What is a structured interview?

A structured interview is an effective method for assessing candidates across a standardized baseline. During each interview, you’ll ask candidates the same structured interview questions in the same order. This practice allows you to use the same numeric scale to compare and contrast candidates.

Before conducting a structured interview, develop questions that focus on the skill set and experience you’re seeking in your next hire. For example, a retail store hiring a cashier would ask questions about customer service experience and communication skills.

Indeed’s Interview Guides have a question bank with interview questions across multiple popular industries and roles. You can select questions from Indeed Interview Guides templates to use during virtual interviews, or you can create your own custom questions to save as a template.

Why should you conduct structured interviews?

Structured interviews offer numerous benefits, such as:

• Effective hiring decisions: When interview questions are standardized, it’s easier for employers to make more effective hiring decisions.
• Eliminate bias: Structured interviews are also helpful in eliminating bias by allowing hiring managers to remain objective. This interview method can also ensure your organization’s hiring practices comply with legal regulations.
• Streamlines decision process: Using this interview format provides clarity and streamlines the candidate comparison process. Instead of varying interview styles misguiding you to inaccurate comparisons, structured interviews help you prepare for interviews using the same questions in the same order for all interviews. This way, you can award the job to the candidate with the highest score. 

How should a structured interview be created and executed?

As you might expect, the interview structure should be in place before interviewing the first candidate. You can take several steps to develop this structure, including:

1. Structure of interview

The first step is to set up the structure of the interview. No matter which manager is conducting the interview, they should know exactly what to do. For instance, you can develop a standardized structured interview template that contains a few core elements, such as:

• Candidate’s name
• Interviewer’s name
• Role interviewing for
• Date of the interview
• An employer introduction (This should take place before you begin asking the structured interview questions.)
• A candidate introduction (This allows the candidate to discuss their background and explain relevant sections of their resume before you begin asking questions.)
• List of structured interview questions (Indeed’s Interview Guide offers interview questions created by HR specialists)
• Location of interview
• Rubric or rating system

2. Introductions

All interviews, whether structured or unstructured, should begin with brief introductions. The interviewer can provide their name, position within the company and perhaps even explain their role in the hiring process. The candidate should also have time to briefly introduce themselves, discuss their background and describe their relevant experience.

3. Interview questions

Even before you hold the first interview, it’s important to create a list of questions to ask each candidate. When making this list, it’s recommended to request input from all pertinent parties, such as supervisors, hiring managers and other interviewers, to ensure you’re asking the right questions. It’s also a good idea to have your legal department read through your list of questions to ensure compliance with all federal, state and local labor laws.

4. Rating scale

It’s also important to develop a standardized rubric or rating system for each question. Many employers use a scale of 1 to 5 or 1 to 10, with the low end indicating a low-quality response and a high rating indicating a high-quality response. This step ensures that interviewers assess all candidates on the same rating scale.

5. Assessment process

Asking every candidate the same questions and asking interviewers to rate the candidates’ answers is the first part of the process. It’s also recommended to determine how the team plans to use these rating assessments to select candidates. For example, do you plan to combine all scores to determine which candidates have the highest rating, or are some questions more valuable than others? Having the details of this assessment plan determined right from the start can avoid confusion or biases later in the process.

What are a few samples of structured interview questions?

To make sure your structured interview is successful, include a standardized list of questions that will help you evaluate the candidate’s behavioral characteristics, critical thinking skills, attention to detail, integrity and the ability to work as part of a team. Using Interview Guide questions offered through Indeed can help you evaluate your candidates consistently, using the same questions and criteria. Since you can chose a template based on your industry with questions written by HR specialists, or create your own customized questions, you will be able to customize the interview experience how you see fit.

Here’s a list of some sample questions you can ask during a structured interview:

• Why did you apply for this specific role?
• Tell me about a time you took the lead in a project and what you learned about this experience.
• What tools do you use to stay organized in the workplace?
• Would you rather create a plan or execute it?
• What do you know about our company and the goods or services we offer?
• Tell me about a time when you made a decision under pressure and what was the outcome?
• What three adjectives describe you best?
• How do you handle conflict in the workplace?
• Tell me about a time when you struggled to meet a deadline and how you handled the situation.
• Where do you see yourself in three, five or 10 years?
• What is one thing you want to learn to do better?
• What do you consider your greatest achievement?
• What tools do you use for self-improvement?
• What has been your biggest challenge, and how do you overcome it?
• If you had the authority to change one thing about your last work environment, what would it be? 

Frequently asked questions about structured interviews

What are the three main types of interview styles?

There are three main types of candidate interview methods, including:

• Structured interviews: All questions are set prior to the start of the interview process, including their exact order.
• Semi-structured interviews: Some questions are determined beforehand, but the interviewer still has the freedom to stray from these predetermined questions.
• Unstructured interviews: Only a few basic questions are set before the beginning of the interview process, and the interviewers have the freedom to ask any questions.

Why are structured interviews considered the best type?

Many employers prefer structured interviews because this style reduces the impact of conscious and unconscious bias. This factor, in turn, can drive improved hiring results and increase diversity in the workplace. Additionally, structured interviews can help employers avoid compliance issues.

What’s the difference between a structured vs. unstructured interview?

As mentioned above, structured interviews involve having the interviewer ask each candidate the same series of predetermined questions. Unstructured interviews, on the other hand, have no formal structures. While the interviewers may have a list of basic questions to ask, they often stray away from these questions and simply follow the flow of the conversation. During a structured interview, the interviewer must only ask questions on the list, while interviewers during an unstructured interview can ask any question they want. Questions for structured interviews are also typically more direct.

Keep in mind that structured interviews can still be conversational, and you should feel free to include follow-up questions that prompt candidates to elaborate on their answers. However, it’s critical you adhere to your standardized format to ensure interviews remain consistent. By following a structured interview process and taking advantage of Interview Guide questions on Indeed, you can quickly evaluate candidates and choose the best new hire for your team.