Use interview notes to support thoughtful follow-up
Provide the interviewer with a structured record of the conversation so they can revisit unclear answers and prepare prompt, evidence-based feedback.
How this works
Provide the interviewer with a structured record of the conversation so they can revisit unclear answers and prepare prompt, evidence-based feedback. Use this during interview review to identify answers that need clarification and prepare factual feedback. The assistant should help the interviewer revisit evidence, not substitute for the hiring team's judgment.
Organize the permitted transcript by job-related topics, extract incomplete or contradictory statements, and draft focused follow-up questions. Preserve timestamps and uncertainty about transcription. Feedback should describe what was said and what remains unknown rather than infer ability from missing notes.
Before you start
Permitted interview record
Confirm the transcript or notes may be used for this recruiting purpose.
Role criteria
Obtain the competencies relevant to the interview stage.
Interviewer context
Identify which topics were intentionally covered or deferred.
Prepare the inputs
- interview_record
- Required
speaker-labeled notes or transcript
Mark uncertain words and speaker attribution.
- role_rubric
- Required
job-related competencies
Exclude unrelated personal characteristics.
- interview_scope
- Required
stage and intended topics
Do not treat deferred topics as failed evidence.
- followup_constraints
- Required
available time and communication format
Keep questions proportionate to the information gap.
Implementation, step by step
Organize the record
- Group factual answers by competency with timestamps.
- Keep uncertain transcription and interviewer comments distinct.
Checkpoint: The evidence map is navigable.
Identify gaps
- Find missing context, unclear ownership, contradictory dates and unsupported outcome claims.
- Distinguish a question not asked from an answer not provided.
Checkpoint: Each gap has a specific reason.
Draft follow-ups
- Ask one focused question per important gap.
- Use neutral wording that invites clarification rather than suggests the desired answer.
Checkpoint: The interviewer has an evidence-focused question list.
Prepare feedback notes
- Summarize relevant statements and unresolved questions against the rubric.
- Avoid assigning hiring outcomes or personality labels.
Checkpoint: The feedback draft is factual.
Review with the interviewer
- Verify important excerpts and revise questions for the remaining interview opportunity.
- Keep any external follow-up as a draft until contact is authorized.
Checkpoint: The record reflects confirmed evidence.
Decisions along the way
Transcript wording is uncertain
Check the recording or ask a neutral clarification.
Candidate described team results
Ask about their specific contribution without assuming it was absent.
Topic was intentionally deferred
List it for the next stage rather than as a weakness.
What you will produce
interview-followups.md
MarkdownA focused guide for clarification.
Include: criterion · evidence · gap · question · priority
interview-feedback-draft.md
MarkdownFactual notes for human review.
Include: observations · source_refs · unknowns
Check the result
- Verify important excerpts against the source.
- Ensure questions are job-related and neutral.
- Check missing evidence is not converted into a negative judgment.
- Confirm no protected-trait inference enters the feedback.
When something goes wrong
Speaker labels are wrong
Correct attribution before drafting consequential feedback.
Recording is incomplete
State coverage limits and use available evidence only.
Notes conflict with transcript
Present the discrepancy to the interviewer.
A worked example
SYNTHETIC EXAMPLE · NOT A REPORTED BUSINESS RESULT
Request
Synthetic: clarify a project-delivery answer.
Inputs
Candidate says 'We reduced delivery time from ten days to seven' but does not explain their role or measurement period.
Expected result
Synthetic result: ask what work they personally owned and how the time comparison was measured. Record the claimed team result as unverified detail, not a proven personal achievement.
Run a small pilot
Start small
Use one interview stage with interviewer review of every question.
Record the baseline
Record preparation time and corrections to evidence attribution.
Agree success criteria
Agree relevance and factuality criteria before broader use.
Stop or revise
Stop if generated feedback becomes an automatic hiring recommendation.
Keep the scope clear
- Interview support cannot select or reject candidates.
- Use candidate information only within the authorized recruiting process.
Check before using
Check transcript errors and protect candidate information. Do not infer protected traits or outsource hiring decisions to the assistant.
Business activities
- Hire and assess candidates
FROM A RECIPE TO YOUR WORKFLOW
Bring the company context together.
This workflow needs reliable inputs before it needs a better prompt. Moat8 Vault brings working information into a readable archive for the AI tools you use.
For this recipe: Consented interview transcript · Role requirements · Interviewer notes
Start with one recurring task, agree which sources to use, and review the first result with your team.
Discuss this workflow