How to Write Interview Questions

Good interview questions help you compare candidates fairly, learn how they actually work, and predict whether they can succeed in the role. Weak questions produce vague answers. Strong questions are tied to the job, asked consistently, and scored with clear criteria. Writing them well is one of the simplest ways to improve hiring quality.

This guide explains how to write interview questions for hiring managers, recruiters, small business owners, and team leaders. It focuses on practical, fair, job-related questions that reveal skills, judgment, motivation, communication, and problem solving.

1. Start with the job outcomes

Before writing questions, define what success looks like in the role. List the top outcomes the person must deliver in the first 6 to 12 months. Examples include managing a customer queue, closing sales, producing accurate reports, leading a team, maintaining equipment, writing code, handling cash, or coordinating vendors.

Questions should connect to those outcomes. If the role requires conflict resolution, ask about conflict. If it requires data accuracy, ask about quality control. If it requires customer empathy, ask about difficult customer situations. Avoid questions that sound interesting but do not help you make a better hiring decision.

2. Identify the competencies you need to measure

Competencies are the skills, behaviors, and judgment patterns that support success. Common competencies include communication, ownership, problem solving, attention to detail, adaptability, leadership, teamwork, technical skill, customer focus, ethical judgment, and learning ability.

Choose 5 to 7 competencies for the interview. Too many will make the interview scattered. Each competency should have at least one question and a scoring guide. This keeps the interview focused and helps candidates receive a similar evaluation.

3. Use behavioral questions

Behavioral questions ask candidates to describe real past experiences. They often begin with “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example of…” These questions are useful because past behavior can show how a candidate has handled real work situations.

Examples include: “Tell me about a time you had to meet a tight deadline,” “Give me an example of a customer problem you solved,” or “Describe a time you made a mistake and fixed it.” Ask follow-up questions about the situation, action, result, and what the candidate learned.

4. Add situational questions

Situational questions ask what the candidate would do in a realistic future scenario. They are helpful when candidates may not have direct experience with every responsibility. The scenario should match the job.

For example: “A client asks for a deadline you know the team cannot meet. What would you do?” or “You find an error in a report that has already been sent. How would you handle it?” Strong answers usually show judgment, communication, accountability, and awareness of consequences.

5. Ask role-specific technical questions

Technical questions should measure the skills the person will actually use. For an accountant, ask about reconciliations, controls, or month-end close. For a developer, ask about debugging, code review, or system design. For a retail manager, ask about scheduling, inventory, and customer complaints.

Avoid trivia unless the job truly requires instant recall. Many skilled candidates can look up details but still know how to solve problems. Ask questions that reveal thinking, process, and practical judgment.

6. Write follow-up prompts

The first answer is rarely enough. Good interviewers use follow-up prompts to understand the candidate’s role, decisions, and results. Prepare prompts such as: “What was your specific responsibility?” “What options did you consider?” “How did you measure success?” “What would you do differently now?”

Follow-ups also reduce rehearsed answers. A candidate may memorize a polished story, but thoughtful follow-up questions reveal whether the experience is real and relevant.

7. Keep questions job-related and fair

Interview questions should focus on qualifications, experience, skills, availability for job requirements, and ability to perform essential functions. The EEOC explains that pre-employment information should generally be limited to what is essential for determining whether a person is qualified for the job, and that information about race, sex, national origin, age, and religion is generally irrelevant to qualification decisions. See the EEOC page on prohibited employment policies and practices.

Avoid questions about age, family plans, pregnancy, religion, disability, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or other protected characteristics. Also avoid casual small talk that creates the same problem. When unsure, ask whether the question is necessary to evaluate the job.

8. Turn risky questions into job-related questions

Instead of asking “Do you have children?” ask “This role sometimes requires travel with two weeks’ notice. Are you able to meet that requirement?” Instead of asking “How old are you?” ask “Are you legally eligible to perform the required work schedule?” Instead of asking about a disability, describe the essential function and ask whether the candidate can perform it with or without reasonable accommodation where appropriate.

