Interviewer Guidelines
Guidelines for interviewers on professional conduct, communication, and time management.
Etiquette
Section titled “Etiquette”Remote Interviews
Section titled “Remote Interviews”Don’t be late: Join Zoom at least 1 minute early. Don’t wait until the scheduled time to open and log in (Zoom requires re-login every two weeks).
Camera protocol:
- If you can enable your camera, do so first regardless of whether the candidate has theirs on
- If candidate hasn’t enabled camera, ask for consent before turning yours off:
“I notice you haven’t turned on your camera. If it’s inconvenient, we can proceed without cameras. Is that okay with you?”
- If you can’t enable camera, inform the candidate immediately:
“I’m not in the office today so I can’t turn on my camera. We’ll do this interview without cameras. Feel free to turn yours off too, or keep it on if you prefer.”
- Never argue about cameras, imply disrespect, or abruptly end the interview over this
On-site Interviews
Section titled “On-site Interviews”Before the interview:
- Knock before entering the meeting room, wait 1 second, then enter
- If the candidate tries to stand up when you enter, immediately stop them verbally:
“Please, stay seated.”
- If the previous round just ended, ask if they need a restroom break
Ending the interview:
- Clearly tell the candidate to stay in the meeting room and wait for the next colleague:
“Please wait here in the meeting room. A colleague will come to get you shortly.”
Communication
Section titled “Communication”Respect the Candidate
Section titled “Respect the Candidate”Never imply issues with their attitude, character, skills, or abilities. Don’t accuse them of lying or faking. Save these concerns for the written interview feedback.
Avoid Arguments
Section titled “Avoid Arguments”Never argue with candidates about anything, including “what’s the best programming language.”
No Interview Feedback
Section titled “No Interview Feedback”During and after the interview, never explicitly or implicitly reveal results from previous or current rounds. Avoid:
❌ Don’t say:
- “I think your resume looks good.”
- “The previous round feedback was positive.”
- “Do you have time for another interview this week?”
- “The next round will be with someone from X position.”
- “HR will contact you in a few days for the next round.”
- “Hope you can join us soon.”
If candidates ask, always give neutral responses:
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| ”Did I pass this round?" | "I still need to discuss with my colleagues." |
| "How did I do in the previous round?" | "I can’t share feedback from my colleagues’ rounds." |
| "How did I do in this round?" | "I can only provide feedback on this round’s performance later." |
| "When is the next round?" | "If you pass this round, our HR will contact you to schedule the next interview.” |
Also decline to answer:
- “What areas should I improve?”
“Everyone has their own characteristics. What one company sees as a weakness, another might see as a strength. We’re looking for people who fit our team best.”
Questions NOT to Ask
Section titled “Questions NOT to Ask”Avoid personal privacy questions unrelated to work:
❌ Don’t ask:
- “How old are you?”
- “Are you single? Married?”
- “Where are you from?”
- “How many children do you have?”
- “Have you bought a house?”
Questions NOT to Answer
Section titled “Questions NOT to Answer”- Compensation questions (salary increases, bonuses, benefits) should only be answered by the Hiring Manager or HR
- “What’s the correct answer to that question?”
“Sorry, our interview rules don’t allow me to share what I consider the correct answer. Many questions don’t have a single correct answer anyway - we focus on problem-solving approaches during interviews.”
Time Management
Section titled “Time Management”Remote Interviews
Section titled “Remote Interviews”Should not be shorter than 15 minutes. If ending early, explain:
“This round is just an initial screening, so it’s relatively short. Thank you for your time.”
On-site Interviews
Section titled “On-site Interviews”Should not be shorter than 30 minutes. If ending early, have HR chat with the candidate longer.