Structured interview
A structured interview uses job-related questions in a predetermined order and common rating criteria, so an employer can examine candidates against the same planned method.
A planned basis for comparison
Structure is a property of the method, not of a candidate’s answer. The US Office of Personnel Management’s description identifies job-related questions, a predetermined order, and common rating criteria as its core elements. That gives interviewers a record of what they sought and how they assessed it.
The questions can ask for a past example or for a response to a hypothetical situation. Either approach can be structured when the team prepares the question and the criteria before meeting candidates.
Where consistency has room to breathe
Structure does not require ignoring an unclear answer. The OPM Structured Interview Guide, published in September 2008, permits clarifying probes while recommending comparable opportunities and consistent meaning for those probes. A useful follow-up establishes what the person means; it should not quietly introduce a new test for one candidate.
Nor does a shared scale make a decision automatic. Interviewers still need to note the evidence they heard, identify material differences in their observations, and make a reasoned hiring decision.
Decide what to standardise
Start with the work the role requires, then choose the questions and rating criteria that can reveal relevant evidence. Keep the core questions and assessment basis consistent across the role. Use recurring requests for clarification to improve the questions before the next hiring round.
The value is not a more formal conversation. It is a comparable basis for discussing what each candidate showed.