# Example: Prepare Interviewers

Fictional company, role, candidate and people.

## What the user pasted

> Can you do briefs for the panel for R.M. (Product Marketing Manager, Brightwell Analytics), Thursday 14 Nov on Zoom. Criteria from the kit: 1) Positioning and messaging, 2) Working with sales, 3) Planning a launch. Scale 1-5 as in the kit.
>
> Hannah (hiring manager, 45 min, 10:00): positioning + launch. Q1 "Tell me about a time you repositioned a product. How did you decide on the message?" Q2 "Walk me through a launch you planned end to end."
> Sam (sales director, 30 min, 11:00): working with sales. Q "Tell me about a time sales weren't using the materials you made. What did you do?" Sam also wants to ask about launches.
>
> CV: 6 yrs B2B SaaS marketing, led launch of a reporting module at last company, built sales battlecards. "Mum of two, love running." Sam thinks he might know her from a local SaaS meetup. Scorecards in the ATS by Friday 12:00.

## What the skill produced

# Interviewer briefs: R.M. for Product Marketing Manager

**Stage:** Panel · **Date:** Thu 14 Nov, Zoom · **Scorecards due:** Fri 15 Nov, 12:00, in the ATS

## Panel coverage

| Criterion | Owner | Also covered by |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning and messaging | Hannah | - |
| Planning a launch | Hannah | Sam, second view [TBC] |
| Working with sales | Sam | - |

Flag: Sam wants to ask about launches too. Because his slot has spare time (see below), suggest he asks Hannah's launch question as a deliberate second view, and each scores it on their own. [TBC]

**Slot check** (about 8-10 min per core question, plus opening and close)

| Interviewer | Slot | Core questions | Fits? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hannah | 45 min | 2 | Fits |
| Sam | 30 min | 1 | Under-filled: one question needs about 18-25 min. Add the launch question as a second view (fits in 30), or shorten the slot to 20 min. [TBC] |

---

## Brief: Hannah, hiring manager

**Your slot:** 10:00, 45 min, Zoom · **You assess:** Positioning and messaging; Planning a launch

### Your questions (ask in this order)

1. **Positioning and messaging:** "Tell me about a time you repositioned a product. How did you decide on the message?"
   - Probes: "What input did you use?", "How did you know it worked?"
2. **Planning a launch:** "Walk me through a launch you planned end to end."
   - Probes: "What was your part, and what was the team's?", "What went wrong, and what did you do?"

### What good evidence sounds like

- **Positioning - strong:** Names the audience, the evidence behind the message (customer calls, win/loss) and a measurable result.
- **Positioning - weak:** Talks about "brand" in general, with no sources or outcome.
- **Launch - strong:** Clear plan, owners and dates, handled a setback, can say what the launch achieved.
- **Launch - weak:** Lists activities with no priorities, or describes what "we" did only.

### Candidate context (from supplied material)

- CV says she led the launch of a reporting module at her last company. Probe her own role and the result.

### Taking notes

- Write what she said and did, not your conclusion
- Note short quotes and examples per criterion
- Score each criterion straight after the interview, using the 1-5 scale

### Before and after

- **Conflict of interest:** If you know or have worked with the candidate, tell the recruiter before the interview.
- **Adjustments:** If she asks for a change, agree it with [contact / TBC]. Keep it off your scorecard.
- **Sensitive topics:** If something comes up you should not ask about, do not follow it up. Move on and tell the recruiter.
- **Score on your own:** Submit in the ATS by Fri 12:00. Do not discuss the candidate with Sam first.

---

## Brief: Sam, sales director

**Your slot:** 11:00, 30 min, Zoom · **You assess:** Working with sales; Planning a launch (second view, if confirmed)

### Your questions (ask in this order)

1. **Working with sales:** "Tell me about a time sales weren't using the materials you made. What did you do?"
   - Probes: "How did you find out?", "What changed afterwards, and how did you know?"
2. **Planning a launch (second view, only if the recruiter confirms):** "Walk me through a launch you planned end to end."
   - Probes: "What was your part, and what was the team's?", "What went wrong, and what did you do?"

### What good evidence sounds like

- **Working with sales - strong:** Went to the sales team to find out why, changed the materials based on what she heard, and can show more use or better deals.
- **Working with sales - weak:** Blames sales, or only resent the materials.
- **Launch - strong:** Clear plan, owners and dates, handled a setback, can say what the launch achieved.
- **Launch - weak:** Lists activities with no priorities, or describes what "we" did only.

### Candidate context (from supplied material)

- CV mentions she built sales battlecards. Ask how sales used them.

### Taking notes

- Write what she said and did, not your conclusion
- Note short quotes and examples
- Score straight after the interview, using the 1-5 scale

### Before and after

- **Conflict of interest:** You mentioned you may know her from a local meetup. Tell the recruiter before Thursday so they can decide if another interviewer should take your slot.
- **Adjustments:** If she asks for a change, agree it with [contact / TBC]. Keep it off your scorecard.
- **Sensitive topics:** If something comes up you should not ask about, do not follow it up. Move on and tell the recruiter.
- **Score on your own:** Submit in the ATS by Fri 12:00. Do not discuss the candidate with Hannah first.

---

## Open questions

- Should Sam ask the launch question as a second view, or should his slot be shortened to 20 min? [TBC]
- Adjustment contact [TBC]
- Comments were left out because they referred to protected characteristics (family status).
