AI for HR & Recruiters
Module 4: Creating Interview Questions
Module Overview
Interview questions are the bridge between a job description and a hiring decision. Great questions reveal whether a candidate can actually do the job and thrive in your environment. In this module, you'll learn to use AI to generate targeted, insightful interview questions for any role.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Generate role-specific interview questions using AI
- Create behavioral, situational, and competency-based questions
- Build structured interview guides with evaluation criteria
- Avoid biased or legally problematic questions
- Tailor questions for different interview stages
Estimated Time: 45-60 minutes
4.1 Types of Interview Questions
Behavioral Questions
Based on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior.
Structure: "Tell me about a time when..."
Best For:
- Assessing demonstrated skills
- Understanding problem-solving approach
- Evaluating real-world experience
Example: "Tell me about a time when you had to meet a tight deadline with limited resources. What did you do, and what was the outcome?"
Situational Questions
Present hypothetical scenarios to assess judgment and approach.
Structure: "What would you do if..." or "Imagine you're in this situation..."
Best For:
- Evaluating decision-making
- Understanding thought process
- Assessing candidates without direct experience
Example: "What would you do if a key team member disagreed with your approach to a critical project?"
Competency-Based Questions
Target specific skills or competencies required for the role.
Structure: Varies based on competency
Best For:
- Assessing specific job requirements
- Comparing candidates on key criteria
- Structured evaluation
Example: "Walk me through your approach to analyzing data to make a business recommendation."
Technical Questions
Assess specific technical knowledge or skills.
Structure: Direct questions, problem-solving, or demonstrations
Best For:
- Technical roles
- Verifying claimed skills
- Understanding depth of expertise
Example: "Explain how you would design a database schema for an e-commerce application."
4.2 AI Prompts for Interview Questions
Basic Interview Question Prompt
Generate interview questions for a [Job Title] position.
Role context:
- Key responsibilities: [List 3-4 main duties]
- Required skills: [List critical skills]
- Reports to: [Manager level]
- Team context: [Size, structure]
Generate:
- 4 behavioral questions (past experience focused)
- 4 situational questions (hypothetical scenarios)
- 2 competency-based questions for [specific skill]
For each question, provide:
1. The question
2. What it assesses
3. What a strong answer looks like
4. Red flags to watch for
Example: Customer Success Manager
Generate interview questions for a Customer Success Manager position.
Role context:
- Key responsibilities: Client relationship management,
retention, upselling, problem resolution
- Required skills: Communication, relationship building,
product knowledge, data analysis
- Reports to: VP of Customer Success
- Team context: Team of 8, each managing 30-40 accounts
Generate:
- 4 behavioral questions (past experience focused)
- 4 situational questions (hypothetical scenarios)
- 2 competency-based questions for data-driven decision making
For each question, provide:
1. The question
2. What it assesses
3. What a strong answer looks like
4. Red flags to watch for
Specialized Question Types
For Leadership Roles:
Generate interview questions focused on leadership
for a [Job Title] who will manage [X] people.
Focus areas:
- Team development and coaching
- Decision-making under pressure
- Conflict resolution
- Vision and strategy communication
- Performance management
Include questions about:
- Their leadership philosophy
- Specific management situations they've handled
- How they develop underperformers
- How they retain top talent
For Culture Fit:
Generate interview questions to assess culture fit
for our company.
Our values:
- [Value 1]: [Brief description]
- [Value 2]: [Brief description]
- [Value 3]: [Brief description]
For each value, provide:
- 2 questions that reveal alignment
- What responses indicate good fit
- What responses indicate poor fit
Note: Focus on behaviors and actions, not opinions
or hypotheticals.
For Problem-Solving:
Generate problem-solving interview questions for
a [Job Title] role.
Include:
- 2 analytical thinking questions
- 2 creative problem-solving scenarios
- 2 real-world problems they might face in this role
For each, describe:
- How to evaluate their thinking process
- Follow-up questions to dig deeper
- What strong vs. weak responses look like
4.3 Building Interview Guides
What Is an Interview Guide?
An interview guide provides structure for interviewers:
- Standard questions for consistency
- Evaluation criteria for objectivity
- Time allocation for efficiency
- Legal compliance reminders
AI Prompt for Interview Guides
Create a complete interview guide for interviewing
candidates for a [Job Title] position.
Interview format: [Phone screen / Video / In-person]
Duration: [X minutes]
Interviewer: [HR / Hiring Manager / Team Member]
Include:
1. Opening (5 min)
- How to put candidate at ease
- Company/role introduction script
2. Core Questions (X min)
- [Number] questions with time allocation
- Evaluation criteria for each
- Probing follow-ups
3. Candidate Questions (10 min)
- How to handle common questions
4. Closing (5 min)
- Next steps explanation
- Timeline communication
Add a scoring rubric for comparing candidates.
Interview Guide Template
Create an interview guide template our team can
use for any role.
Sections needed:
1. Pre-interview preparation checklist
2. Opening script (customizable)
3. Question slots with evaluation criteria
4. Space for custom role-specific questions
5. Red flag indicators
6. Candidate questions guidance
7. Closing script
8. Post-interview evaluation form
Format as a fillable template that hiring managers
can customize for their specific roles.
