I don't have much of an experience sitting in interviews. The jobs I have held are all been pretty much the first tries. I've also not been on the job market for almost a decade now. Sure, I've been in a couple of interviews during my current employment when given an interesting opportunity, but never taken those too seriously. I've also been participating in group interviews in our hiring process helping to assess candidates cultural fit and technical skills.
With the new role all that has also changed. Everything is done already before the candidates finally meet me, the one who can make the decision to hire them. It's also up to me to approve their salary offer and other contractual details. Luckily all that is already worked out at the point when I have to make those decisions.
It's again one example of those tasks where all the work has already been done for me. I just need to give my final approval, and take the responsibility. Makes me feel useless at times, anyone could do what I do. What's the point of all this structure? Why can't those decisions be made closer to the action.
Then, I remember not envying those above me needing to make the decisions when all I had to do was to evaluate whether they were fit for us or not. In a way, I was already doing those decisions and today, those decisions are made by others. I just approve their decisions.