CAREER TIP SHEET

CAREER
TIP SHEET
INTERVIEWING

This tip sheet is designed to provide general advice on preparing • “Why should we hire you?”, “What makes you better than other
for and participating in a job interview. An interview is a chance for applicants?”, “What can you offer us?”. This is addressed below.
a potential employer to gain a holistic view of you. Your technical
• “What do you know about us?”
skills have enabled you to reach this point. Now is the time to
demonstrate all those “soft” skills that aren’t evident on paper. »» The absolute baseline is researching the organisation’s
website but you should also research news articles, reviews,
There are three important points to remember: Google search results, share price etc. If the job has a
“physical” element - such as a store or hotline – you should
• It’s rare that someone walks out of an interview thinking they
try to share the experience as a consumer.
have “nailed” it. There is always something left unsaid or that
could have been handled differently. »» You can also research the interviewer on Google and/or
LinkedIn. This might help with building rapport. We suggest
• Build rapport with the interviewer/s. People often get jobs
you hide your identity before doing so.
based on the “chemistry” alone even if they are less qualified
or experienced than other applicants. Two sure ways to build • “Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years’ time?”
rapport are answering the question asked and, in general,
»» It’s always tricky to balance reassuring the interviewer
matching the interviewer’s “energy” levels eg quick talking and
that you are a loyal employee while showing just enough
direct questions or a more chatty response.
ambition. Perhaps consider answering “have mastered this
• The more prepared you are, the less nervous you’ll feel… but role and progressed”?
prepare well. Overpreparing adds to nerves.
• “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
Interviewers are looking for an opportunity to:
»» Strengths are dealt with below. The weakness question is
• Understand and explore your experience particularly why you more likely to be phrased in the third person eg “What would
left different roles. your supervisor say is an area you need to improve?”

• Determine if your personality is a good cultural fit with the »» Ideally, a weakness should be good and bad, something that
organisation. This is where building rapport is handy! is only demonstrated under pressure (ie at your worst) or
something that was an issue and how you overcame it eg
• Test their intuition. “I used to be quite nervous public speaking but I’ve joined
Interviews range from formal (structured and behavioural-based) Toastmasters and the practice has helped”.
through to informal. There are standard questions that might be »» Do not raise a weakness that could cast doubt on your
raised in either. ability to do the job. For example, if you are required to write
reports, do not say you are a poor speller.
STANDARD QUESTIONS
»» Avoid the clichéd “I am a perfectionist” line.
The interviewer will want to qualify your skills and experience
as relevant to the position. Standard questions include going »» Maybe your weakness is interviewing or not selling yourself!
through each aspect of your experience and clarifying what you
FORMAL INTERVIEWS
did (and didn’t do). You will often be asked why you left those jobs,
particularly if it was after a short time. Competencies
You need to be prepared to answer these questions. Don’t say you Competencies are work skills such as “problem-solving”, “teamwork”
left because you “were headhunted” as the interviewer may worry and “attention to detail”. These differ from “tick-the-box”
that you will leave them easily as well. The interviewer just wants to prerequisites such as having a particular degree or a minimum
satisfy him or herself that there was nothing unfavourable in your number of years’ experience.
departure. Explaining in too much detail will raise suspicion. With a
redundancy, say something like “I was there for X years and I loved Behavioural-Based Interviewing
it but when I had the opportunity to take a redundancy package, I Most well-informed hiring managers conduct a behavioural-based
grabbed it”. interview. You might not have done the exact role before, but the
interview will determine if you have the underlying competencies to
You may be asked clichéd standard questions to help to break the
perform well in it.
ice. Typical questions include:

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The rationale is that past behaviour indicates future behaviour. Any competencies that keep appearing throughout the KSC (eg
These questions provide insight into how you think and act in set teamwork) are likely to be priorities for the interviewer. Keep in mind
situations. They usually take the form of a scenario eg “Can you tell that the term “project management” might be used loosely where it
me about a time when you…?”. The questions are different from refers to tasks that are started and finished as opposed to ongoing
standard (theoretical) questions such as “What would you do in [this functions (eg customer service).
situation]?” where anyone can give a textbook answer. To answer a
behavioural-based question, you need to draw on real-life scenarios NARROWING THE FIELD
to illustrate you have the competency required. Try to narrow the field of brainstormed competencies to six. See if
A behavioural-based question seeks information on what you did, you can combine any competencies as complementary or subsets eg:
not the team, your manager or the business. An interview is not the • Combine “problem-solving” and “creativity/innovation” by using
time to be modest. Practice saying “I” and not “we”. Even if your a scenario where you solved a problem with a creative solution.
work was a small cog in a big wheel, the interviewer wants to hear The same story can then be used for a question on problem-
about that cog. solving, creativity/innovation or a combination of both.

