Structured interview

A structured interview asks every candidate the same job-related questions in the same order and scores answers against a guide set in advance.

Also called: standardized interview, scored interview, interview scorecard

What structured interview means

A structured interview is a job interview where every candidate for the same job gets the same questions, in the same order, and each answer is scored against a guide you wrote before the interviews started. The opposite is an unstructured interview, where the conversation goes wherever it goes and the decision rests on an overall impression.

For a small business, the value is fairness and clarity. You compare people on the same things, you are less likely to drift into questions that touch on human rights grounds, and you have notes that show why you chose one person over another.

Structured does not mean robotic. You can still welcome the person, explain the job and answer their questions. The scored part is simply planned and consistent.

How it works

Start from the job description. Pick the 4 to 6 things that matter most for success in the job, such as handling a rush, accuracy with cash, or safe use of equipment. Write one or two questions for each. Mix behavioural questions ("Tell me about a time when...") with situational questions ("What would you do if...") and, where it fits, a short practical task.

Write a scoring guide for each question, for example 1 to 5, with a short description of what a 1, a 3 and a 5 answer sounds like. Score each answer during or right after the interview, before you compare candidates. If two people interview, score separately and then discuss.

Keep every question about the job. Human rights law in every province and territory protects applicants from being treated differently because of grounds such as age, family status, disability, religion and place of origin. Instead of asking about health, describe a real duty and ask whether the person can do it, with or without accommodation. Instead of asking where someone is from, ask whether they are legally entitled to work in Canada. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island do not allow you to ask about pay history; asking what pay the person expects is fine.

Common mistakes: asking extra follow-up questions only to candidates you already like, changing the questions halfway through hiring, and scoring days later from memory. Keep your notes with the hiring file.

Is it the same in every province?

No province requires a structured interview, but human rights rules on interview questions apply everywhere. Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must also tell each interviewed applicant within 45 days whether a hiring decision has been made, and keep those records for 3 years.

Example: A hardware store scores three candidates

Tom runs an 11-person hardware store in Red Deer, Alberta, and is hiring a sales associate. He writes five questions: one on helping a customer who doesn't know what they need, one on handling a refund dispute, one on working a till accurately, one on lifting and stocking, and one on a time the candidate learned a new product quickly.

For each question he writes what a 1, 3 and 5 answer looks like. He and his assistant manager score each candidate on their own, then compare. The candidate with the highest total is not the one Tom "clicked with" most, but her answers on refunds and accuracy were clearly stronger, and the notes show why.

Scored interview guides in Staffkin

Staffkin's interview guides come with 1 to 5 scoring guides, and you can compare candidates side by side once everyone is scored.

Start free

Free tools and guides for this

Questions about structured interview

What is the difference between a structured and an unstructured interview?

A structured interview uses the same job-related questions and a scoring guide for every candidate. An unstructured interview is a free conversation judged on overall impression.

Can I ask follow-up questions in a structured interview?

Yes, as long as you use them to clarify answers to the planned questions and offer the same chance to every candidate.

What questions should I avoid in a job interview in Canada?

Avoid questions about age, children or family plans, where someone is from, health, and religion. Ask about the job instead, such as whether the person can work the hours the job needs.

Do I have to tell candidates the outcome after an interview?

In Ontario, employers with 25 or more employees must tell each interviewed applicant within 45 days whether a hiring decision has been made. Elsewhere it is good practice.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.