Straight after an interview, most people do one of two things. They replay the worst moment on a loop, or they put the whole thing out of their mind until the result arrives. Neither helps much. What helps is a short, written debrief done the same way every time, so that by your third or fourth interview you can see what is actually holding you back.
University careers services give the same core advice: reflect as soon as possible, write down the questions you were asked and the examples you used, and ask for feedback whatever the outcome. This checklist turns that advice into a routine. It borrows from two established review methods: the after action review, used by organisations such as the US Forest Service, and Gibbs’ reflective cycle, widely taught in universities.
Sending a thank-you note and deciding when to chase are separate jobs. This checklist is only about learning from the interview itself.
Stage 1: Within the first hour, capture the facts
Memory of specific questions fades fast, and the University of Nottingham’s careers service advises writing down the questions and your examples straight after the interview. Do this before you analyse anything. Ten minutes on your phone or in a notebook is enough. If you already keep an interview log, put these notes there rather than starting a separate file.
- Every question you remember, in the order asked, as close to the exact wording as you can.
- The example or story you used for each one.
- Follow-up questions. These are often more revealing than the first question, because they show where the interviewer wanted more.
- Names and roles of the people on the panel.
- Anything they told you about the role, the team or the next steps.
- Any technical question, test or task, and the parts you could not finish.
- Your questions for them, and how they answered.
Keep this record factual. “I said the project ran for six months; they asked about the budget and I did not know it” is useful. “I sounded stupid” is not, yet.
Stage 2: The same day, score each answer
Once the facts are down, review each answer separately. A single overall impression (“it went badly”) hides the detail you need. A simple table works well. The example below is illustrative.
| Question | Example used | Answered the question asked? | Evidence and result included? | Length | Change next time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tell us about a time you handled a difficult customer | Refund dispute in retail job | Yes | Partly: no outcome given | About right | End with what happened to the complaint and what I changed after |
| Why do you want to leave your current role? | None, general answer | Drifted into complaints about workload | No | Too long | Prepare a two-sentence answer focused on what I want next |
| How would you prioritise three urgent requests? | Hypothetical | Yes | No real example | Too short | Use the month-end example from my last role |
Four checks matter most for each answer:
- Relevance. Did you answer the question they asked, or the one you had prepared?
- Evidence. Did you give a specific example, with your own actions and a result?
- Length. Did a follow-up suggest they wanted more, or did you sense them waiting for you to finish?
- Accuracy. Did you say anything you need to correct, such as a wrong date or figure?
Then look at the interview as a whole: how you opened, how you handled the question you found hardest, and how you closed.
Stage 3: The next day, find the cause, not just the symptom
This is the stage most people skip. Gibbs’ reflective cycle, as set out in the University of Edinburgh’s Reflection Toolkit, separates evaluation (what went well and badly) from analysis (why it went that way). The distinction matters because the same symptom can have different causes.
| Symptom | Possible causes to check |
|---|---|
| Rambling answers | No prepared example; example too complex; nerves; unclear question you did not ask them to clarify |
| Blank on a technical question | Gap in knowledge; knew it but could not recall under pressure; question phrased in unfamiliar terms |
| Weak answer on salary | No market research; unsure of your own minimum; uncomfortable with the topic |
| Interviewer seemed disengaged | Your answers lacked detail; they were short of time; nothing to do with you |
Be honest about the last row. Some of what happens in an interview is outside your control, and a useful review separates the two. Gibbs’ cycle also includes a step for feelings, which is worth a line or two: anxiety you noted before the interview may explain a slow start better than any lack of preparation.
Stage 4: Decide what to change, and make it specific
The US Forest Service’s after action review worksheet gives the largest share of a review, 40% in its template, to what to do next time: what worked and should be repeated, and what should be done differently. Apply the same balance. Write no more than three actions, each one concrete enough to do this week.
- Weak action: “Prepare the leaving question better.”
- Better action: “Write and rehearse aloud a 90-second answer to ‘why are you leaving’, and test it on a friend.”
- Weak action: “Know more about Excel.”
- Better action: “Complete two practice exercises on pivot tables and lookup formulas before Thursday’s interview.”
Include at least one thing to keep. A review that only lists faults tends to make the next interview more anxious, not better. The after action review guide makes the same point: identify what went well so it is not forgotten.
Stage 5: When the result arrives, add the employer’s view
Whatever the outcome, ask for feedback. The University of Warwick’s careers service tells students to ask the employer for feedback and offers to discuss it with them to improve their answers. Nottingham’s careers service adds that feedback is useful whether or not you got the role, but may not be available after pre-recorded video interviews because of the number of candidates.
When feedback arrives, compare it with your own scores:
- Agrees with your review: your self-assessment is reliable; trust it more next time.
- Points to something you missed: add it to your action list and look for it in your notes from earlier interviews.
- Vague (“another candidate had more experience”): note it, but do not over-read it. It may simply be true.
If an offer arrives, still finish the review. Knowing what worked is as useful as knowing what did not.
Across interviews: look for patterns
One interview is a sample of one. Keep all your debriefs in a single document or spreadsheet, and after every third interview read them together. Look for:
- The same question tripping you up more than once.
- Stories you keep reusing, and whether they still fit the jobs you are applying for.
- Points where the interview usually changes direction, for example after a question about a CV gap or a short role.
- Whether the same weakness appears in interviews for different types of employer.
Patterns sometimes point back to your application rather than your interview technique. If interviewers repeatedly probe the same part of your CV, it may need rewording. The resume questions hub covers common problem areas such as gaps and short roles, and you can update the wording in the resume builder. Keeping a record of your examples and target roles in one place, such as a career profile, also makes it easier to prepare the next time.
Warwick’s careers service also suggests booking a practice session with a careers adviser before the next interview. If you are a student or recent graduate, your own university may offer the same, and a debrief log gives that session something concrete to work on.
The one-page version
- First hour: write down every question, your example and the follow-ups.
- Same day: score each answer for relevance, evidence, length and accuracy.
- Next day: for your weakest answers, work out the cause.
- Then: choose up to three specific actions and one thing to keep.
- On the result: ask for feedback and compare it with your own view.
- Every third interview: read all your debriefs together and look for patterns.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an interview self-review take?
About ten minutes for the notes straight after, and twenty to thirty minutes for the scoring and actions later. Spending longer rarely adds much; doing it consistently matters more.
What if I cannot remember the questions?
Write down what you can, even as rough topics. Next time, jot a word or two after each question if the format allows, or make notes in the first few minutes after you leave.
Should I review an interview I think went well?
Yes. Knowing which examples and answers worked lets you reuse them deliberately. A good interview can also hide a weak answer that cost you less this time but may cost more elsewhere.
Is it worth asking for feedback if the employer did not offer it?
Yes. University careers services advise asking anyway. Keep the request short and polite, and accept that some employers have a policy of not giving it.
How do I stop the review turning into self-criticism?
Separate facts from judgements, always record at least one thing that went well, and limit yourself to three actions. The aim is a better next interview, not a verdict on this one.
Sources
- After an interview, University of Nottingham Careers and Employability Service
- After the Interview, University of Warwick Student Opportunity (Careers)
- Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle, University of Edinburgh Reflection Toolkit
- After Action Review Worksheet, USDA Forest Service