# Technical Hiring — Quiz

## Question 1

Why do structured interviews outperform unstructured ones?

A) They take less time
B) They improve reliability, fairness, and legal defensibility
C) They are easier to design
D) They require fewer interviewers

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: Structured interviews use the same questions and rubrics for all candidates. This improves reliability (consistent evaluation), fairness (reduces bias), and legal defensibility (documented, job-related criteria). Unstructured interviews favor charisma and similarity bias. -->

## Question 2

When should you define the interview scorecard?

A) After writing the first question
B) Before writing any questions
C) During the debrief
D) After the first candidate

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: Scorecard first. Define what competencies matter and how you'll assess them before writing questions. Questions and rubrics flow from the scorecard. This ensures alignment and prevents ad-hoc, inconsistent evaluation. -->

## Question 3

What does STAR stand for in behavioral interviews?

A) Skill, Task, Action, Result
B) Situation, Task, Action, Result
C) Strategy, Time, Analysis, Response
D) Standard, Test, Assess, Review

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: STAR = Situation (context), Task (their responsibility), Action (what they did), Result (outcome, what they learned). It's a framework for getting specific, past-behavior examples that predict future performance. -->

## Question 4

Which bias occurs when one positive trait overshadows weaknesses?

A) Similarity bias
B) Halo effect
C) Anchoring
D) Recency bias

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: The halo effect: one strength (e.g., charisma, pedigree) leads us to overlook weaknesses. Mitigation: score each competency separately; use a rubric; look for disconfirming evidence. -->

## Question 5

When should interviewers score candidates?

A) During the debrief, together
B) After the debrief, individually
C) Before the debrief, independently
D) Only the hiring manager scores

<!-- ANSWER: C -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: Interviewers should score independently before the debrief. This prevents groupthink and anchoring—if you hear others first, you may adjust your score. Independent scoring preserves each person's judgment, then the debrief reconciles. -->

## Question 6

What is a key principle of inclusive hiring?

A) Require a CS degree
B) Focus on competency; reduce unnecessary requirements
C) Prioritize "culture fit" above all
D) Use only technical interviews

<!-- ANSWER: B -->
<!-- EXPLANATION: Inclusive hiring focuses on competencies that predict performance. Unnecessary requirements (e.g., CS degree when equivalent experience works) exclude qualified candidates. Diverse panels, structured questions, and rubric-based evaluation support fairness. -->