thinks in the most structured way. Here are 30 key insights I’ve learned from sitting on both sides of the table - as an interviewee striving to prove my skills and as an interviewer evaluating candidates:   - Communicate trade-offs clearly - Test your code with multiple cases - Start with a brute force, then improve - Clarify edge cases & constraints early - Know when to trade-off time vs. space - Explain time & space complexity upfront - Know when to use BFS vs. DFS in graphs - Optimize only after correctness is ensured - Don’t overcomplicate: simple solutions win - Think out loud & show your thought process - Handle errors & unexpected inputs gracefully - Use stack for problems with nested structures - Understand system design even at junior levels - Recognize patterns (many problems are variations) - Cache results for repeated calculations (Memoization) - Understand when to use heaps & priority queues - Confidence matters(believe in your approach) - Master sliding window for subarray questions - Use binary search for optimization problems - Use modular functions for better readability - Know when recursion vs. iteration is better - Use meaningful variable & function names - Write clean, readable, and modular code - Divide & conquer for large problem sets - Refactor before finalizing your solution Understand the problem before coding - Use two pointers for array problems - Use hash maps for quick lookups - Know how to debug efficiently At the end of the day, coding interviews aren’t about memorization, they’re about structured thinking.  Which lesson do you wish you knew earlier?

Panel interviews vs 1-1 interviews. You can't have the same strategy. What to do differently to stand out? In 1-1 interviews, the strategy is: • Research questions and the company • Prepare for the type of interviewer • Have your answers prepared • Have your questions prepared • Build rapport with the person in the room Panel interviews are different: • There are multiple people in the room • There are differing motivations • Questions are coming from all angles So, my mentees change focus with three things: 1. Avatar 2. Alignment 3. Adaptability Let's dig in. -- 1. Avatar Panelists will represent different priorities and roles. Prep for the possibilities: The Leader (Decision-Maker): • Focuses on big-picture results and ROI. • Highlight measurable outcomes and strategic thinking. The Subject Matter Expert (Techie): • Evaluates your technical or domain expertise. • Use frameworks and precise technical language. The Peer (Colleague): • Determines if you’re collaborative and approachable. • Share examples of teamwork and emphasize interpersonal skills. The Skeptic (Challenger): • Tests your ability to handle tough questions. • Stay calm, defend your decision with evidence, and engage diplomatically. • Smile The Cultural Gatekeeper (HR): • Assesses alignment with company values. • Connect your values to the company’s mission and culture. 2. Alignment In panels, shift strategically from "I" to "We" Here are three examples of how to do that: a. Use collaborative language: • "In my last project, our team reduced costs by 20% through joint efforts in automation and streamlining workflows." b. Then, highlight team wins that you delivered: • "I facilitated alignment across 3 teams to deliver a product 2 months early." c. Ask Team-Focused Questions: • "How does the team typically collaborate on cross-functional projects?" 3. Adaptability Panel interviews are dynamic. 💡 You will be tested on how you react to follow-ups or conflicting perspectives. Here are a few ways to be adaptable. Active Listening: • Pay attention to tone and nonverbal cues. • Example: If someone looks confused, pause and clarify: • "Would you like me to elaborate further?" Handling Contradictions: • Acknowledge differing priorities without alienating anyone. • Example: "That’s a great point. Here’s how I’d balance both perspectives…” Adjusting Answers for Depth: • For technical panelists: Dive into the “how.” • For senior leaders: Emphasize the “why.” Engage Everyone: • Start with the question asker, then make eye contact with others. -- Those are the three big changes in strategy! Avatar Alignment Adaptability I hope this post helps to crush your next panel interview. 💪🏽

1,200 people dialed into our panel yesterday. Afterwards, I got a DM from a PM: "Finally... some real talk about the job market!" here's a quick recap 👇 I hosted a panel yesterday titled, "How top companies evaluate PM candidates in 2025". The session had 6.3k signups! I reviewed the recording last night and wow, it was jam-packed with gold nuggets. If you want to understand the mindset of PM hiring managers at top companies like Duolingo, Stripe and LTK... this talk is for you. Big THANK YOU to the incredible product leaders who joined the panel (Stephanie J. Neill at Stripe, Nickey Skarstad at Duolingo, and Chantal Cox at LTK) as well as Claire Chen from the Maven team for helping set this session up for success. Okay, so what did we cover? 📋 Company Interview Processes (8:54 - 16:12) Each panelist walks through their company's PM hiring process from application to offer. You'll learn about Stripe's recent "mini loop" optimization and why Duolingo now encourages AI prototypes in their product presentations. 🤫 Resume Screening Secrets (16:41 - 25:00) What actually catches hiring managers' eyes in 30 seconds, the red flags that get you instantly rejected, and why "Product Owner" vs "Product Manager" matters more than you think. 📞 Hiring Manager Call Deep Dive (25:53 - 37:39) The signals that move you from phone screen to onsite, why not trying the product is a deal breaker, and the questions that reveal whether you'd actually succeed in the role. 🎯 Final Decision Factors (37:40 - 42:24) What separates "thanks but no thanks" from "we need to hire them immediately," why showing only success stories is a red flag, and how to spike in the right areas during your onsite. 🤖 AI's Impact on PM Hiring (49:49 - 55:47) How to leverage AI for interview prep and prototyping, plus the concerning trend of candidates getting caught using LLMs during interviews (and why that's backfiring). 🚀 Career Transition Advice (56:12 - end) Practical guidance for breaking into PM, why internal transfers beat cold applications, and how to position yourself for the future of product management. The authenticity in this panel was off the charts. The raw honesty and "real talk" from these hiring managers about what really happens behind closed doors is something you won't find in typical interview guides. Worth every minute. Full recording: https://lnkd.in/ejvyXvUR

