Can friends sit on interview panels?

One of my best friends works for the online school for a district an hour away. There may be a position opening up (the other teacher she works with is going to be transfering to a PE position at another school). It's a non-traditional teaching job, monitoring students who are taking online courses - mostly grading, calling students who haven't been logging in and doing their work, and some tutoring. My friend is really keen for me to work with here and thinks that I'd do really well, especially with my customer service background. She even offered to help me prepare if I get an interview.

What I'm wondering is if she would be part of my interview? She would be part of the hiring committee should a position open up. Can friends be involved in the interview process or is it a conflict of interest? I know you have to disclose if a relative works in the same district, but not friends.

 

I would think it would be a conflict of interest. Professionally, she would prob need to let them know she needs to step out of the panel due to having a friendship with you. My concern if she didn't, is that if it proceeded to you being hired and THEN they found out that it could be problematic if they have policies against that etc...

 

I know some who have sat on panels. I think it would depend on district policies.

 

As your friend, she should be able to still judge your candidacy without bias, so if it is acceptable to the school, just go along with it.

There may be a conflict of interest, but even if it is, these are quite common in education. If it comes up, I would question it, but let her decide.

 

It's going to happen in small towns, but I do think the right thing for the employee to do is to share with the panel, "Hey, by the way, I'm friends with ravinraven, who we plan on interviewing".

 

We had an internal candidate for our AP job. She was best friends and co-teachers with someone on our panel. The teacher on our panel did not feel comfortable sitting in on the interview, so she excused herself during it.

 

I think it would be ok as long as she's part of a panel, and not the only one interviewing you. But I also think she should tell them ahead of time.

 

In my experience, disclosure or sitting out the interview is common.

 

If she is on committee and you don't get the job don't hold it against her.