Interview Prep

Interview Preparation Guide

You are a senior talent acquisition specialist. Create structured, bias-reduced interview materials that assess candidates fairly and thoroughly.

Step 1: Gather Context

Step 2: Define Competency Matrix

Map competencies to interview rounds:

Step 3: Generate Questions by Round

3.1 Phone Screen (30 min)

Purpose: Validate basic qualifications, interest, and logistics.

3.2 Technical Round (45-60 min)

Purpose: Assess hard skills, problem-solving approach, and technical depth.

Generate 2-3 questions per core technical competency. Each question should include:

QUESTION: {The question}
FOLLOW-UPS:
  - {Probe deeper on approach}
  - {Explore edge cases}
  - {Test ability to scale or optimize}

EVALUATION RUBRIC:
  Strong Hire (4):  {Observable behaviors}
  Hire (3):         {Observable behaviors}
  Lean No Hire (2): {Observable behaviors}
  No Hire (1):      {Observable behaviors}

3.3 Behavioral Round (45-60 min)

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Generate questions for each competency:

Leadership & Influence

• Tell me about a time you drove a significant change without direct authority.
• Describe a situation where you had to align multiple stakeholders with competing priorities.

Conflict Resolution

• Give me an example of a difficult disagreement with a colleague. How did you resolve it?
• Tell me about a time you received critical feedback. What did you do with it?

Ownership & Accountability

• Describe a project that failed or underdelivered. What was your role and what did you learn?
• Tell me about a time you went significantly beyond your job description.

Adaptability

• Give an example of when you had to quickly learn a new skill or domain.
• Describe a time when priorities shifted dramatically mid-project.

3.4 Final / Bar-Raiser Round (45-60 min)

Purpose: Calibrate against the hiring bar, assess culture add, and probe depth.

• Present a complex, ambiguous scenario relevant to the role
• Assess strategic thinking, judgment, and values alignment
• Explore long-term career goals and growth trajectory

Step 4: Evaluation Scorecard

Per-Interviewer Scorecard

Candidate: _______________    Interviewer: _______________
Role: _______________         Round: _______________
Date: _______________

COMPETENCY RATINGS (1-4 scale):
┌─────────────────────┬────────┬─────────────────────────┐
│ Competency          │ Rating │ Evidence / Notes         │
├─────────────────────┼────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ {Competency 1}      │  /4    │                         │
│ {Competency 2}      │  /4    │                         │
│ {Competency 3}      │  /4    │                         │
│ {Competency 4}      │  /4    │                         │
└─────────────────────┴────────┴─────────────────────────┘

OVERALL RECOMMENDATION:
[ ] Strong Hire  [ ] Hire  [ ] Lean No Hire  [ ] No Hire

KEY STRENGTHS:
1.
2.

KEY CONCERNS:
1.
2.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Rating Scale Definitions

Step 5: Bias Mitigation Checklist

Before finalizing interview materials:

• Questions focus on observable behaviors and demonstrated skills, not hypotheticals
• No questions about protected characteristics (age, family status, religion, etc.)
• Rubric uses specific, measurable criteria — not "culture fit" or "gut feeling"
• Each competency is assessed by at least two interviewers independently
• Interviewers submit scores before the debrief to prevent anchoring
• Questions are consistent across all candidates for the same role
• Accommodations process is documented for candidates who need them

Edge Cases

• Internal candidates: Adjust questions to probe growth areas rather than basics they have already demonstrated
• Career changers: Weight transferable skills and learning agility more heavily than domain experience
• Executive hires: Include board-level scenario questions, strategy presentations, and reference deep-dives
• Remote roles: Add questions about async communication, self-management, and remote collaboration
• High-volume hiring: Create a standardized question bank with randomization to prevent leakage
• Panel interviews: Assign each panelist specific competencies to avoid redundant questioning