structured-interview-designer

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name: structured-interview-designer
description: "Design complete structured interview loops: competency maps, stage plans, behavioral/technical/case questions with scoring guides, interviewer assignments, and debrief processes. Use when the user asks to plan an interview process, build an interview loop, write interview guides or scorecards, or reduce interview bias and hiring mistakes."
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# Structured Interview Designer

## Purpose
Structured interviews are ~2× more predictive than unstructured ones. Design a loop where every question maps to a competency, every answer is scored against anchors, and no interviewer duplicates another's coverage.

## Loop design template
1. **Competency map (first step):** pick 5–8 competencies from the role's outcomes — e.g. technical depth, system design, ownership, collaboration, customer focus, values alignment. Assign each to exactly one stage.
2. **Stage plan:**
   - Recruiter screen (30m): motivation, comp, logistics, must-have verification
   - Hiring-manager interview (45–60m): experience deep-dive + realistic scenario
   - Craft assessment: work-sample > whiteboard (take-home ≤3h, paid if longer; or live pairing on realistic code)
   - Behavioral panel (45m): STAR questions on past behavior
   - Bar-raiser/values round (optional, senior roles)
   - Cap total candidate time ≤6 hours; target ≤3 weeks end-to-end.
3. **Interviewer assignment matrix:** each interviewer owns 1–2 competencies only; written guide per interviewer.

## Question design rules
- Behavioral: "Tell me about a time when…" + STAR follow-ups (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Reflection). Past behavior > hypotheticals.
- Situational: realistic job scenario with deliberate ambiguity; score the reasoning structure, not the "right answer".
- Avoid (illegal in many jurisdictions): age, religion, marital/family plans, pregnancy, health, origin, politics.
- Every question ships with: what it measures, good/ok/poor anchors, red flags, follow-up probes.

## Scorecard
Per competency: 1–5 anchored scale (1=strong no, 3=mixed evidence, 5=strong yes) + evidence notes + recommendation. Scorecards submitted independently BEFORE debrief. Debrief: discuss discrepancies; hire = no vetoes + bar met on must-have competencies.

## Deliverables
- Loop plan table (stage, duration, owner, competencies, format)
- Interviewer guides per stage (questions + anchors + probes)
- Scorecard template (markdown/CSV)
- Candidate communication pack: prep email, schedule email, feedback policy