What is an Interview Summary?

An interview summary is a brief recap of the key points from an interview. It highlights the main takeaways and key information obtained during the interview.

The purpose of an interview summary is to provide a condensed overview of what was discussed. It allows the interviewer to easily reference back to the main points that were covered, without having to re-listen to an entire interview recording or re-read pages of notes.

An effective interview summary should:

• Concisely summarize the key discussion points
• Highlight the main takeaways and pieces of information learned
• Include brief context around why the interview occurred
• Identify next steps or follow-ups needed post-interview
• Be written clearly and coherently for the intended audience
• Omit unnecessary details and tangents
• Be 1-2 pages in length or less

The summary aims to capture the essence of the conversation in a short synopsis. It extracts the vital nuggets of information so readers understand what transpired without needing the full transcript.

Before the Interview

Before conducting an interview, it's important to thoroughly research the interviewee and their company. This will help you craft thoughtful questions and have insightful discussions during the interview.

Some tips for preparing before an interview:

• Research the interviewee's background, career history, accomplishments, etc. Review their LinkedIn profile or bio to get a sense of their expertise.
• Research the company they work for, including the products/services offered, company culture, recent news, etc. Understand the company's goals and challenges.
• Prepare a list of interview questions that are specific and relevant. Avoid generic questions that could apply to anyone. Tailor questions based on your research.
• Organize your questions so they flow well during the conversation. Start with an icebreaker, then move to career history and accomplishments, then discuss current role and goals, and wrap up with vision for the industry.
• Bring a notepad and pen to take thorough notes. Consider bringing a recorder as backup, if allowed.
• Bring copies of the interviewee's bio/resume, your questions, and any other relevant documents.
• Arrive early to set up any equipment and settle in. Test your recorder.

Thorough preparation and research sets the stage for an engaging, focused interview that provides unique insights. The interview will be more productive if you've done your homework beforehand.

During the Interview

Taking detailed notes during the interview is crucial for writing an accurate and comprehensive summary later. Come prepared with a notebook, laptop, or recording device to capture important points.

• Take detailed notes on the key points the interviewee makes, including facts, figures, examples, and direct quotes. Focus on writing down the substantive information rather than trying to transcribe everything verbatim.
• Ask follow-up questions to get clarification or probe for more details when needed. Taking notes isn't very useful if you don't understand something the interviewee said. Follow up right then to ensure you fully grasp their points.
• Record the interview if possible. An audio or video recording allows you to revisit the interview later and fill in any gaps in your notes. Be sure to get permission from the interviewee first. Let them know it's only for your own reference when writing the summary.

The interview itself is the most important part of the process for gathering the details needed to write a strong summary. Take thorough notes, ask good questions, and record the discussion if able. Having comprehensive documentation of what was said will make summarizing the key points much easier.

After the Interview

Review your notes soon after the interview while it's still fresh in your mind. Highlight the key points made and topics discussed. If you recorded the interview, transcribe the audio recording or take additional notes.

Focus on summarizing the main themes and takeaways rather than trying to capture everything verbatim. Look for insights about the interviewee's background, personality, skills, experience, goals, and fit for the role.

Identify any follow-up items you need to research or verify. Review any questions that need clarification. Make note of any red flags or concerns.

Ensure you understand the key points the interviewee communicated and that you can support them with your notes. Organize your notes into a logical structure in preparation for writing the summary.

Writing the Summary

When writing the interview summary, it's important to follow a logical structure to convey the key takeaways in a clear and concise way. Here are some tips:

• Organize the summary chronologically, following the flow of the interview. Start by briefly recapping when and where the interview took place, who was present, and the purpose of the interview.
• Focus on highlighting the key points and main themes that emerged from the interview. Don't try to include every single detail discussed. Instead, synthesize the most important insights, opinions, and pieces of information.
• Use subheadings to organize the summary by topic or theme. This helps cluster related information together for easy digestion.
• Use concise language and tight writing. Avoid verbosity. Summarize points succinctly instead of using long blocks of text.
• However, do ensure you include sufficient detail and context so the summary makes sense to someone who wasn't present at the interview. The right balance of brevity and detail is key.
• Only include relevant details. Don't pad the summary with tangential points or fluff. Every sentence should serve the purpose of conveying a key takeaway.
• Close the summary by briefly recapping the main conclusions from the interview and any planned next steps, if applicable.
• Keep the summary 1-2 pages maximum. Anything longer than that is too detailed for an interview recap.

Summary Structure

The summary should be structured with an introductory paragraph, a main body, and a conclusion.

Intro Paragraph

The introductory paragraph should provide some background information to set the context. This includes details like:

• Who conducted the interview
• Who was interviewed
• The date and location of the interview
• The purpose of the interview

Keep this section brief, as the focus should be on the key points covered in the interview.