This approach protects the candidate and the employer. It keeps the interview focused on the work rather than personal characteristics.

9. Use the same core questions for each candidate

Structured interviews are easier to compare because each candidate receives the same core questions. You can still ask follow-ups based on each answer, but the main question set should stay consistent. This reduces bias and makes your hiring notes more useful.

Use a scorecard. For each competency, define what a strong, acceptable, and weak answer looks like. A scorecard helps interviewers evaluate evidence rather than personality alone.

10. Write questions that invite evidence

Avoid questions that can be answered with “yes” or “no.” Instead of “Are you organized?” ask “Tell me about a system you use to manage competing deadlines.” Instead of “Are you good with customers?” ask “Describe a time you turned around a frustrated customer.” Evidence-based questions produce better answers.

Also avoid leading questions. “You are comfortable with fast-paced work, right?” pushes the candidate toward agreement. “Tell me about a time you handled several urgent tasks at once” gives you more useful information.

11. Include motivation and role-fit questions

Skills matter, but motivation affects retention and performance. Ask why the candidate is interested in the role, what kind of work energizes them, what type of environment helps them do their best work, and what they hope to learn. Keep these questions professional and job-related.

Example: “What attracted you to this role based on the job description?” Another example: “Which parts of this position match work you want to do more of?” These questions reveal whether the candidate understands the role.

12. End with candidate questions

Leave time for the candidate to ask questions. Their questions can show preparation, priorities, and understanding. Answer honestly. A good interview is a two-way evaluation, and clear expectations reduce hiring mistakes.

Note what they ask about: team structure, success metrics, training, customers, tools, growth, challenges, or culture. Those questions can reveal what matters to the candidate.

13. Create a simple scoring guide

A question is stronger when the interviewer knows how to evaluate the answer. For each key question, write what a strong answer includes. For example, a strong prioritization answer may include clarifying deadlines, assessing impact, communicating tradeoffs, and updating stakeholders. A weak answer may rely only on working longer hours without any system.

Use a 1 to 5 scale only if interviewers understand what the numbers mean. Otherwise, use categories such as strong evidence, mixed evidence, limited evidence, and concern. Add short notes after each answer while the interview is fresh.

14. Add remote or hybrid work questions when relevant

If the role is remote or hybrid, ask questions that measure communication, independence, and collaboration. Examples include: “How do you keep teammates updated when you are working remotely?” “Tell me about a time you solved a problem without immediate supervision.” “How do you document decisions so others can follow your work?”

Do not ask about a candidate’s home life or family situation. Keep the question focused on job requirements such as availability, communication tools, security, responsiveness, and ability to perform the work.

15. Test the question set before using it

Before the first interview, read every question out loud. Remove duplicate questions, unclear wording, and questions that do not connect to the role. Ask HR or another manager to review the list for fairness and legal risk. If the interview is too long, keep the questions that reveal the most job-related evidence.

After a few interviews, review which questions produced useful information. Improve weak questions. A question set should become sharper over time as you learn what best predicts success in the role.

Sample interview question set

• What attracted you to this role?
• Tell me about a time you solved a problem with limited information.
• Describe a time you received difficult feedback and used it.
• How do you prioritize when several tasks are urgent?
• Tell me about a customer, client, or stakeholder challenge you handled.
• What technical skill from your background is most relevant here?
• What would you do in your first 30 days if hired?
• What questions do you have for us?

Interview question checklist

• Base questions on job outcomes and required competencies.
• Use behavioral and situational questions.
• Prepare follow-up prompts.
• Avoid protected-characteristic and personal-life questions.
• Ask the same core questions to every candidate.
• Use a scorecard to evaluate answers consistently.
• Leave time for candidate questions.

Writing interview questions well makes hiring more accurate and more respectful. When your questions are structured, job-related, and evidence-based, you give every candidate a fairer chance to show whether they can do the work.