Two people interview the same candidate. One says, “Excellent.” The other says, “Not for us.” Neither can say on what basis.
This is common in small businesses: the interview is a friendly chat and the decision is the manager’s feeling. When everything rests on feeling, both mistakes become possible: rejecting the right person or accepting the wrong one.
What does the research say?
In its 2026 Talent Trends report (a survey of 2,094 HR professionals, mostly American), SHRM says 68% of respondents struggled to hire full-time staff. That figure is not about Iran, but the pressure is familiar: when a role has been empty for a while, the first acceptable candidate becomes tempting. In my view, fixed questions and pre-agreed scores guard against exactly that temptation.
A tool: five questions and one rule
These five questions come from a form I use in projects. The main rule: every candidate hears the same questions in the same order, and two people score separately.
- 1Calls to two previous employers: “Why is this person no longer with you?” and “If they wanted to return in a year, would you hire them? Why?”
- 2Understanding the job: “What do you think you would do in a working day?” Compare the answer with the duty description for that position.
- 3Attitude to the business: “In these few minutes since you arrived, what do you think we could improve?” Score 0: nothing. 1: one or two points. 2: three or more.
- 4Responsibility: “A manager leaves the payroll file on their desk, and an employee happens to see it and starts reading. Who is at fault?” Score 0: the employee. 1: the manager. 2: both, and the system.
- 5Conflict handling: “If you had a problem with a colleague, what would you do?” Listen for the pattern: a direct conversation with the colleague, telling the manager and asking for advice, or avoiding the conversation.
At the end, tell the candidate: “Ask me two questions.” What they ask tells you as much about them as what they answer.
Try it this week
For the next role you are about to fill, write these five questions down. Before the interview, have two people decide what score each answer earns. After it, score separately, then compare the differences together.
A structured interview does not replace the manager’s judgement. It makes that judgement defensible.
Write the questions and scores before the interview, and have two people score separately.
