What is a structured interview?
Structured interviews use the same questions, in the same order, and assess every answer against predefined criteria. The goal is to create a fair, repeatable process that allows hiring managers to compare candidates directly.
Unlike an unstructured interview, where the conversation may wander without a clear plan, a structured interview relies on a carefully prepared framework. Questions are linked to the requirements of the role, such as technical skills, behavioural traits or an applicant’s problem-solving ability. Candidate responses are then scored using rating scales or rubrics that describe how to recognise a strong, average or weak answer.
This method contrasts with a semi-structured interview, where the interviewer has a core set of questions but can ask follow-ups based on the candidate’s answers. Both approaches have their place, but structured interviews prioritise consistency above all. They are especially useful in contexts where comparability and fairness matter most.
Why structured interviews matter
The case for structured interviews is based on three main principles: fairness, equality and accuracy.
- Fairness: Assess every candidate against the same criteria to reduce bias unrelated to the role.
- Equality: Treat all applicants equally by asking the same questions and applying the same standards.
- Accuracy: Use predefined scoring to base decisions on evidence rather than first impressions.
For these reasons, many consider structured interviews a foundation of fair interviewing and fair chance interviewing, particularly in organisations that want to demonstrate their commitment to inclusion and transparency.
Structured interviews vs other interview types
Here is an overview of how structured interviews compare to two other main types.
Structured vs unstructured interviews
As the name suggests, unstructured interviews differ from structured ones. They use no fixed questions, and the conversation often follows the interviewer’s style or interests. This can feel relaxed and encourage open dialogue. However, it can also create inconsistency: one candidate may showcase skills while another is never asked about them. Using consistent questions instead supports fair comparisons across applicants and helps reduce bias.
Structured interviews, in contrast, are all about uniformity. Every applicant answers the same questions, which relate directly to job requirements. This makes the evaluation more objective, even if the format feels less casual.
Structured vs semi-structured interviews
Semi-structured interviews fall between structured and unstructured interviews. They use a standard set of core questions but leave space for follow-ups and open discussion. This keeps things flexible and allows interviewers to explore individual experiences in more depth. However, too much variation can still create inconsistency.
Structured interviews avoid this by keeping the process strictly standardised. The trade-off is less flexibility, but the benefit is clearer data for decision-making. Importantly, many organisations use both methods at different stages: structured interviews for early screening and semi-structured interviews later, once shortlists have been created.
How a structured interview works in practice
A structured interview follows a clear framework.
- Preparation: The hiring team identifies the skills, experience and knowledge required for the role. Based on this, they design questions that reflect these requirements. For example, a customer service role may focus heavily on conflict resolution and communication abilities.
- Question design: The recruitment team creates a list of standard questions. These often include both behavioural questions (e.g. ‘Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult client’) and situational questions (e.g. ‘What would you do if a customer refused to accept company policy?’).
- Scoring rubrics: For each question, the team defines what constitutes an excellent, average or poor answer. This ensures that scoring is consistent across interviewers.
- Administration: During the interview, each candidate is asked the same set of questions in the same order. The interviewers record notes and scores against the agreed rubric.
- Evaluation: After all interviews are complete, the recruiters compare scores and discuss results. In this way, decisions are made on evidence rather than personal impressions.
What’s more because this process is repeatable, you can use it across different roles and departments.
Structured interviews across hiring rounds
Structured interviews adapt well to different stages of recruitment.
- Initial screening: In the early stages, structured interviews can be short and focused on verifying core requirements like qualifications, availability or willingness to work specific shifts.
- Technical assessment: For roles that require specialised knowledge, structured questions can test specific skills. For example, a software engineering interview might include a coding problem with a clear scoring rubric.
- Behavioural assessment: Mid-stage interviews often focus on past experiences. Behavioural structured interviews use questions that ask candidates to describe how they have handled real situations. This provides insights into things like their adaptability, teamwork and resilience.
- Final rounds: At the end of the process, structured interviews can help compare the top candidates. Because everyone has answered the same questions, decision-making is based on clear evidence rather than the hiring managers’ subjective impressions.
Using structured interviews at different stages helps keep the process fair and accurate from start to finish.
The benefits of structured interviews
Structured interviews have a range of benefits for both employers and applicants.
For employers:
- Better decision-making: Generate comparable data that makes hiring decisions more evidence-based.
