Job Interview Debrief: 6 Questions You Need to Answer

You’re pretty confident the job interview went well. You researched the company, you were a few minutes early and you think you made a good impression. Go ahead, breathe a sigh of relief, but don’t let that be the end of your process. It’s important to clearly evaluate the interview experience so you’re able to take away what worked and learn from what didn’t.

After every job interview you’ll want to debrief with the following questions:

1. Did you hit all the key points you wanted to make?

While prepping for an interview, you know they key things you want to impress upon an interviewer to make you look like a strong candidate. You may not always get to relay this information the way you had hoped, but make note if anything was left unsaid. If you get the opportunity for a second round interview, you can make sure nothing is missed the next time.

2. Were you happy with your communication style?

Did you feel like you were able to give well thought out answers that clearly addressed the interviewer’s questions? Make note of any responses where your delivery could be improved.

3. Were you able to build a strong rapport with the interviewer?

An interview should feel more like a conversation. Partially, because it allows the interviewer to learn more about your skills and personality, but it’s also more enjoyable and makes the time together memorable. It also affords you more opportunities to build rapport with your interviewer if you have an effortless volley of Q&A between you. Write down any points of interest or commonalities you share.

4. What solidified your interest in the role or company?

Part of the interviewer’s job is to give you a deeper understanding of the demands of the role as well as what it’s like to work at the organization. Did anything the interviewer said to you confirm your interest in working for the company or becoming part of that particular department? These are great things to include when writing a thank you note. You can also relay this information to subsequent people you meet with during the rest of your interview process.

5. Was there anything that made you hesitant about the opportunity?

Just because you’ve accepted an interview doesn’t mean you’ll accept the job, if offered. Part of the benefit of the interview process is that you get to ask questions and take a deeper look inside the organization to see if it’s the right place for you. Make sure you’ve done enough digging to uncover any hidden drawbacks.

6. How does this role compare to the others you’re interviewing for?

Timing is everything, but at this moment, how does this opportunity compare to the others you’re entertaining? When you finish a job interview, figure out where it lands in terms of your level of interest so you can prioritize where to focus your energy regarding next steps. Should you focus on getting this job or will your time be better spent looking for a different opportunity?

About the Author: 

Michele Mavi has nearly 15 years of experience as a recruiter, interview coach, and resume writer. She is Atrium Staffing’s resident career expert, as well as director of internal recruiting and content development. She also founded Angel Films, a division of Atrium Staffing focused on the creation of recruiting and training videos.