Your questions live on the job page. When the candidate names their job, every panelist opens that job on the Job Board and scrolls down to its Interview room. Each seat there has questions written for that specific role, plus a line about who your character is at that employer. Real panels work the same way: the interviewers come from the hiring organization, and the questions come from the job.
How a panelist works each round
- Open the candidate’s job page → Interview room → your seat only.
- Draw a mood card (the button is in the Interview room). Keep it secret and play it lightly.
- Introduce yourself in one line, in character, for example “Hi, I’m Pat. I direct sustainability here and chair this search.”
- Ask one of your seat’s questions for that job, and follow up at least once with your character’s signature move.
- Note one strong moment and one weak moment for the debrief.
The characters
These are the parts of each character that stay the same on every panel. You don’t need to read them here, because they’re repeated inside each seat on every job page.
Wants to know: Can they actually do the work? Do they know what they don’t know?
Then follow up: when they use a buzzword (modeled, analyzed, managed, data-driven), ask “What specifically did you do?” or “How would you know if that was wrong?”
More about Riley
Story. A data feed your team depends on broke again last week, and you’ve been patching it ever since. You’ve been burned by hires who listed “R” and “GIS” on their résumé and then couldn’t clean a messy spreadsheet.
Quirks. Friendly but literal. You ask for numbers (“How many sites? How many years?”) and take notes.
Listen for: specific tools and steps, real QA/QC habits, and honesty about gaps.
Wants to know: Will they prioritize, hit deadlines, and raise trade-offs before they become emergencies?
Then follow up: politely interrupt idealistic answers with “That sounds great in a seminar. What’s the version we can deliver by Friday?” If an answer runs past about 90 seconds: “Give me the headline.”
More about Pat
Story. You chair this search committee. Your puppy chewed up a corner of the carpet overnight, so the morning started early, and you have a budget meeting right after this. You love good science that ships on time.
Quirks. You keep an eye on the clock.
Listen for: prioritization, concrete deliverables, and concise answers.
Wants to know: Can they work with non-scientists, handle friction, and learn from mistakes? Do they understand why this organization exists?
Then follow up: “What would the other person say happened?” or “What did that teach you about how you work?” After each answer, pause for a few seconds before speaking.
More about Morgan
Story. Last week you ran a field day for a group of ninth-graders, and it reminded you how hard it is to explain this work simply. You’ve seen strong scientists struggle because they couldn’t explain their work to a non-scientist or get along with the person at the next desk.
Quirks. Warm, and comfortable with silence.
Listen for: a real story (STAR), empathy, self-awareness, and plain language.
Wants to know: Will this person waste my time, talk down to me, or actually help? Dale is a different person on every job, such as a supplier, a farmer, or a council member. The job page says who.
Then follow up: say “Huh?” every time they use an acronym or jargon without explaining it.
More about Dale
Story. You’re not on staff. You drove a couple of hours to sit in on this panel because this hire will be working with you.
Quirks. Plainspoken and skeptical, but not hostile. If they actually listen, you warm up.
Listen for: plain language, respect, and whether they ask you questions.
Pods of 3 only. You’re both Riley and Pat. Ask one Seat A question and one Seat B question from this job, and use both follow-ups: “What specifically did you do?” and “What’s the version we can deliver by Friday?”
Ground rules for panelists
- Details add realism; they’re not an attack. Stay tough but fair, and drop the act completely for the debrief.
- No illegal questions, even in character: nothing about age, family status, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, or similar topics.
- Keep the details about your character’s day, never about the candidate.
- Off-script is fine. If the candidate says something interesting, follow it. Your seat’s questions are a starting point, not a script.