Preparation • “Communication” and “negotiation”: a story about a negotiation

Know your job application back-to-front. This includes your CV/ will cover a specific question (about negotiation) as well as the
resume, response to Key Selection Criteria (KSC, if any) and/or your general (communication).
covering letter. It looks strange if you can’t answer a question about
• Interpersonal relationships are tested via a question on “conflict
your application.
management”. The issue is then with whom (colleagues, clients,
You will never anticipate every interview question, but can narrow suppliers, members of the public).
the field by preparing for the most likely competencies that might
be questioned. Putting everything into perspective, a 45-minute “Positive” and “Negative” Questions
interview might only consist of six or so substantial questions. It Most people only prepare their positive stories (successes) and not
is far better to focus than to try to cover every possibility, end up their negative (failures/disappointments). It’s really important to
overpreparing and feel apprehensive about all the things you need prepare for both. Often asking a negative question is more insightful
to remember. Instead, prepare well for six competencies. Try to – it tests honesty and your ability to think on your feet. If you don’t
determine the most likely competencies, then match a story drawing prepare negative examples, then - under pressure – you are likely to
on your experience to each of them. You will always need to shape remember and highlight your biggest failures. Some examples are:
your story to accommodate the specific question at interview. You
need to have some faith in your ability to think on your feet. • “Can you tell me about a time that you couldn’t motivate a
member of your team? What did you do and why do you think
Determining the Most Relevant Competencies that approach failed?”
You should be guided by: • “When have you had a conflict with a stakeholder that you
couldn’t resolve?”
• KSC (if any).
• “When has your eye for detail let you down? What did you miss
• The job description and/or advertisement.
and what was the impact?”
• General knowledge and common sense about the skills required
Please remember:
for this type of role. Be careful not to only include qualities you
know are your strengths. • Everyone has made mistakes or been in a situation where the
outcome was not as expected. This may or may not have been
Print off the KSC and/or the job advertisement/description and
your “fault”.
brainstorm as many competencies as possible. Don’t just take each
competency at face value. For example, if overall the KSC appears • You should not reveal any major disasters. The outcomes should
to be about project management skills, reading between the lines, always be limited or minimal.
it might also indicate other competencies such as “delegation”,
“managing resources” (people and/or budgets), “multitasking” and • Accept responsibility clearly and unequivocally eg “The mistake
“meeting deadlines”. It is unlikely that the interviewer will follow I made was not to remind the team of the deadline three days
the straight pattern of the KSC and ask questions you have already beforehand”. Consider examples where the failure was not
answered in writing. entirely your fault (eg taking responsibility for a subordinate’s
mistake) or was due to an unforeseeable event.

