# Interview Prep

> Prepare structured interview questions, evaluation rubrics, and scorecards for any role. Covers behavioral, technical, and culture-fit dimensions. TRIGGER when: user asks to prepare interview questions, create an interview guide, build a rubric, design an interview loop, write evaluation criteria, or set up a scorecard.

- Skill: `ashutoshsrivastava17/interview-prep` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add ashutoshsrivastava17/interview-prep`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/ashutoshsrivastava17/interview-prep/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: ashutoshsrivastava17 (https://skillmd.com/u/ashutoshsrivastava17)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/ashutoshsrivastava17/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

| Field | Required | Default | Notes |
|-------|----------|---------|-------|
| Role / Title | Yes | — | The position being hired for |
| Level | Yes | — | Junior, Mid, Senior, Staff, Manager, Director, etc. |
| Interview Round | No | All rounds | Screen, Technical, Behavioral, Final/Bar-raiser |
| Core Competencies | No | Derived from role | 4-6 key competencies to assess |
| Team Context | No | — | Team size, stage, culture notes |
| Interview Duration | No | 45-60 min | Per session |
| Number of Interviewers | No | — | For panel distribution |

## Step 2: Define Competency Matrix

Map competencies to interview rounds:

| Competency | Screen | Technical | Behavioral | Final |
|-----------|--------|-----------|------------|-------|
| Technical Skills | Light | Deep | — | Calibration |
| Problem Solving | Light | Deep | Medium | Medium |
| Communication | Medium | Medium | Deep | Deep |
| Leadership / Influence | — | Light | Deep | Deep |
| Culture Alignment | Light | — | Medium | Deep |
| Domain Knowledge | Medium | Deep | — | Medium |

## Step 3: Generate Questions by Round

### 3.1 Phone Screen (30 min)

Purpose: Validate basic qualifications, interest, and logistics.

| # | Question | What to Listen For | Red Flags |
|---|----------|--------------------|-----------|
| 1 | Walk me through your background and what brings you to this opportunity. | Clear narrative, relevant experience, genuine interest | Rambling, no connection to role, only motivated by money |
| 2 | What do you know about our company and this role? | Research effort, alignment of expectations | Zero preparation, inaccurate assumptions |
| 3 | Describe a recent project you're proud of. What was your specific contribution? | Ownership, impact, technical depth appropriate to level | Vague on personal contribution, no measurable outcomes |
| 4 | What are your salary expectations and availability? | Reasonable alignment with budget and timeline | Far outside range, unavailable for months |

### 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

| Score | Label | Definition |
|-------|-------|------------|
| 4 | Strong Hire | Exceeds the bar; top 10% of candidates at this level |
| 3 | Hire | Meets the bar; would perform well in the role |
| 2 | Lean No Hire | Below the bar in some areas; concerns outweigh strengths |
| 1 | No Hire | Clearly below the bar; significant gaps |

## 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