The Why Interview Template
At Helia, we believe that skills and experience matter, AND the Why is non-negotiable.
The Why Interview is your recipe for finding people who'll truly thrive at your organization. This focused early-stage conversation digs beyond skills and experience to uncover a
candidate's true motivations and alignment with your mission.
Instead of just checking boxes on skills and experience, this
approach helps both you and the candidate figure out if this is
truly a YES before investing more time in the process.
From the Helia Library — Jess's signature hiring approach
When would I use this?
You're about to start interviewing and want to screen for what actually matters — not just credentials
You keep hiring talented people who don't work out, and you're not sure why
You want to figure out early whether a candidate's "why" matches your organization's "why"
You're tired of interview processes that feel like both sides are performing instead of being honest
You want candidates to self-select out if it's not a fit — saving everyone time and energy
What Makes This Template Work
It front-loads honesty. By sharing your real culture and challenges, you give candidates the information they need to make a genuine decision — not just impress you.
It listens for motivation, not just skills. What they lead with, where their energy shifts, what they skip over — these tell you more than any resume bullet point.
It creates mutual investment. Both you AND the candidate leave knowing if this is a "screaming yes" or a "thoughtful no" — before anyone invests more time.
It names the real stuff. The template prompts you to share what's actually hard about your culture, not just the shiny parts — because misalignment here is what causes hires to fail.
The Template
Step 1: Prework: Your Real Culture
Before your next hire, map your culture honestly:
What types of people tend to stay? Who are your stars and why?
Who's left quickly and why?
What stories do you tell new hires about "how things work here"?
Then in interviews, share real scenarios that show your culture in action — and watch reactions. Body language tells all.
Step 2: Get Their Story
Say this: I'd love for you to introduce yourself – you can either walk me through your resume OR tell me a few stories. What I really want to hear is what sparked you enough to say YES to this conversation about our organization and this role in particular.
Then: Stop talking and listen deeply. Let them choose their path.
What I'm listening for:
What they lead with (tells you what they value)
Where their energy changes (that's the real stuff)
What they emphasize (what they're proud of)
What they skip over (sometimes even more telling)
Notes:
Step 3: Reflect back
After they finish sharing, reflect back what you heard:
"So it sounds like you really [love/get excited about/are proud of] _____________, and you're looking for ____________. Did I get that right?"
My reflection back to them:
Their response:Did they correct anything? Add more detail? Get more excited?
Step 4: Share Your Org’s Why
This is where you get DEEP in the honesty about your organization and role (3-5 minutes). Connect what you heard them say to what you actually need:
Here's who we are and why we're hiring this role:
What we're really looking for: Light alignment with things you heard them say – e.g., "We're really looking for someone to lead the team, so while there's absolutely doing here(!), there's also a lot of team development and someone who's passionate about managing. Why? We have an incredible team that is really struggling and need someone dedicated to figuring that out and supporting so folks can thrive individually and in how they work together – something we haven't cracked."
Why we're doing this work (with example that shows it in action):
Who they'll be working with (a few highlights):
What day-to-day (or week-to-week) might include:
Things that will feel sticky that haven't been figured out:
Things you like exactly how they are and why:
Step 5: Real Q+A
Say something like: "I know this is an interview and that brings with it all the expectations and how we need to perform... AND for every hire I make, I want the candidate AND our organization to be screaming 'YES!' What do you need and want to know to help give you the clarity for that? I want any and every question you've got and will answer as honestly as possible so we're both making great choices here."
Their questions:
Logistical:
Team/culture:
Supports/resources:
Expectations/growth:
Other:
Did their questions feel like they were getting to the 💜/why match?
Step 6: After the interview — Your reflection
The most important question: Do I really understand their "why" – and is it aligned with our "why"?
Energy alignment (focus on WHY, not skills):
Red flags or concerns (focus on WHY, not skills):
Can I see them thriving here and in this role? Is there why alignment?
Your recommendation and why:
Always ask them:Can you reflect after our conversation and get back to me in 24-48 hours with whether you're screaming yes? Alignment on this is a must (and opening for more questions of course).
How to Make This Yours
Option 1: Use it as-is
Print out the template or have it open on your screen during the interview. Follow the flow: get their story, listen deeply, reflect back what you heard, share your why (customized to what they said), and open up real Q&A.
Option 2: Customize for your org
Before your next hire, fill in the "Part 3: Our Why" section with YOUR specific culture, challenges, and what day-to-day actually looks like. The more honest and specific you are here, the better the template works.
