Build interview questions from the job, not from a list on the internet. For each main requirement, write one behavioural question ("tell me about a time...") and optionally one scenario question ("what would you do if..."), then prepare follow-up probes about what the candidate personally did and what happened. Ask every candidate the same core questions in the same order, take notes and rate answers against defined criteria. Five to eight core questions fit a 45 to 60 minute interview and leave time for follow-ups. Avoid questions on protected characteristics and anything unrelated to the work. This produces answers you can compare, which is what makes the process fairer and more predictive.
A set of tough-sounding questions that vary by interviewer produces noise, and structure produces evidence.
Step 1: Start from the requirements
Use the same requirements as your scorecard. For each, write what you want to learn.
Example for a support team lead:
| Requirement | What you want to learn |
|---|---|
| Leading a team | Have they coached and managed people, and how? |
| Handling escalations | How do they deal with serious customer issues? |
| Process improvement | Do they change how work is done? |
| Written communication | Can they explain things clearly? |
Step 2: Write behavioural questions
Behavioural questions ask for past examples, which are better predictors than hypotheticals. Use the form "Tell me about a time when..."
| Competency | Example question |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Tell me about a project you were responsible for from start to finish. What did you do and what was the result? |
| Problem solving | Describe a difficult problem you solved at work. How did you approach it? |
| Collaboration | Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague. What happened? |
| Learning | Tell me about something you had to learn quickly. How did you do it? |
| Leadership | Describe a time you coached someone to improve. What did you do? |
| Handling pressure | Tell me about a period when priorities changed quickly. How did you respond? |
| Mistakes | Tell me about a mistake you made at work. What did you do about it? |
| Customer focus | Describe a time when you handled a very upset customer or stakeholder. |
Step 3: Add scenario questions where useful
Scenario questions ("What would you do if...") test judgement, and are useful for candidates without much experience. Keep them realistic and tied to the job.
Example: "A customer is angry about a delayed order and policy does not allow a refund. How would you handle it?"
See situational interview questions for how candidates answer and how to score them.
Step 4: Prepare probes
Candidates often give general answers. Probes bring out the detail:
- "What was your part in that?"
- "What did you do first, and why?"
- "What was the result, and how did you measure it?"
- "What would you do differently?"
- "Who else was involved, and what did they do?"
- "What was hard about it?"
Ask probes the same way for each candidate, and note the answers. The probe "what did you personally do?" is the single most useful one.
Step 5: Set the structure
For a 45-minute interview:
| Time | Section |
|---|---|
| 0 to 3 minutes | Introductions, explain the format |
| 3 to 33 minutes | Five or six core questions with probes |
| 33 to 40 minutes | Candidate's questions |
| 40 to 45 minutes | Next steps and close |
Tell the candidate how it will run. It reduces nerves and gets better answers.
Step 6: Score against the rubric
For each question, rate the answer against your anchors, with notes. See interview scorecard template. Score immediately after the interview and before discussing with others.
Questions to avoid
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Age, date of birth, graduation year as an age proxy | Age discrimination risk |
| Marital status, children, pregnancy plans | Sex and family-status discrimination risk |
| Religion, holidays observed | Religious discrimination risk |
| Health or disability | Disability discrimination risk; ask about essential tasks instead |
| Nationality or place of birth | Ask about the right to work instead |
| Salary history, where restricted | May be unlawful; ask about expectations |
| "Where are you really from?" | Offensive and irrelevant |
| Brain teasers and trick questions | Weak predictors; stress the candidate |
This is general guidance, not legal advice. See phone screen questions for a similar list, and reasonable adjustments in hiring for questions about adjustments.
Questions about culture fit
"Culture fit" is easily a source of bias. Replace it with specific, job-related values and ask for evidence: "Tell me about a time you worked in a fast-changing environment." Define what the values mean in behaviour before asking.
Keep questions consistent
- Use the same core questions for every candidate for the role.
- Ask them in the same order.
- Allow follow-ups, but use the same probes.
- Give each interviewer a defined set to avoid repetition.
See structured interviews for the research and the practice.
Interview the process too
After a few interviews, review. Did the questions produce usable evidence? Did scores differ widely between interviewers? Did the people you hired do well? Adjust the set. Related reading is interview debrief meetings and reduce time to hire.
Common inquiries regarding this topic.
What questions should a hiring manager ask?
Questions tied to the main requirements of the job: for each, ask a past-behaviour question and one scenario question, then follow up with probes about the candidate's own actions and results. Ask every candidate the same core questions.
Questions tied to the main requirements of the job: for each, ask a past-behaviour question and one scenario question, then follow up with probes about the candidate's own actions and results. Ask every candidate the same core questions.
The Resume World Team
VerifiedProduct & hiring research, Resume World
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