The Importance of Note Taking: What and How to Record

A Critical and Often Neglected Aspect

Note-taking is, paradoxically, one of the most neglected aspects of a selection interview.

Often, interviewers omit it because they are not sure what to write down, because they downplay its importance compared to the conversation, or because they feel that the act of writing prevents them from actively listening to the candidate.

However, knowing how to take notes effectively is a fundamental skill to ensure an objective selection process, and it is crucial to understand both its importance and the proper technique for doing so.

Advantage 1: Evidence Gathering and Recall

The most obvious benefit of note-taking is the ability to accurately gather key information.

It allows you to record specifics about the candidate's experience, how it aligns with the specific needs of the position, and what particular value-add they might offer.

In addition, when interviewing multiple candidates, human memory is fallible; it is easy to forget important details or, worse, to confuse one candidate's answers and attributes with another.

Good notes act as a reliable record that allows you to remember exactly what each person said, leading to a much more accurate and fair final decision.

Advantage 2: Essential Tool for STAR Interviewing

In the specific context of the competency-based interview (STAR Model), note-taking is not optional, it is indispensable.

It allows the interviewer to visually track the components of the story the candidate is telling: Situation, Task, Action and Outcome.

By taking notes, it is much easier to identify if any of these elements are missing from the narrative.

This enables the interviewer to ask relevant probing questions at the appropriate time, helping the candidate to complete the example and allowing for an accurate assessment of competence.

Advantage 3: Foundation for Team Discussion and Decision Making

It is very common for a selection process to involve several people (manager, HR, technical peers), who must then meet to discuss their assessments and make a consensus decision.

In this deliberation meeting, the notes are the basis of the argumentation.

If an interviewer has taken detailed notes, he or she will have clear, evidence-based arguments to justify his or her preference for one candidate or to explain why another is not suitable, based on observed facts rather than vague impressions.

Advantage 4: Positive Psychological Impact on the Candidate

The act of taking notes also has an important effect on the candidate.

When the applicant sees that the interviewer is actively recording what he or she is saying, he or she receives a powerful nonverbal message: "what you are saying is important and is being taken seriously."

This, far from intimidating, often increases the candidate's confidence and self-esteem, fostering an atmosphere of greater openness and harmony, resulting in a more transparent and productive interview.

What and How to Record: The Right Technique

Although novice interviewers may find it difficult at first, the technique is honed with practice.

Be Open: Don't try to hide the fact that you are taking notes. Do it naturally and openly.

If you need more time to write down a key idea, it is perfectly acceptable to ask the candidate, "Let me just have a second to finish writing this down."

Focus on Behaviors: Don't try to transcribe the interview. Focus on the main ideas and, above all, record the specific behaviors the candidate describes (the "A" in STAR).

These are the observable indicators of competencies.

Keywords: Also note any keywords the candidate uses that are directly related to the job fun