How to Interview Candidates Fairly and Consistently

Unstructured interviews, where different candidates are asked different questions, make it hard to compare candidates fairly and leave more room for bias to creep in.

Use a consistent question set

Ask the same core questions to every candidate for a given role, allowing for natural follow-up.

Use a scoring rubric

• Define what a strong, adequate, and weak answer looks like ahead of time
• Have each interviewer score independently before discussing as a group

Train interviewers on common bias pitfalls

Brief training on avoiding first-impression bias and affinity bias improves consistency across your hiring team.

Document your reasoning

Clear notes on why a candidate was or wasn't advanced protect both fairness and your organization if a decision is ever questioned.