Run mock interviews in trios: one Interviewer, one Candidate, one Observer. Rotate so you play all three roles — watching someone else answer is often where the most learning happens.
Interviewer script
- Open warmly. 'Thanks for coming in. Tell me a little about yourself.' (2 min)
- Ask one Leadership behavioral question from the bank, then probe: 'What did you do then? What was the result?'
- Ask one Googleyness behavioral question (teamwork or ambiguity), then probe once.
- Ask one hypothetical scenario. Let the candidate reason aloud; ask a clarifying-style follow-up.
- Close. 'Do you have any questions for me?' and thank them.
Observer checklist
- Did the candidate answer the actual question asked?
- For behavioral: was there a clear Situation, Task, Action (first-person) and Result?
- For hypothetical: did they clarify, structure their approach, and reason aloud?
- Did Leadership and Googleyness signals come through?
- Was the delivery concise, calm and clear? Any filler or rambling?
- Did they ask thoughtful questions at the end?
Feedback format — two stars and a wish
Keep it tight: name two things that worked well, and one specific thing to change next time. Always tie feedback to a signal or to STAR/CLEAR, so it is actionable rather than vague.
Observing is not the bench
When you observe, you see the patterns you cannot feel while answering — filler words, missing results, skipped clarifying questions. Treat the observer seat as the most valuable one, not the rest stop.Takeaways
- Rotate all three roles. Each one teaches something different.
- Use the checklist so feedback is concrete, not impressionistic.
- Two stars and a wish, always tied to a signal or framework.