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• Explain what you learned or might do differently in the future. Consider “reverse-engineering” the achievements on your CV
“I learned that in future, rather than email a reminder of the to generate other stories. Ask what competencies each one
deadline, I should talk to people face-to-face, then follow up demonstrates. Think of particular incidents at work such as projects
with an email”. or times when there were challenging situations (stressful deadlines,
staff absences, changes etc). These might jog your memory.
• One good example of an unresolved conflict would be where
you were pressured by a customer or stakeholder to bend the Try not to overthink this exercise. Overthinking occurs when, instead
rules and refused to. While this is a conflict, it is unavoidable of just using a good example, you try to draw attention to some
and demonstrates your integrity. important achievement or project. The result is an answer to a
question that doesn’t quite work.
Some competencies will almost always only lend themselves to a
negative scenario eg “failing to meet a deadline”. Keep in mind any particularly large or complex tasks that might
prove to be your “Swiss army knife” stories. These are stories that
Preparing Your Scenarios demonstrate many competencies. Keep these up your sleeve for any
Start by drawing a chart with three columns across that will list, questions asked outside the competencies you have prepared for.
briefly, in order:
How to Answer
• The competency (or combined competencies) The STAR method is a proven structure for recounting stories:
• A positive example S - Explaining the situation – be brief but relevant
• A negative example T - Outlining the task you were faced with
Try to think of a good story for each competency and list these in A - Detailing the action you took
the second column in a couple of words. You might find that some
competencies will have several options while others might only have R - Sharing the results
one. Try to use a different story for each competency. Jot down the
story in a few words in each column (positive and negative) eg: Try to think of results plural, not just the immediate result but its
impact or feedback eg “The client wrote a message to the manager
Competency Positive Eg Negative Eg of the team saying she was thrilled with my solution”. Note that in a
negative example, the result is where you take responsibility and say
Negotiation/ Winning tender Losing preferred what you learned.
communication and negotiating supplier status with
price from Optus Vodafone. Do not write out stories word-for-word – use a couple of dot points
for installation of at most - because it’s impossible to pick exactly the question that
landlines. will be asked. If you rehearse, you risk sounding like a robot or not
answering the actual question. It is far better to stutter and stumble
and answer the question, than it is to give a “perfect” answer to
Problem-solving/ Instigating Trying to get the
another question. Answering the question builds rapport. If anything,
Innovation/ monthly lunchtime building to agree to
practice answers out loud, even record them and play them back if
creativity training sessions installing “hanging”
possible.
for different parts bike racks.
of the business.
INFORMAL INTERVIEWS
True informal interviews can’t be prepared for. Informal interviews
often arise where the hiring company or manager:
Ideally, examples will come from the most recent or relevant job but
you might need to look back some time ago or even to activities • Already knows you and doesn’t need to test your technical skills.
outside of work (eg volunteering). You might need to shuffle stories
as one story can demonstrate multiple competencies and you might • Feels they need to sell the opportunity to you.
be short on others.
• Was referred to you by someone they trust.

• Knows there are competitive sensitivities, so will test your bone

fides before revealing information.

• Trusts their intuition eg an entrepreneur might prefer to get to

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know you first, then will decide if he or she likes you and can feature is the competitive advantage but the benefit is what it means
trust you. For some, the trust and fit are more important than to the interviewer eg “I have ten years’ specialisation in this area
skills that can be taught or gained. [feature], so I can hit the ground running” [benefit: saving ramping up
time and/or training].
• Has already screened you through a more formal process. The
informal interview then becomes a “meet and greet” usually “What are your Salary Expectations?”
with the most important decision-maker, such as the CEO who Many people baulk at being asked about money. Some believe that
might have a final say. their answer will form that basis on which a small increment will then
be offered.
The key message with informal interviews is to prepare for a formal
interview. Often people are told the meeting will be a “meet and The truth is that salary expectation is one of the best indicators of a
greet” and arrive to a formal panel interview. It’s better to be person’s seniority and skills. It’s unlikely that someone will be over or
prepared than sorry. underpaid by 30%. A hiring company or recruiter will want to know
salary expectations to ensure that no time is wasted interviewing for
Always keep your guard up. An informal interview may take place
a role you are unlikely to accept. It is about setting a ball park.
over a coffee offsite or even a drink. A clever interviewer will have
you relax so much that you say things you never would normally (like When asked about salary expectations, respond with “I’m flexible,
the real reason you left your last job). Keep it friendly but be careful. however…” then detail what you were on in your last role. Break
it down into base, superannuation (at what percentage) and other
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
monetary and non-monetary benefits. One of the biggest mistakes
Competitive advantages are relevant for both formal and informal is to answer in round figures such as “80K”. In your mind, this means
interviews. They are selling features you have over other applicants $80K base salary plus superannuation which totals $87,200. In the
for the position. Granted, unless this is an internal position, you hiring company’s mind, this means $80K including superannuation
probably won’t know the background of other applicants but, still, (ie $72,500 plus superannuation). A big difference. Then when you
try to think of three skills you have that others probably don’t have. explain the discrepency at offer stage, the company might think
These can be a combination of hard skills (technical, qualifications, you are trying to take advantage of them. Your answer should be
experience) or soft skills (personal strengths or attributes). These something like:
competitive advantages form your sales pitch and are the key
messages you should try to get across in the interview. I’m flexible, however, in my current role I am paid $83K base salary,
plus superannuation at 12 percent, a car allowance of $5,000, mobile
Knowing three short, sharp selling points will allow you to answer all and laptop.
the variations of ice-breaker questions such as “Why should we hire
you?”, “What can you offer us?”, “What do you have over the other Keep in mind items such as:
candidates?”. A well-constructed answer is powerful and speaks • Salary sacrificing with a not-for-profit can make a large
volumes for your communication skills. Most people answer these [specified] difference to the take-home package.
questions in a mumble. You will also be able to draw on any of these
points to answer a “strength” question or perhaps even reinforce one • Superannuation above the statutory minimum.
in a response to a behavioural-based question. • Carparking especially in the CBD.
You should structure your answer in the form of announcing “there • Funded study.
are three reasons”, then counting them out as “one, [this]”, “two,
• A fully maintained car with unrestricted use.
[this]”, “three, [this]”.
• Extra leave or flexibility.
SELLING YOURSELF - FEATURES V BENEFITS?
• Tools eg mobile, laptop etc.
Salespeople distinguish between “features” and “benefits”. If
someone is considering buying a new Audi, its features include • Bonuses. How is it calculated and when is it paid? If it is
leather interior, 0-100km/h in 10 seconds and black metallic paint. contingent, you can advise what was paid last year eg “Plus a
The benefits are what these features mean to the buyer eg safety, bonus of between 15 and 30%. Last year, I received $25K”.
freedom, success, individuality etc. “DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?”
People buy on benefits. You want the interviewer to buy you. The Usually you will be asked at the end if you have any questions. It
is fine to have none provided you tell the interviewer that your
questions have been answered.

