Most interviews are not interviews. They're conversations with a decision at the end. That's why hiring feels random—and why "different interviewers" lead to different outcomes.
If you want a hiring process you can trust, you need structure.
The 45-minute interview format
0–5 minutes: Set expectations
Tell the candidate what will happen, so the interview stays focused.
5–25 minutes: Proof questions (3 questions)
Pick questions that force real detail:
- "What result did you personally own? What changed because of you?"
- "Hardest problem you solved recently—how did you think through it?"
- "Tell me about a failure. What did you do after?"
25–40 minutes: One realistic scenario
Give a job-related situation and ask what they'd do in week one. This exposes reasoning and priorities.
40–45 minutes: Candidate questions
Strong candidates ask about success metrics, priorities, constraints—not only salary.
How to score without bias
Use 4–6 criteria max and score 1–5:
- Clarity of thinking
- Ownership
- Role competence
- Execution evidence
- Communication
Rule: if you can't justify the score with evidence, the score doesn't count.
Final takeaway
Unstructured interviews produce unstructured hiring. Structure makes decisions faster, fairer, and easier to defend.
Book a demo to see Plato in action.
