Free tool Template

The 10-minute interview debrief template

Fill this in within the hour after the call, before the details fade. Print it, or use your browser's Print and choose Save as PDF. The guide that explains each part is what to write down after an interview.

The facts 0 to 2 min

  1. Company, role and round (for example, recruiter screen or hiring manager)
  2. Date and how long the call ran
  3. Each interviewer's name and job title
  4. What they said about next steps, in their words
  5. The date they said you would hear back

The questions, in order 2 to 5 min

  1. Every question you were asked, in order, in the interviewer's words
  2. One line next to each on what you said
  3. Mark each follow-up question they asked
  4. Note what each follow-up seemed to want more of

The moments 5 to 7 min

  1. Your best answer, and why it landed
  2. The moment you lost the room: when they stopped writing, cut in, or moved on
  3. The question you couldn't answer well, and what a good answer needed

The numbers you said 7 to 9 min

  1. Every figure you said out loud: team sizes, percentages, budgets, dates, durations
  2. The story each figure belonged to
  3. Any figure you're unsure of, to check before the next round

One fix 9 to 10 min

  1. One answer to rebuild before the next round
  2. One thing to keep doing
  3. The date you'll follow up if you hear nothing
  4. Thank-you note sent: yes or no