Main Body

The main body covers the key points and highlights from the interview. Organize this section thematically rather than chronologically. Group related topics and points together under headings to make it easy to follow.

Be concise and only include the most essential information - not every single thing discussed. Use paraphrasing rather than direct quotes to summarize the key points concisely.

Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the main takeaways and highlights from the interview. Briefly recap the key points covered in the main body to reinforce the core information.

Keep this section short and avoid introducing any new information here. The conclusion should leave the reader with a clear understanding of the interview's purpose and the topics covered.

Style Tips

When writing an interview summary, focus on using clear, concise language to convey the key points. Avoid flowery or overly complex wording. The goal is to summarize the interview clearly and efficiently.

Relevant quotes from the interviewee can help bring their perspectives to life. Choose impactful quotes that get to the essence of what was said. But don't rely too heavily on quotes; paraphrase the key points in your own words as well.

Stick to the facts and objectives from the interview. Do not insert your own opinions or commentary. Report objectively on what was said, focusing on the most relevant and noteworthy information. Avoid speculation or subjective assessments.

By honing a clear, concise writing style that spotlights the interview details, you'll create a focused summary readers can quickly grasp. Remove any extraneous details that don't directly support the purpose of the summary. Every word should move the summary forward.

Things to Avoid

When writing an interview summary, it's important to avoid including your own personal opinions or bias. The goal is to objectively summarize the interview, not insert commentary. Stick to just the facts.

Additionally, be cautious with using jargon or technical terms, especially if they were used by the interviewee. Not all readers will be familiar with insider language, so it's best to rephrase responses in a way that's broadly understandable.

Finally, avoid including long blocks of transcribed text from the interview. The purpose of a summary is to distill and condense the key points into a readable format. Quote sparingly, if at all. Instead, paraphrase responses in your own words.

The summary should flow as a piece of writing unto itself, not simply a collection of verbatim quotes. Maintain objectivity, use accessible language, and condense effectively.

Editing Your Summary

After you've written your initial draft, it's important to take the time to edit your interview summary. This will help ensure it is clear, concise, and accurate.

When editing, focus on the following:

• Check for clarity - Make sure your summary flows logically and is easy for the reader to follow. Break up any lengthy paragraphs into shorter ones. Read it aloud to check for clarity.
• Check for brevity - Summaries should be concise, so look for any repetitive or unnecessary information that can be removed or condensed.
• Check for accuracy - Double check any key points, facts, or figures mentioned to ensure they are correct. Verify spelling of names.
• Have someone else review it - Get a second pair of eyes on your summary to provide feedback. They may catch things you missed.
• Format document consistently - Use consistent formatting like bolding interviewee names, indenting quotes, line spacing, etc. Format any lists or headers uniformly.
• Check for typos/grammar errors - Do a final sweep for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. Reading backwards can help spot typos.

Putting in the time to properly edit your interview summary will help make it polished and professional. The editing process helps refine your work into a clear, accurate recounting of the key discussion points.

Sample Interview Summaries (Format #1)

Here are two example interview summaries, one shorter and one longer, to illustrate what effective summaries might look like:

Shorter Example

I interviewed Jane Doe, a product manager at Acme Software Company, to learn about her career path and experiences. Jane has worked in product management for 7 years. She started as an associate product manager after completing her MBA, and worked her way up to senior product manager. Jane finds product management rewarding because she enjoys collaborating cross-functionally, gathering customer insights, and shaping product strategy. One challenge she faces is prioritizing features with limited development resources. Jane's advice for aspiring product managers is to seek opportunities to demonstrate analytical skills and leadership potential.

Longer Example

On March 15, I interviewed Alex Johnson, a 10-year veteran at Smith & Jones Consulting Firm. Alex started as a business analyst before being promoted to senior consultant 2 years ago. He specializes in digital transformation projects across industries.

Alex enjoys consulting because he can work on diverse projects and help clients solve complex problems. He says every project brings new learning opportunities. However, traveling 4 days per week can be tiring. The most rewarding project Alex worked on was a 2-year digital transformation engagement for a large retailer. The project had a rocky start as the client team was initially resistant to change. However, Alex was able to build strong relationships and credibility over time. He helped craft a vision and roadmap focused on using technology to improve the customer experience. This project taught Alex the importance of empathy, strategic thinking and influencing skills in consulting.

Alex's advice for new consultants is to proactively seek feedback and self-reflect. He wishes he had focused more on developing soft skills earlier in his career. For aspiring consultants from non-traditional backgrounds, Alex suggests looking for entry-level roles and being patient. He believes the field is becoming more diverse. Alex's future goals are to become a partner and give back by mentoring up-and-coming consultants.

