Sean O’Neill’s Hiring Debrief Template

Most hiring decisions don’t fail in the interview. They fail in the discussion afterwards.

This is the hiring debrief template Sean O’Neill has used throughout his career to help teams make clear, evidence-based hiring decisions. Sean spent 11 years at Amazon as part of the Bar Raiser programme, where the focus wasn’t just on running good interviews; it was on making consistently high-quality hiring decisions across the business.

This tool brings that same structure into your hiring process.

What it helps you do

• Capture structured feedback from each interviewer;
• Score candidates against defined criteria;
• Run blind voting before the debrief to reduce bias;
• Compare perspectives across the interview panel;
• Focus the discussion on evidence, not opinion;
• Rank multiple candidates clearly; and
• Make confident hiring decisions.

How it works

Each interviewer completes their assessment independently before the debrief.

Those inputs are then compiled and revealed in the debrief, creating a structured conversation where the team can challenge assumptions, share evidence, and reach a clear decision.

No guesswork. No loudest voice wins. No “on the fence”.

Why it matters

Hiring is the highest-leverage decision you make as a leader. This template helps you raise the bar by turning a collection of interview impressions into a structured, repeatable decision process. If you hire people, lead teams, or want to improve how your organisation makes hiring decisions, this simple tool will immediately upgrade your process.