In many organisations, job interviews are primarily seen as an HR process. In practice, however, line managers bear a significant share of the responsibility – they co-decide who will join the team, contribute to performance, and shape the culture. This is where a frequently underestimated challenge lies.

Managers typically conduct interviews on top of their day-to-day operations. Time pressure, lack of routine, or a strong focus on technical qualifications often result in poorly structured conversations where valuable insights go untapped. A clear interview guide for hiring managers provides orientation – and supports them in consciously embracing their role in the selection process.

From Gut Feeling to Informed Assessment

Many decisions made during job interviews are based on intuition. Likeability, demeanour, or similarities to oneself influence perception more strongly than most people realise. Gut feeling is not inherently wrong – but without structure, it is prone to bias.

What an Interview Guide Actually Does

A good interview guide helps to contextualise impressions and evaluate them systematically. It directs focus towards observable behaviour, concrete experiences, and the decision-making logic of candidates. The goal is not to hear a perfect answer – but to understand how someone thinks, acts, and takes responsibility.

The Role of the Hiring Manager in Job Interviews

Line managers assess candidates from a different perspective than HR. They know the day-to-day realities, the team dynamics, and the specific role requirements first-hand. At the same time, they operate in interviews at the intersection of technical discussion, evaluation, and relationship building. Unlike HR professionals who conduct interviews regularly, line managers often go into conversations without a specific interview routine – which makes a clear guide all the more important.

A structured approach helps to separate these roles: technical topics are addressed deliberately without dominating the conversation. Personal impressions are reflected upon rather than deciding unconsciously. This creates a well-founded basis for decision-making that goes beyond likeability.

Conducting Job Interviews: What Really Matters

Insightful interviews are not defined by the number of questions asked, but by the quality of the conversation. Open questions, targeted follow-ups, and genuine listening allow you to understand connections – and gain a realistic picture of the person.

Behavioural Questions as a Key Tool

Particularly revealing are situations where candidates speak about decisions, conflicts, or challenging circumstances. How are priorities set? How is responsibility taken? How does someone deal with mistakes or uncertainty? This is where it becomes clear whether a person fits the role and the team.

Behavioural questions based on the principle of "Tell me about a situation in which…" are especially effective. They show how candidates actually behave – not just how they believe they behave.

Interview Guide for Hiring Managers: How to Get Started

A structured interview doesn't have to be complex. We have prepared the methodological foundations for HR professionals in detail here. Four steps are enough for an impactful start:

1. Define core competencies: Identify the two to three most important competencies for the role – what does someone need to bring to succeed in this position?
2. Formulate targeted questions: Write five to seven questions that probe specific situations and behaviours – no generic standard questions.
3. Set evaluation criteria: Define what constitutes a convincing, adequate, and insufficient answer – before the first interview takes place.
4. Ensure consistency within the team: If several people are involved in the selection process (for example, another manager or a team member), everyone should follow the same criteria and know the guide in advance. Only then can impressions be meaningfully consolidated and compared after the interview.

Structure does not mean that conversations become artificial or impersonal. A genuine connection with candidates can still be built within a clear framework – the guide protects both sides and ensures fairness in the process.

Conclusion

For line managers, job interviews are a leadership task that is often underestimated – with a direct impact on team dynamics, performance, and company culture. A structured interview guide does not replace experience or judgement. But it creates the foundation for assessing candidates fairly, reducing bias, and making sustainably better hiring decisions.

Ready for more structured interviews? Download the free interview guide for hiring managers now and conduct job interviews that truly reveal what matters.