Interview Summary Examples (Format #2)

When creating an interview summary, you'll need to do legwork and gather information. If you want to get started in no time, here are a few interview summary examples and templates.

Here is a sample of the interview summary.

[Name of the candidate]

[Candidate's contact information]

[Date and location of the interview]

[Your name and position]

[Introduce the candidate, their education, and the role for which they've applied]

[Summarize the responses of the candidate]

[If necessary, include any relevant information or expand on the candidate's previous experience]

[Your recommendations or comments on the candidate]

[Your name, date, and signature]

Job Interview Summary Example

A job interview should include the purpose and necessary information in a few sentences.

Here's a sample of a job interview summary.

[Candidate Name]

[Date]

[Purpose of the interview]

[Introduce the candidate and how their skillset matches the job description]

• [Write about the candidate's skills, abilities, and knowledge]
• [Who they are]
• [Why they should/should not be hired]

[Goal of the interview]

[End the summary with key takeaways of the interview]

[Write your recommendations]

Best Regards,

[Your Name]

Interview Summary Report Example

Here is an interview summary report example and template you can use to create the content.

Company Name: Interviewing the Candidate

[Summarize who you interviewed and why.]

[Use bullet points to write the remaining information.]

[Candidate background]

[Skills, abilities, and competencies]

[Relevant examples]

[Future prospects of the interviewee]

[Next, you need to focus on the main points in the right format.]

[If you want to write any point in detail, add the section here.]

[Conclude the summary and add the major takeaway from the interview.]

[Here you can write any recommendation.]

Best Regards,

[Your Name]

Example:

XY Company: Interviewing the John Cross

John Cross's education includes a bachelor's degree in writing, which is a requirement for the position of Content Manager. His experience includes working as a senior writer for over seven years.

• Before applying at XY, the candidate worked with YZ company for over three years as a senior writer.
• His role and responsibilities at the previous company included creating authentic content and managing the publishing process.
• He had worked closely with the designer and other team to ensure smooth operation.
• John has demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills and good judgment, with a keen interest in the position.

I'd recommend we conduct the next interview round with John to see if he aligns with the company's requirements.

Best Regards,

Paul Wilson

Generating Your Interview Summaries For Free With Glyph AI

If you’re looking to transcribe and summarize meetings or interviews quickly and accurately, Glyph AI is the tool for you. Glyph automates the process, saving you valuable time.

Here’s how you can use it to transcribe and create interview summaries:

Upload or Record Interviews: Head to your Glyph AI dashboard and click "Upload a file" to upload your interviews or conversations.

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Transcribe: Once uploaded, hit the "Transcribe" button.

Generate Summaries or Extract Insights: After the transcription is complete, you can save the project and start generating summaries. You can also analyze the interview using pre-built templates designed for customer or recruitment interviews.

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Within seconds, you’ll have a full summary of your interview, highlighting key points and important details.

To explore specific use cases, check out this link.

For a 40 seconds demo, watch it in action here.

FAQs

How to Write a Good Interview Report?An interview report is a detailed document capturing the essence of the conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee. To craft an effective interview report, consider these tips:

• Focus on collecting relevant information about the interviewee. Prepare by researching and organizing your materials in advance.
• Adjust the writing style based on the audience. For example, a report for a magazine will differ in tone from one intended for a recruitment team.
• Use summary examples and templates as guides to create clear, concise reports tailored to your readers' needs.
• Fill in the template with essential details right after the interview. Doing so while the discussion is still fresh in your mind will help you complete the report efficiently.

What Does a Candidate Interview Summary Include?A candidate interview summary is a document prepared by the interviewer after the interview, summarizing the key information and responses provided by the candidate. It usually includes the candidate's name, location, skills, job interest, and responses.

The main purpose of this summary is to assist the hiring manager and recruitment team in determining whether the candidate is a suitable match for the company.

Why Are Interview Summaries Important?Interview summaries condense one-on-one interview sessions into concise, readable texts, facilitating the sharing of the candidate's profile with the team.

The benefits of interview summaries include:

• They provide a searchable record of the interview, making information easily accessible.
• They help speed up the decision-making process for hiring.
• Summaries are more straightforward to share and review than full reports.

Key Points to RememberAn interview summary distills the critical aspects of the interview into a brief paragraph, efficiently conveying information that would otherwise require several paragraphs to describe.

If recording, transcribing, or summarizing interviews poses a challenge, consider using Glyph AI. This interview transcription software offers real-time, accurate interview summaries, streamlining the process with efficiency.

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Learn Top 5 ChatGPT Prompts to Summarize Interviews

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