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Do not ask anything that can be answered by the company’s website LEAVING
or Google as you will show a lack of research and preparation.
Basic good manners dictates that you should thank the interviewer,
If you have a genuine question that you cannot know the answer but you should also reinforce your interest with an emphatic
and need to, ask that. Just be specific. Don’t try to impress the statement eg “Thanks for today. I would be thrilled to accept if I was
interviewer with your research or insight by asking a question that offered this role”. Enthusiasm is everything especially if you are a
may stump them. You risk embarrassing the interviewer and eroding quieter person who may not have shown his or her passion for the
all the rapport built to that stage. Note that this will be the last role during the interview. Tell the interviewer that you want the job.
impression the interviewer has of you.
TIPS FOR COMMON PROBLEMS OR ISSUES
Steer clear of the boring procedural questions that make you look
insecure eg: Nerves/Forgetting/Losing your Train of Thought
• Pre-empt nerves when walking into the interview. When they
• When will you be making a decision? ask “How are you?” don’t say “I’m nervous” but “I’m very well
thanks but feeling a little nervous”. It can be a good ice-breaker
• When do you want the person to start? and might explain an early fumble!
• How many people are you interviewing? • Do not to be hard on yourself, everyone gets nervous but some
are better at hiding it than others.
It is highly unlikely that you will receive a truthful answer to “What’s
the culture like?”. Perhaps you can instead ask the interviewer/s what • The more prepared you are, the less nervous you will feel.
each of them like about working there. • Do not overprepare ie work with too many competencies,
Consider asking questions like: writing out answers etc. Limit the number of competencies
targetted to six plus the three competitive advantages and one
• Do you mind if I clarify my answer on the question on…? (This gives weakness.
you an opportunity to fix any bad answers). • You can jog your memory, in the waiting room if necessary, by
• Are there any answers I have given where you need further looking at the list of scenarios for different questions. If you are
clarification? really susceptible to nerves, you could take the list in with you
but try to avoid looking at it unless desperate.
• Is there anything else you need to know about me? • Take a clean notebook in with you. When asked a question, you
can listen carefully and scribble down a word or two to keep
• (If you are brave): Do you have any concerns about hiring me for
your thoughts on track eg “deadlines”. This is especially useful if
the position?
the question has multiple parts.
• On the basis of what you said about [refer to an earlier point • If you tend to lose your thought mid-sentence, “count out”
the interviewer raised], can I ask…?. This shows you have paid the STAR format. Literally, say “The situation was…”, “My task
attention. was…”. This will keep you on track. You can also count the
steps discretely on fingers. Between this and having scribbled
If it is a sales-related role, you must close the interviewer ie tie him
down the “main word” above, even if you experienced a loss of
or her to a yes or no answer. Closing is an important skill for any
memory, you will be able to pick up where the conversation was
salesperson and the interviewer is therefore likely to try to avoid
left.
being closed to test you out. One closing question might be “Will I
be invited to the next round of interviews?”. We know of companies • Take a deep breath and a couple of seconds to collect your
that will not hire a salesperson if the candidate does not at least thoughts. Some people even stop midway through an answer,
attempt to close. only to start again – cutting losses might be a better tactic than
persisting with a story you know will not go well.
Asking about flexible working conditions or work life balance is an
absolute no-no. This can create the impression that you are “clock • Remember that you might have an opportunity to go back to
watcher”, “inflexible” or even lazy. any problematic answers at the end.

