Interview Guide Template

The difference between a good hire and a bad one often comes down to how well you ran the interview. Unstructured conversations feel natural, but they are terrible at predicting job performance. An interview guide gives every interviewer the same questions, the same scoring system, and a consistent way to evaluate candidates so you make decisions based on evidence instead of gut feeling.

This template works for any role at a small business. It includes pre-interview preparation, structured question categories, a scoring rubric, and a post-interview evaluation form.

When to Use This Guide

For every interview your company conducts (consistency is the point)
When training a manager or team member to interview for the first time
When you want to reduce bias and improve the quality of your hiring decisions
When multiple interviewers are evaluating the same candidate and you need a way to compare notes
When you are building out a repeatable hiring process

Structured interviews are roughly twice as effective at predicting job performance compared to unstructured interviews. The upfront effort of preparing questions and rubrics pays off in better hires.

Part 1: Pre-Interview Preparation

Complete this section before the interview begins.

Candidate Information

Field	Details
Candidate Name	_______________________________________
Position	_______________________________________
Interview Date	_______________________________________
Interview Time	_______________________________________
Interview Format	In-person / Video / Phone
Interviewer Name	_______________________________________
Interviewer Role	Hiring Manager / Team Member / Cross-functional / Executive

Pre-Interview Checklist

[ ] Reviewed the candidate's resume and application materials
[ ] Reviewed the job description and key requirements
[ ] Reviewed this interview guide and assigned question areas
[ ] Prepared the interview space (room booked, video link tested, etc.)
[ ] Ensured the candidate has logistics: time, location/link, who they will meet, and expected duration
[ ] Identified specific areas to probe based on the resume (gaps, transitions, relevant experience)
[ ] Reviewed notes from any previous screening calls or interviews

Key Qualifications to Assess

List the top qualifications and attributes you are evaluating in this interview.

Qualification / Attribute	Priority (Must-Have / Nice-to-Have)
_______________________________________	________
_______________________________________	________
_______________________________________	________
_______________________________________	________
_______________________________________	________

Part 2: Structured Interview Questions

Ask every candidate the same core questions. Add role-specific questions as needed, but keep the core set consistent.

Opening (2-3 minutes)

Welcome the candidate, introduce yourself, and set the tone.

"Thank you for coming in today. I am [Name], and I [your role]. Let me tell you a bit about what we will cover in the next [X] minutes."
Briefly describe the interview format so the candidate knows what to expect.

Background and Motivation (5-10 minutes)

Question	Notes
Walk me through your background and what led you to apply for this role.	_______________________________________
What about [Company Name] or this position interests you most?	_______________________________________
What are you looking for in your next role that you do not have in your current or most recent position?	_______________________________________

Job-Specific / Technical Skills (10-15 minutes)

Customize these questions based on the role requirements.

Question	Notes
Describe your experience with [key skill or tool required for the role].	_______________________________________
Tell me about a project where you [performed a key responsibility of this role]. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?	_______________________________________
How would you handle [a realistic scenario the person in this role would face]?	_______________________________________
What is your approach to [a core function of the role, e.g., managing client relationships, troubleshooting technical issues, prioritizing competing deadlines]?	_______________________________________

Behavioral Questions (10-15 minutes)

Use the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to evaluate past behavior.

Competency	Question	Notes
Problem-Solving	Tell me about a time you faced a significant challenge at work. What did you do, and what was the result?	_______________________________________
Teamwork	Describe a situation where you had to work closely with someone whose working style was very different from yours. How did you handle it?	_______________________________________
Communication	Give me an example of a time you had to explain something complex to a non-expert audience. How did you approach it?	_______________________________________
Initiative	Tell me about a time you identified an opportunity or problem before anyone asked you to. What did you do?	_______________________________________
Adaptability	Describe a situation where priorities shifted unexpectedly. How did you respond?	_______________________________________
Conflict Resolution	Tell me about a disagreement with a coworker or manager. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?	_______________________________________

Avoid questions about age, marital status, children, religion, national origin, or disability. These topics are not relevant to evaluating a candidate's ability to do the job and can create problems for your business.

Culture and Values (5-10 minutes)

Question	Notes
What kind of work environment brings out your best performance?	_______________________________________
How do you prefer to receive feedback?	_______________________________________
What does [a core company value, e.g., accountability, collaboration, ownership] mean to you in a work context?	_______________________________________

Candidate Questions (5-10 minutes)

"What questions do you have for me about the role, the team, or [Company Name]?"
Note the quality and thoughtfulness of the candidate's questions. This is a data point.

Candidate's Questions	Your Responses / Notes
_______________________________________	_______________________________________
_______________________________________	_______________________________________
_______________________________________	_______________________________________

Closing (2-3 minutes)

Thank the candidate for their time.
Explain the next steps and timeline: "We are planning to wrap up interviews by [date] and will follow up with all candidates by [date]."
Ask if there is anything else they would like to share.

Part 3: Scoring Rubric

Rate the candidate on each competency immediately after the interview, while your impressions are fresh.

Rating Scale

Score	Definition
5 — Strong Hire	Exceptional answers with specific, relevant examples. Clearly exceeds requirements.
4 — Hire	Solid answers with good examples. Meets or slightly exceeds requirements.
3 — Borderline	Adequate answers but lacking depth or specificity. Meets minimum requirements.
2 — Lean No	Weak answers, vague examples, or concerning gaps. Below requirements in this area.
1 — Strong No	Poor answers, red flags, or no relevant experience. Does not meet requirements.

Scorecard

Competency	Score (1-5)	Evidence / Key Observations
Job-Specific Skills	_____	_______________________________________
Problem-Solving	_____	_______________________________________
Communication	_____	_______________________________________
Teamwork / Collaboration	_____	_______________________________________
Initiative / Drive	_____	_______________________________________
Adaptability	_____	_______________________________________
Culture Fit / Values Alignment	_____	_______________________________________
Overall Impression	_____	_______________________________________

Total Score: _____ / 40

Part 4: Post-Interview Evaluation

Complete this within 24 hours of the interview.

Summary Assessment

Top Strengths:

Concerns or Risks:

Areas to Probe in Next Round (if applicable):

Overall Recommendation

[ ] Strong Hire — Advance immediately. This candidate is a standout.
[ ] Hire — Advance. Solid candidate who meets our requirements.
[ ] Borderline — Discuss with the team before deciding. Specific concerns need to be weighed.
[ ] No Hire — Do not advance. Does not meet our requirements or raises significant concerns.

Additional Comments:

Interviewer Signature: _______________________________________

Date: _______________________________________

How to Customize This Template

Tailor the questions to the role. The behavioral questions above are universal, but the job-specific questions should change for every position. Write them based on the actual responsibilities in the job description.
Assign different interviewers to different areas. If three people are interviewing the same candidate, have one focus on technical skills, one on behavioral competencies, and one on culture fit. This provides broader coverage and reduces redundancy.
Calibrate your scoring. Before interviews begin, walk all interviewers through the rubric and discuss what a 3 versus a 5 looks like for each competency. Shared definitions lead to more useful scores.
Do not skip the post-interview notes. Memory fades fast. Write your evaluation while the interview is fresh, not two days later when details blur together.
Use scores as a starting point, not a formula. A candidate who scores a 28/40 might be a better fit than one who scores 32/40 depending on where the scores fall. Use the debrief conversation to discuss the nuances.

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