A first-time manager's guide to running a fair, effective, legally sound interview. Roughly a 45 to 60 minute interview, structure, script, and exactly what you legally cannot ask.
Your job in this interview
You're not trying to like them. You're trying to find real evidence they can do the job. Structure beats gut feeling, every candidate should be walking through roughly the same set of questions so you're actually comparing apples to apples at the end.
Before the interview
☐ You know the must-haves versus the nice-to-haves for this role
Write them down before you look at a single resume. It's too easy to move the bar mid-process without this.
☐ You've prepared 5 to 7 core questions tied directly to the role
Not generic questions pulled from a list. Ask about the actual work this person will do.
☐ You know which competencies you personally are assessing
If other people are also interviewing this candidate, divide up the areas so you're not all asking the same three questions and missing everything else.
☐ You've blocked real time, 45 to 60 minutes, without back-to-back meetings after
Rushing the close of an interview is where you miss the most important answers.
☐ You've reviewed their resume and notes from any prior interview rounds
Don't make them repeat their own background to you from scratch, it wastes time you need for real questions.
☐ You know what you legally cannot ask
Age, marital or family status, disability, national origin, religion, and similar are all off limits, directly or indirectly. See below.
Interview structure
Roughly a 45 to 60 minute interview. Adjust timing to your actual slot.
1. Open (3 to 5 minutes)
"Thanks for making time today. Here's how I'd like to run this: I'll ask about your background and a few specific situations, then leave real time at the end for your questions."
Why: Telling them the structure up front lowers their nerves and gets you better, less rehearsed answers.
Why: Telling them the structure up front lowers their nerves and gets you better, less rehearsed answers.
2. Background walkthrough (5 to 10 minutes)
"Walk me through your last couple of roles and what you were actually responsible for day to day."
Tip: Listen for what they did versus what their team did. "We" answers need a follow-up: "what was your specific part in that?"
Tip: Listen for what they did versus what their team did. "We" answers need a follow-up: "what was your specific part in that?"
3. Core competency questions (20 to 25 minutes)
"Tell me about a time you [specific scenario tied to the role, e.g., had to fix a process that wasn't working / handled a conflict with a peer / missed a deadline]. What happened, what did you do, and how did it turn out?"
Why: This is the STAR shape, situation, task, action, result. If they stay vague, ask directly: "what did you specifically do."
Tip: Ask the same core 2 to 3 questions to every candidate for this role. That's what makes your scorecards actually comparable at the end.
Why: This is the STAR shape, situation, task, action, result. If they stay vague, ask directly: "what did you specifically do."
Tip: Ask the same core 2 to 3 questions to every candidate for this role. That's what makes your scorecards actually comparable at the end.
4. Role specific or technical questions (10 minutes)
"[Specific to the role, e.g., how would you approach X problem we're actually facing right now.]"
5. Candidate questions (5 to 10 minutes)
"What questions do you have for me, about the role, the team, or anything else?"
Tip: What they ask tells you almost as much as what they answered. No questions at all is worth noting.
Tip: What they ask tells you almost as much as what they answered. No questions at all is worth noting.
6. Close
"Thanks again for your time. Here's what happens next: [specific timeline]. You'll hear from us either way by [date]."
Why: Always give a real timeline and stick to it, even to say there's no update yet. Silence after an interview is the single most common candidate complaint.
Why: Always give a real timeline and stick to it, even to say there's no update yet. Silence after an interview is the single most common candidate complaint.
What to ask, what never to ask
These aren't soft guidelines. Several of these cross into legally protected territory, directly or by implication.
| Ask this | Never ask this |
|---|---|
| "This role requires occasional travel and some evening hours. Is that workable for you?" | "Do you have kids" or "what's your childcare situation." |
| "Are you legally authorized to work in the US?" | "Where are you from" or "is English your first language." |
| "Are you able to perform the core functions of this role, with or without accommodation?" | "Do you have any health conditions" or "how many sick days did you take at your last job." |
| "Tell me about your relevant experience." | "How old are you" or "what year did you graduate." |
| "Are there any days you're unable to work based on the schedule we've described?" | Anything about religion, religious observance, or asking directly which holidays they celebrate. |
Why it matters
Ask about ability to meet the actual job requirement. Never ask about the family circumstances behind it.
Work authorization is a fair, direct question. National origin and language background are not, even asked out of curiosity.
You can ask about ability to do the job. You cannot ask about health status or disability directly.
Graduation year is a common indirect way age discrimination claims get built, even unintentionally.
Ask about schedule availability plainly. Don't ask why a particular day matters to them.
Tip: If a candidate volunteers protected information unprompted, don't engage with it or ask follow-up questions. Move on to your next planned question.
Work authorization is a fair, direct question. National origin and language background are not, even asked out of curiosity.
You can ask about ability to do the job. You cannot ask about health status or disability directly.
Graduation year is a common indirect way age discrimination claims get built, even unintentionally.
Ask about schedule availability plainly. Don't ask why a particular day matters to them.
Tip: If a candidate volunteers protected information unprompted, don't engage with it or ask follow-up questions. Move on to your next planned question.
After the interview
☐ Fill out your scorecard within the hour, not at the end of the day
Specific detail fades fast. Waiting even a few hours turns your notes into vague impressions.
☐ Write down specific evidence, not just a rating
"Strong" isn't defensible on its own. "Gave a specific example of resolving a missed deadline with a client, walked through their exact steps" is.
☐ Rate against the competencies you defined beforehand, not overall gut feeling
Gut feeling is where bias sneaks in easiest.
☐ Compare notes with other interviewers before the group discusses as a whole
Everyone writes their own scorecard first, independently, then compares. Don't let the first loud opinion in the room anchor everyone else.
☐ Every candidate for this role was asked the same core questions
If one candidate got an easier or harder set of questions than another, your comparison isn't fair and isn't defensible.
☐ You've given the recruiter or HR your decision and reasoning promptly
Slow feedback loops are how good candidates take other offers.
☐ If you're passing on someone, your reasoning is specific and tied to the role
"Not a fit" alone isn't a real answer if anyone ever asks you to explain the decision.