Mastering behavioral interviews for sales roles isn’t just about asking the right questions—it’s also about capturing what matters most in the candidate’s responses. In this unit, you’ll learn how to take effective notes, record key evidence, and avoid the pitfalls of vague or biased impressions. These skills will help you make fair, consistent, and well-supported hiring decisions.

Balancing note-taking with active listening is essential for a smooth interview experience. Start by letting the candidate know you’ll be taking notes, which helps set expectations and keeps the interaction comfortable. For example, you might say, "I’ll be jotting down a few notes as we talk to make sure I capture your examples accurately."

Use concise shorthand or abbreviations to quickly capture main points, such as "Handled upset client—called, listened, expedited order, follow-up note." Rather than writing continuously, pause at natural breaks to record details, allowing you to maintain eye contact and stay present in the conversation.

If you find yourself needing a moment to catch up on your notes, it’s perfectly acceptable to pause the conversation briefly. You can do this professionally by saying something like, "That was a helpful example—let me take a moment to jot down the details so I don’t miss anything important." This approach reassures the candidate that their responses are valued and maintains a respectful, transparent atmosphere.

The most valuable notes are those that capture specific actions, outcomes, and direct quotes from the candidate. Instead of summarizing with impressions like "Good with clients", focus on what the candidate actually did or said: "‘Called client directly. Apologized for the delay. Renewed contract after follow-up." This approach provides concrete evidence for later evaluation and supports objective decision-making.

It’s important to avoid vague or biased impressions in your notes. Phrases such as "Seemed confident" or "Not sure about their attitude" don’t offer actionable evidence. Instead, describe observable behaviors: "Smiled, maintained eye contact, described taking initiative to resolve client issue."

By sticking to facts and examples, you ensure your notes are fair, useful, and compliant with best practices for unbiased hiring.

Here’s a brief exchange between two interviewers, Jessica and Ryan, that demonstrates effective note-taking and the avoidance of bias during a debrief:

• Jessica: How did you find the candidate’s response to the client escalation question?
• Ryan: I wrote, "Handled client delay, called, apologized, coordinated with logistics, followed up with a note. Client renewed contract."
• Jessica: That’s great. I almost wrote "Seemed confident," but your notes are much more specific. I’ll update mine to reflect the actual actions and results.
• Ryan: I try to avoid impressions and stick to what they actually did or said. It makes it easier to compare candidates later.

In this exchange, notice how Ryan’s notes focus on concrete actions and outcomes, while Jessica recognizes the need to move away from vague impressions. This practice leads to more objective and useful interview documentation.

As you continue, you’ll have the opportunity to practice these techniques in the upcoming role-play session, where you’ll refine your ability to capture and communicate the most relevant evidence from your interviews.