- Reduced bias: Focus on standardised questions and scoring to limit unconscious bias.
- Compliance and defensibility: Document fair, systematic decisions to meet regulatory expectations.
- Team collaboration: Use a shared framework to combine scores and notes easily and reduce disagreement.
- Efficiency: Reuse and adapt a proven framework across roles to save time long-term.
For candidates:
- Fairer treatment: Ask every candidate the same questions to signal a consistent, fair process.
- Transparency: Explain the process clearly, so candidates know what to expect and can prepare.
- Reduced stress: Set clear expectations, so candidates are not judged on unrelated small talk.
- Trust: Show a standardised process, so candidates leave with a positive impression, even if not hired.
Why structured interviews support fair interviewing
Fair interviewing is about treating all candidates equally while still assessing them thoroughly. Structured interviews are especially effective for this because they create measurable benchmarks.
For example, two applicants for the same role might have very different personalities or educational backgrounds. In an unstructured interview, the more outgoing candidate might make a stronger impression, even if the quieter candidate has better skills. Structured interviews prevent this by asking both candidates the same questions and scoring them on the same criteria.
This also makes structured interviews a cornerstone of fair chance interviewing, where the goal is to give applicants from diverse or non-traditional backgrounds a genuine opportunity. By removing informal factors, employers can focus on the abilities that matter most for the job.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Despite their strengths, structured interviews are not without some challenges.
- Over-rigidity: Some hiring managers worry that the format feels too robotic. To mitigate this, employers can train interviewers to ask follow-up questions briefly for clarification while still sticking to the script.
- Poor question design: If questions are vague or not related to the job requirements, the structured format loses its value. Investing enough time in the design of the questions is therefore critical.
- Inconsistent scoring: Even with rubrics in place, interviewers can interpret answers in different ways. Team discussions and reviewing sample responses together help keep the scoring consistent.
- Neglecting candidate experience: A structured process still needs human input. Interviewers can explain the format at the start, maintain eye contact and thank candidates for their time to make the experience more personal.
Avoiding these pitfalls takes preparation and training. When done properly, structured interviews are not only fair, but also reveal just the right information.
Training interviewers for structured interviews
The success of a structured interview depends on how well the interviewers understand the method. Training can help with this and would ideally cover the following:
- Consistency: Keep the same order of questions for every candidate
- Note-taking: Record answers carefully, so scoring relies on evidence, not memory
- Bias awareness: Recognise and minimise unconscious bias through training
- Scoring discipline: Learn the rubric and apply it consistently.
Regular refresher sessions and outcome reviews are useful tools to keep different interviewers consistent. Larger organisations may want to use HR templates and question lists to ensure that the quality is also consistent across teams.
Structured interviews and employer branding
In a competitive labour market, the way you run interviews can directly influence an employer’s reputation. Job seekers widely share their experiences, so inconsistent or unfair processes damage an organisation’s reputation.
Structured interviews show that you assess and treat all candidates by the same criteria. This builds trust and shows that fairness is part of the employer’s approach. What’s more, a clear and transparent process can also make it easier to attract future applicants.
Even unsuccessful candidates can become advocates if they feel the process was transparent and respectful. In this way, structured interviews contribute not only to an organisation’s immediate hiring needs but also to its long-term reputation.
When to use structured interviews
Structured interviews are not always necessary for every role, but they are especially useful when:
- Compliance matters: In fields such as finance, law or healthcare, employers typically need to demonstrate that their hiring is fair and evidence-based.
- Holding high-volume interviews: Structured methods help recruiters maintain consistent comparisons when they interview many candidates.
- Diversity goals are important: Structured interviews can reduce informal bias, which can, in turn, enable employers to reach their diversity and inclusion targets.
- Team input is required: When multiple hiring managers are involved, structured frameworks make collaboration much easier.
Although for creative roles or senior leadership positions, employers may prefer to add semi-structured elements for greater flexibility, structured interviews still provide a reliable foundation that can be adapted as needed.
In summary, structured interviews bring order and consistency to the hiring process. By using the same questions, applied in the same way, they give employers reliable evidence for decisions and show candidates that fairness is a priority in the organisation.
This approach improves the quality of hiring choices and reinforces a company’s reputation for professionalism. In a market where candidates value transparency, structured interviews can demonstrate that their potential new employer takes recruitment seriously and is committed to treating people with respect.