Option 3: AI-assisted
What to upload:
This template
Your job description or role overview
Notes about your real culture (who thrives, who struggles, what's hard)
The prompt: "I'm preparing for a Why Interview using Helia's template. Interview me about my organization's culture and what I'm really looking for in this role. Ask me one question at a time, then help me fill out Part 3 (Our Why) with honest, specific language I can share with candidates."
Pro tip: Record yourself talking through "what it's really like to work here" and upload the transcript — AI can help you turn rambling honesty into clear, compelling language.
Success Indicators
You'll know this is working when:
Candidates and you are sharing equally (or 60/40 with candidate doing more)
You understand their genuine motivations
Both you and candidates can make informed decisions
You spend time on folks who are actually excited about the work you need done
Common challenges:
"Some candidates talk for 2 minutes, some talk for 20" → Everyone can manage how they'd like. If it's only 2 minutes, I usually just say "Oh, I want SO much more than that! We have about 10ish minutes for this if you're willing to go deeper." If they just keep going, I usually let them as it's really insightful about how they'll show up in the world. I might slightly shorten my section and we'll have less time for questions – and often, I've learned enough. If you prefer, you can manage time more tightly and give them a heads up.
"Everything feels surface-level" → Ask folks to go deeper with what they're most proud of in their career (versus a project – in their career!) and/or both their favorite working relationship and the one that felt most crunchy. Folks can also describe the dream role/org they're looking for (this is better EARLY in the process before they know too much and are just pitching!).
"I can't tell if they're genuinely interested" → Trust yourself – there are lots of styles out there. And if they say it's a YES after the call, let's trust what people say (as long as you're deeply honest AND only saying a YES when it feels that way to you).
"There's a lingering uncertainty that's keeping me from YES" → See if you can pinpoint it. If not, two choices: Trust yourself if you have a long history of experience/perspective/have been interviewing for this role for a while. If you're not ready to do that, move them forward(!) and see if you can identify a question or two that you'd want folks to explore in future interviews that you might be able to pass on (or ask the recruiter to follow up with OR even send to the candidate).
Bonus: "Why" questions for other interview rounds
Weave these into conversations with other interviewers:
Why our organization and why this role?
After learning more throughout this interview process, how do you connect with our mission, our growth stage, or our working style?
Why this role – is it a stretch goal, a chance to build on past success?
What are you MOST excited about for your next role?
Thinking about every conversation you've had so far, why does this feel like the right role?
Take what's helpful and make it your own!
When a Template Isn't Enough
This template helps you structure the conversation and know what to listen for. It doesn't tell you how to assess whether someone's "why" actually matches your organization's — or what to do when your gut says one thing and their answers say another.
If you keep hiring people who interview well but don't work out, the issue might not be the questions you're asking — it might be what you're screening for, or how you're reading the signals.
If you want help designing your hiring process
Sophia Zisook at Negotiate with Sophia works with organizations to build equitable hiring processes — from job description through offer. Her approach: systematic, bias-aware, and actually implementable.
She's a good fit if:
You want to build an interview process that screens for what actually matters (like motivation and fit), not just credentials
You're trying to reduce bias in how you evaluate candidates
You need help thinking through compensation, leveling, or how to structure the role
You want someone to help you actually implement, not just advise
Ready to talk? → [Book a free 30-minute call with Sophia](CALENDAR LINK) or email sophia@negotiatewithsophia.com with "Helia Connection" in the subject line
Caroline Fitz-Roy at Fitzroy and Associates partners with social sector organizations on executive and leadership searches. Her approach is grounded in research and listening — not just activating a rolodex.
She's a good fit if:
You're hiring for a senior role and want a recruiting partner who screens for why, not just what
You've been searching for months and aren't finding people whose motivation matches what you can offer
You want someone to manage the full search process so you can focus on running your organization
Ready to talk? → Email Caroline at caroline@fitzroyandassociates.com with "Helia Connection" in the subject line
Not sure who's the right fit? [Book 30 minutes with Helia](CALENDAR LINK) and we'll help you figure out who in our Collective might be.
Related Resources
Finding Your People Worksheet — Walks you through identifying who actually thrives in your specific environment (complete this BEFORE using the Why Interview)
Right Role at the Right Level Template — Make sure you're hiring for the right role before you start interviewing
Common Roles Reference Guide — Salary ranges and what each level will/won't do across five functions
This template is from Jess's article "Right Level, Right Role” — read the full piece for the stories and philosophy behind the approach.
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