4.4 Avoiding Bias and Legal Issues
Questions to Never Ask
Illegal or Problematic:
- Age, date of birth, graduation year
- Marital status, family plans, children
- Religion or religious practices
- National origin or citizenship status (beyond work authorization)
- Disability or health conditions
- Genetic information
- Pregnancy or plans to have children
AI Prompt for Bias Review
Review these interview questions for potential bias
or legal issues. Flag any questions that:
1. Could discriminate based on protected characteristics
2. Are not job-related
3. Could reveal protected information indirectly
4. Might disadvantage certain groups unfairly
5. Ask about protected class membership
For each flagged question, explain:
- Why it's problematic
- The legal risk
- A compliant alternative that gets the same information
Questions to review:
[Paste your questions]
Common Indirect Bias
Problematic: "What year did you graduate college?" → Can reveal age
Better: "Tell me about your relevant experience for this role."
Problematic: "Do you have reliable childcare?" → Discriminates against parents
Better: "This role requires [specific schedule]. Can you meet these requirements?"
Problematic: "Where are you from originally?" → National origin discrimination
Better: "Are you authorized to work in the United States?"
Bias-Free Interview Prompt
Generate interview questions for a [Job Title] that
are completely free of bias.
Ensure questions:
- Focus only on job-related qualifications
- Cannot reveal age, family status, religion, or origin
- Are equally fair to candidates from all backgrounds
- Assess skills through behaviors, not demographics
- Use inclusive language
Also include a brief guide for interviewers on
topics to avoid during the conversation.
4.5 Questions by Interview Stage
Phone Screen Questions
Generate phone screen questions for a [Job Title].
Phone screen goals:
- Verify basic qualifications
- Assess communication skills
- Confirm interest and expectations
- Identify deal-breakers
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Include:
- 3 qualification verification questions
- 2 motivation/interest questions
- 1 logistics question (availability, salary expectations)
- Key knockout criteria to listen for
First Round Questions
Generate first-round interview questions for [Job Title].
First round goals:
- Deep dive on experience
- Assess core competencies
- Evaluate culture alignment
- Understand career goals
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Include:
- 3 behavioral questions about key competencies
- 3 situational questions about common challenges
- 2 questions about their career trajectory
- 1 question about our company/role interest
Final Round Questions
Generate final round interview questions for [Job Title].
Final round goals:
- Assess long-term fit
- Evaluate leadership/growth potential
- Address any remaining concerns
- Sell the opportunity
Duration: 60 minutes
Include:
- 2 questions about long-term career vision
- 2 questions about how they handle adversity
- 2 questions about learning and growth
- 1 question that lets them showcase unique value
- 1 question addressing [specific concern from earlier rounds]
4.6 Evaluation Criteria
Creating Rubrics
Create an evaluation rubric for interviewing
[Job Title] candidates.
Key competencies to evaluate:
1. [Competency 1]
2. [Competency 2]
3. [Competency 3]
4. [Competency 4]
For each competency, provide:
- Definition of what it means
- Behavioral indicators of excellence (5/5)
- Behavioral indicators of meeting expectations (3/5)
- Behavioral indicators of concern (1/5)
Also include:
- Overall rating guidelines
- How to weight different competencies
- Red flags that should disqualify regardless of score
Comparative Evaluation
Create a candidate comparison template for [Job Title].
Include:
- Key evaluation criteria with weighting
- Space to rate each candidate
- Notes section for each criteria
- Overall recommendation framework
- Tie-breaker considerations
Format as a table that allows side-by-side comparison
of multiple candidates.
4.7 Sample Questions by Role Type
Sales Roles
Generate interview questions for a [Sales role title].
Focus on:
- Prospecting and pipeline management
- Closing skills and objection handling
- Relationship building
- Target achievement and resilience
- Product knowledge acquisition
- CRM and process discipline
Include role-play scenario:
A situation where the candidate must handle a
common objection or difficult customer.
Technical Roles
Generate interview questions for a [Technical role title].
Focus on:
- Technical skills: [List specific technologies]
- Problem-solving approach
- Code quality and documentation
- Collaboration with non-technical stakeholders
- Continuous learning
- System design thinking
Include:
- 2 technical scenario questions
- How to evaluate without making them feel tested
Customer-Facing Roles
Generate interview questions for a [Customer-facing role].
Focus on:
- Customer empathy and service mindset
- Problem resolution approach
- Communication clarity
- Handling difficult situations
- Representing company values
- Managing customer expectations
Include questions about:
- Specific difficult customer scenarios
- How they balance customer needs with company policies
Module 4 Summary
Key Takeaways:
-
Use multiple question types: Behavioral, situational, and competency-based questions reveal different aspects of candidates.
-
Structure your interviews: Use guides and rubrics for consistency and fairness.
-
Avoid bias actively: Review questions for legal issues and hidden bias.
-
Match questions to stage: Phone screens, first rounds, and finals have different goals.
-
Include evaluation criteria: Know what a good answer looks like before asking.
-
Customize by role: Sales, technical, and customer-facing roles need different questions.
Preparing for Module 5
In the next module, we'll tackle candidate screening and evaluation. You'll learn to:
- Use AI to assist with resume screening
- Create evaluation criteria for candidates
- Compare candidates objectively
- Avoid bias in screening
Before Module 5:
- Practice generating interview questions for a role you hire for
- Review your current screening process
- Note any challenges you face in candidate evaluation
"Great interview questions don't just assess skills—they reveal how candidates think, solve problems, and work with others."
Ready to continue? Proceed to Module 5: Screening and Candidate Evaluation.