In the last 10 years, I've applied to almost all the MAANG+ companies for Cloud & DevOps positions:  - Applied Twice at Google - Applied to Microsoft (Cleared 3 rounds) - Applied to Amazon Twice - Applied to Meta (for Production Engineer_ - Had a chance to sit in for the SRE interview at Apple Each time, I went through the hiring processes, I learned a lot from my experiences regarding industry standards & my skills. Here are my learnings from all the interviews (insights that are rarely talked about)  1. Confidence Opens Doors - Walk in with confidence, but back it up with examples from your work.   – Show them how you’ve done similar things before or learned fast on the job.  - Give specific examples of how you created solutions, the more detail you give, the more genuine you seem  2. Talk Out Loud: They Care About Your Thinking Process   - Coding rounds are less about the final answer and more about how you think.   - Always explain why you chose this algorithm, data structure, or approach.  - Example: If I ask you to sort a linked list and array, explain how you’d handle each input without hardcoding.   3. Problem-Solving >>> Memorization   - You won’t be asked standard questions all the time. –They want to see if you can break down problems into smaller steps.   – Focus on understanding the problem statement first.   - Example: At Google, questions often started vague, like “Optimize Spark performance.” You had to ask questions to clarify the scope before jumping in.   4. Business Impact > Fancy Code  - Interviewers love candidates who think about real-world impact, how their work improves systems, reduces costs, or handles failures.  - Don’t just explain your code. Say, “This approach scales better because…” or “This method reduces downtime during outages.”   5. Expect Tricky Questions & Learn to Adapt   - You’ll get questions that test your ability to learn on the go.   - They don’t expect you to know everything but want to see if you can stay calm, ask the right questions, and figure things out.  - Example: Amazon asked about migrating hot and cold storage. Even without prior experience, the key was breaking the problem into steps and proposing ideas.   6. Failures Are Normal, Show How You Recover  - Big Tech doesn’t expect perfect systems, they expect fail-safes.   - Prepare examples where something failed, and you recovered quickly.  - Example: They asked about a time when servers went down during peak hours. My answer focus was on how recovery systems reduced downtime instead of avoiding failures completely.   7. Simplify Your Approach. Don’t Overcomplicate   - Many candidates try to impress with complex answers and overengineered solutions. Don’t.   - Focus on clarity and efficiency. Explain why you’re choosing one approach over another.  - Example: For a database optimization question, start with indexing strategies before diving into custom caching layers.  Continued in the comments ↓

12 things that actually impress hiring panels. I've sat on hundreds of them at Meta and LinkedIn. Most candidates prepare. Very few are memorable. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: 1. Most candidates say "we built" or "our team launched." Memorable candidates say "I led" and owned the outcome. 2. Most candidates memorize answers. Memorable candidates think out loud and show their reasoning in real time. 3. Most candidates answer the question asked. Memorable candidates answer it and connect it to the business problem the role solves. 4. Most candidates list what they did. Memorable candidates explain what changed because of what they did. 5. Most candidates wait to be asked about impact. Memorable candidates lead with it in every single answer. 6. Most candidates over-prepare their strengths. Memorable candidates come with a clear, specific point of view on the team's biggest challenge and how their strengths solve it. 7. Most candidates close with "I'm really excited about this role." Memorable candidates close with a sharp question that signals they've already been thinking like an insider and show their real enthusiasm on how they can add value to role. 8. Most candidates treat the panel as a test. Memorable candidates treat it as the first day of a collaboration and ask key questions to refine answers throughout the interview. 9. Most candidates follow up with a thank-you email. Memorable candidates follow up with something that proves they were listening. The graphic below has the full 12. Panels rarely just pick the most qualified candidate. They pick the one who felt like the lowest risk and the clearest fit. Be that person on purpose. Your extraordinary success includes knowing how to be remembered, not just prepared. 🌟 ♻️ Repost if this would help someone you know heading into interviews. ➕ Follow Kari Russo for more insider hiring strategy for women in tech.