Stephen Turner
Akash Kumar
Jordan Lee
Taylor Scott
Interview debrief: score first, then discuss the evidence
An interview debrief is where a hiring panel turns separate interviews into one decision. It works when everyone scores before anyone talks, and when the discussion stays on evidence about job-related criteria. Here's a 30-minute format and what to write down.
What this meeting is for
A debrief has one job: decide whether to move a candidate forward, based on what each interviewer actually observed. It's short, closed to the panel, and it happens soon after the final interview.
The format pairs naturally with structured interviews. The US Office of Personnel Management describes these as evaluating all responses "using the same rating scale and standards for acceptable answers". Without shared criteria, we think, a debrief can drift into impressions.
Who attends
Keep it to the panel and whoever runs the meeting. Someone who didn't meet the candidate has no evidence to add.
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Hiring manager | Owns the final decision, and speaks last |
| Recruiter or facilitator | Runs the clock, and asks for evidence |
| Each interviewer | Reports what they saw on their criteria |
| Note owner | Records scores, reasons and the decision |
Before: score alone
This is the rule that matters most, in our view. Each interviewer submits scores and written reasons before the meeting, without seeing anyone else's. We think an early "I loved them" from a senior person makes other views harder to voice.
- Share the role's criteria and rating scale with the panel when interviews are scheduled.
- Set a deadline for scores, ahead of the debrief.
- Write what the candidate said or did, not how you felt about it.
A 30-minute agenda
This is a suggested format. Adjust the timing to the number of interviewers.
| Time | Step | Lead |
|---|---|---|
| 3 min | Restate the role's criteria, and show the scores | Facilitator |
| 15 min | Go criterion by criterion, starting with the widest score gaps | Facilitator |
| 5 min | Each interviewer states a final score and view aloud, junior people first | Each interviewer |
| 5 min | Decision and reasons | Hiring manager |
| 2 min | Next steps: who tells the candidate, and by when | Recruiter |
Questions that keep it on evidence
- What did the candidate say or do that led to that score?
- Which criterion does that point relate to?
- You scored this 2 and you scored it 4. What did each of you see?
- Is there a criterion nobody has evidence on? Do we need another conversation?
- Would we accept this reasoning for any other candidate?
What to write down
Record the decision and the job-related reasons, in plain language. Leave out remarks about personal characteristics, and stop anyone who raises them.
US employers generally must keep hiring records for at least a year under 29 CFR 1602.14, and until final disposition if a discrimination charge is filed. Ask HR or counsel what applies before you decide how to store debrief notes. This isn't legal advice.
- Candidate, role, date and panel.
- Final scores by criterion, after any changes in the discussion.
- Decision and the two or three reasons behind it.
- Next step, owner and date.
Running it in Bridge
Agree first whether to record at all, since a debrief may be better off the record. A Bridge host can turn Record, Transcribe and Take notes on or off for each meeting.
If you do take notes, a custom recap template on Professional and above can shape them into a similar list. It works from the transcript, so say scores aloud, or have the note owner keep them next to the notes. Check that Recap Auto-Sharing is off, keep the notes out of shared Spaces, and invite only the panel.