How to conduct a structured interview in 8 steps

Why interviews so quickly become subjective

You could sit two interviewers side by side, have the same candidate speak, and still end up with two completely different conclusions. This is rarely down to the candidate, but almost always down to the process: disjointed questions, differing standards, and a judgement that has already been formed before the content has even been taken on board.

Setting up a structured interview means deciding in advance what you will assess, how you will assess it and how you will interpret the results. This makes the selection process more predictable, fairer and easier to justify to both hiring managers and candidates.

What is a structured interview?

A structured interview is a type of interview in which every candidate is asked the same key questions, in the same order, using the same assessment criteria. You look not only at whether there is a “click”, but also at specific behaviour, evidence and how well the candidate matches the job requirements.

The aim is not to make the conversation sound “robotic”. The aim is to reduce noise, so that you can make better choices based on relevant information.

Structured versus unstructured: the practical difference

• Unstructured: The interviewer asks off-the-cuff questions, makes judgements based on gut feeling, and compares candidates from memory.
• Structured: The interviewer follows a set of standard questions, marks candidates against pre-defined rubrics, and compares them using the same criteria.

When is this particularly important?

• For hard-to-find candidates (where speed and reliability are key).
• In blue-collar roles with clear deliverables and an impact on safety or quality.
• In sales roles, where making a good impression sometimes seems more important than results.
• When several stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process and you need to ensure alignment.

How to conduct a structured interview: 8 steps

1) Define the job, not the “ideal candidate”

Start by looking at what someone has to do on a typical working day. All too often, the input is a job advertisement full of vague buzzwords (“proactive”, “hands-on”). That’s difficult to assess.

Make it concrete by identifying 5–8 key tasks and linking them to specific outcomes. Consider: figures, quality standards, lead times, safety, customer satisfaction or turnover.

2) Choose 4–6 key competencies that really make a difference

A good structure is all about focus. If you assess 12 competencies, in practice you won’t be assessing anything properly. You should therefore choose a limited number that are relevant to the role.

• For production/engineering: safety awareness, problem-solving skills, a focus on quality, teamwork.
• For logistics: ability to cope with stress, accuracy, planning, taking ownership.
• For sales: needs analysis, persuasiveness, discipline, coping with setbacks.

3) Make sure to use behaviour-based questions (STAR)

Behaviour-based questions work because they focus on what someone actually did in a similar situation. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) helps to avoid vagueness.

Sample question: “Tell us about a time when you had to deliver high-quality work despite being under time pressure. What was your approach and what was the outcome?”

4) Add 1–2 case studies

Case study questions reveal how someone reasons and makes decisions. Keep them realistic and brief. A good case study should resemble the work you defined in step 1.

• Engineering: “A fault recurs three times. What checks do you carry out, and in what order?”
• Manager: “Two team members are having a falling out. What will you say to them first, and what do you hope to achieve?”
• Sales: “Your contact says, ‘Just send me a quote’. What do you do?”

5) Create a scorecard with clear benchmarks

A scorecard is at the heart of a structured interview. Without a rubric, you’ll end up scoring based on gut feeling. For each competency, use a scale (e.g. 1–5) with specific descriptions.

Always introduce the scorecard to the team with a single sentence: “We score based on evidence, not charm.”

6) Agree on interview etiquette (and stick to it)

Much of the bias stems not from the questions themselves, but from the moment at which judgements are made. That is why these guidelines work well in practice:

• Make a note for each question immediately after answering it (brief, factual notes).
• Don’t give a “final mark” based on gut feeling; tally up the scores or weigh up the pre-agreed components.
• Save the discussion about cultural fit until the end and define what you mean by it.
• Do not compare candidates until at least two interviews have been completed.

7) Train interviewers to mark consistently

A scorecard is only reliable if interviewers all understand “3” or “5” to mean the same thing. You should therefore hold one 45-minute calibration session per job category.

Ask interviewers to score a hypothetical answer and discuss any differences. This prevents you from having to have discussions later on based on interpretation.

8) Evaluate using data after 4–8 hires

If you take the design of the structured interview seriously, you’ll also look back and ask: which parts of the interview were predictive of performance? Where did candidates struggle? And where was there a lack of consistency amongst interviewers?

A practical approach is to collect performance feedback (from the manager and the employee) after 90 days and compare it with the interview score. Research shows that structured interviews are, on average, better predictors than unstructured interviews; see the summary of research by the The American Psychological Association on the value of structured interviews.

Common mistakes when structuring interviews

Too many questions, not enough depth

An interview with 20 questions sounds thorough, but often leads to superficial answers. Fewer questions, followed by probing follow-ups, yield better evidence.

Vague assessment criteria

If “strong communication skills” is given a score without a definition, this leads to arbitrariness. Describe observable behaviour and examples that are relevant to the role.

Not using an objective method

This is a common pitfall in the recruitment process. FosFor also identifies this as one of the mistakes that cost organisations candidates. Read more These 4 mistakes are costing you your best candidates and do pay particular attention to the section on objective methods.

Practical interview guide: sample structure (60 minutes)

A build that works in almost any role

• 5 mins Introduction + explanation of the process + expectations
• 25 mins 3 behavioural questions (STAR) based on core competencies
• 15 mins case study (thinking aloud, explaining choices)
• 10 mins role- and context-related questions (availability, shift work, travel distance)
• 5 mins Questions for candidates + next steps

Pre-selection and speed

If you want to speed up the process without compromising on quality, carry out a brief pre-screen to identify the ‘must-haves’ and reserve the structured interview for the best candidates. This is in line with the principle that you don’t need to interview everyone at length, but you do need to assess candidates consistently.

Conclude with the next step

If you want to make consistently better hiring decisions, start small: one role, one scorecard, one calibration session. You can then expand to other roles and teams.

Would you like to discuss the practicalities of setting up a structured interview, including scorecards and a selection process that is both faster and more objective? If so, please get in touch via the contact page or see how our working method helps to make selection more predictable.