“Waffling”/Talking Too Much

• Know what examples are going to be used for each likely
question.

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• Wafflers tend to talk way too much in the “situation” part of the • Make sure every member of the panel is acknowledged and
STAR answer, then skip over the most important elements ie spoken to throughout the interview, even if only one person is
the action and result. Practice presenting the situation briefly. firing the questions. Noone likes to feel dismissed or ignored.
• You can be brief provided the question is answered. If you don’t INTERNAL INTERVIEWS
provide enough detail, the interviewer will ask for more. Being
too brief might mean you miss an opportunity to sell yourself. • If you are the incumbent, the job is yours to lose. Do not take
the interview too easily. There is always the opportunity for
• Read the interviewer’s body language to see if enough has been someone else to “Bradbury” it.
said. On a phone interview, pause and wait for an indication
from the interviewer to move on. • It’s always going to be awkward to be interviewed by people
• Answer literally in the STAR format if necessary. you know but the biggest mistake you can make is to then
undersell yourself because you don’t want to bore the panel.
You Lack a Major Requirement for the Job, but have been granted
• Even though you know at least one person on the panel is
an interview
familiar with the stories or projects you describe, cover this off
• Don’t ignore the elephant in the room. If the requirement is by saying “As you [or by name if a panel] would know…”. The
for a degree and you only have a diploma, address the issue at actual story should then be exactly the same. Don’t skimp on
an opportune time eg “I saw that your requirements included detail to avoid awkwardness. This is the most common reason
a degree. You might have noticed I only have a diploma but I people fail internal interviews. They do not sell themselves well.
wanted to let you know that I am looking into further study”. An outsider, on the other hand, is not under this pressure.
The interviewer/s will definitely have noticed the shortcoming
and you won’t want to walk out and have them say “She was • Wear something a little different or new. Make a special effort
great, it’s just a shame she doesn’t have a degree”. to show respect for the process. A man might wear a tie where
he would normally wear an open-neck shirt.
• You can ask about the missing requirement in the question
stage at the end eg “Does the fact that I don’t have X preclude • Consider making a small joke of introducing yourself and shaking
me from getting this job?” hands. That way, if the panel is expecting you to be slightly
formal, you will have covered it off.
Not Sure if You Want the Job
• Some interviewers put on a harsh persona to test people. How • If you are an internal candidate for a role that has been
the interviewer presents is not always indicative of his or her advertised externally, use it to your advantage:
typical work personality.
»» Your number one competitive advantage is “I have been
• Even if part way through the interview, you decide you don’t performing well in the role for the past [18 months]”.
want the job, leave with them wanting you. You might change
your mind later. Buy yourself time by stating “I would be »» Use stories that highlight this advantage ie situations only the
interested to proceed to the next step”. incumbent would have experienced.
PHONE INTERVIEWS
Panel Interviews (especially for Technical Roles)
• Sometimes a panel will have one highly technical person (who Phone interviews are difficult because you cannot judge reactions
is often the manager) and two others that are less familiar with through facial expressions and body language. Try for Skype if
your area of expertise eg HR and a more junior person. possible. Otherwise you might need to answer the question and ask
“Does that answer all the parts of the question?”.
• The technical person is not the only one that matters. The other
two will have the same level of say. VIDEO INTERVIEWS
An increasing number of hiring managers and recruiters now use
• Most people fear “teaching” the technical person “to suck eggs”
video interviewing via webcam. The technology is quicker to reach
more than they fear alienating the two others. This occurs
candidates, provides a permanent record of the interview and saves
where you pitch your answers at the technical level and leave
time and travelling. Video interviews can be in the form of:
the other people in the dark. It is imperative that you include all
three interviewers in your answers and don’t get stuck in a one- • A one-way interview where a question will appear on the
on-one conversation with the technical person. screen, then you are given a set number of minutes to answer it.
There is no interaction with a person at the other end.

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• A two-way interview that involves the hiring manager, like skype • Group discussions: The aim is to be memorable and
demonstrate your interpersonal skills to get your message
Treat a video interview like an in-person interview. The more you are
across while listening to others.
“in the zone”, the better you will perform. Some other tips include:
Some general tips are:
• Prepare ahead of time and check your equipment – if you don’t
meet system requirements, the software might not work. This is • Arrive early but no more than 15 minutes. You will be
especially important for a two-way interview. Otherwise you will remembered for your punctuality.
appear disorganised.
• Be prepared to introduce yourself. Practice a short, confident
• Find a quiet private place with no distractions, not the local and memorable introduction.
library. You might need to borrow a computer.
• If you see others waiting for the interview, introduce yourself,
• Try not to be distracted by your image in front of you. make friends and smile at others throughout the group
• Do a dry run. Ask a friend to Skype you to get comfortable interview.
speaking to a screen. This will also give you the opportunity • Don’t be bossy or domineering. Make sure everyone’s views are
to practice answering any questions you’ve prepared for taken into account.
and obtain feedback on how you’re presenting. The more
comfortable and relaxed you can get with the process, the • Build on the ideas of others. Try to facilitate or consolidate the
better you will present. group rather than direct it.

• Dress professionally from head-to-toe. Don’t wear casual pants • Involve everyone in the discussion and listen attentively to
thinking they won’t be seen. Avoid overly loud patterns and others. Do not interrupt.
colours and low necklines. Consider testing your appearance on • If you are shy or quiet, make your contribution count. Don’t
the webcam or Skype before the interview. apologise before adding your views.
• Set the scene. Sit in a well-lit room with a light in front of AFTER THE INTERVIEW
you. Light behind will make you appear like a silhouette. Sit
with a conservative and tidy background behind you. Put your If you were introduced to the hiring company via a recruiter, call the
phone on silent, make sure you won’t be interrupted and keep recruiter on leaving the interview and provide an overview of how
windows closed to reduce any unwanted noise or breezes. you thought you went. You should definitely mention any issues or
discussions that might cause concern so the recruiter can preempt
• Set your webcam or laptop higher than your eye level. A high them when he or she calls the hiring company for feedback.
camera angle is more flattering.
• Sit up straight in the centre of the frame and maintain constant Immediately after the interview, list the questions you were asked
eye contact with the webcam. All breaks in eye contact are and your responses. This is particularly useful for internal roles.
noticeable. The exception is obviously to read the question in a While the same set of questions is unlikely to be repeated, general
one-way interview. areas for future interviews are useful.

• Speak slowly and clearly. Do not discuss the specific questions asked with anyone including
the recruiter and your colleagues. Knowing the questions in advance
• Even though a one-way interview may give you the option of is hugely advantageous for your competition. Even the recruiter
a couple of takes, every take is recorded and the interviewer might pass on the questions to his or her other candidates to
might see it. If you make a mistake, don’t swear! prepare them for their interviews.
• Disconnect the webcam and delete the software when done.
PRACTICE INTERVIEW
GROUP INTERVIEWS
If time permits, ask your consultant to do a practice interview
Group interviews are often the first step in the interview path. In with you. You can even role play how you will dress and greet the
general, group interviews are testing your skills in communication, interviewer.
leadership and teamwork. They tend to be either group activities or
discussions: SEEKING FEEDBACK

• Group activities: You are placed in a room with strangers and Feedback is usually provided at the point of advising whether or not
are asked to solve a problem. The interviewer/s is looking for you have been successful.
your ability to handle conflict and work as a team.

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Usually, if you have been unsuccessful, you will only receive

generic feedback – nothing specific enough to assist you for future
interviews. The reason is that hiring companies are often reluctant to
risk any form of challenge to their decision to hire someone else. In
some organisations, there may be a formal grievance procedure open
to unsuccessful candidates and the hiring company will not want to
leave itself vulnerable by providing potentially actionable feedback.
If the feedback is generic, accept it graciously. The time to solicit
more detailed feedback is after the chosen candidate has settled into
the role. One approach you might try is to:
• Approach the person from the panel in a non-formal manner
(phone call, or, if internal, invite them for a coffee).
• Explain that you have waited until now to solicit feedback as
your question is not about the process.
• Give an emphatic guarantee that this is for your own benefit
in future interviews and the discussion will be treated
confidentially.
• Listen to the feedback, without taking notes, interjecting or
being defensive.
• Thank the person for their candour.

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