Picture this: I’m sitting across from a brilliant software engineer, frantically scribbling notes while trying to maintain eye contact and process their complex explanation of a machine learning algorithm. Halfway through, I realize I’ve been writing gibberish, missed their key accomplishment, and probably looked like I was having some sort of breakdown.
Here’s the thing: whether you’re a hiring manager conducting dozens of interviews, a job seeker trying to remember important details, or a journalist capturing crucial quotes, the struggle is real. You’re torn between being present in the conversation and documenting everything important.
This leads to awkward pauses, stilted conversations, and that sinking feeling when comparing candidates weeks later with inconsistent notes that don’t follow any standard format.
After years of conducting interviews and testing various methods, I can confidently say that the best way to take notes when interviewing in 2025 is using AI-powered transcription tools like Notta, which not only captures conversations with 98.86% accuracy but also uses custom templates to automatically organize responses into comparable formats for every stakeholder.
The Psychology of Interview Note-Taking
When you’re simultaneously trying to listen, process information, formulate follow-up questions, and write coherent notes, you’re asking your brain to become a supercomputer. Unfortunately, most of us are running on the cognitive equivalent of a Windows 95 machine trying to stream Netflix.
Research shows that our working memory has severe limitations. When writing notes by hand, you’re using precious mental resources that could be devoted to active listening and relationship building. Studies indicate that maintaining eye contact increases trust and rapport by up to 30%. Every time you glance down to scribble a note, you’re essentially telling the other person your writing is more important than what they’re saying.
Task-switching reduces our efficiency by up to 40% and increases errors significantly. So not only are you missing crucial information while note-taking, but the notes you capture are likely less accurate than you think.
Traditional Note-Taking Methods: The Reality Check
Pen and Paper Method
Handwriting can improve comprehension and memory retention, plus you’re free from digital distractions. But your handwriting speed maxes out around 20-30 words per minute, while average speaking pace is 150-160 words per minute. You’re capturing maybe 20% of what’s being said.
I learned this during a journalism assignment when my notes said “revenue increased significantly” when the CEO had actually said “revenue decreased significantly.” Oops.
Digital Note-Taking (Laptop/Tablet)
Most people can type 40-60 words per minute with decent accuracy. You can organize information on the fly and create headers.
However, the screen creates a literal wall between you and the interviewee. People tend to be more guarded when there’s a laptop open. Plus, digital devices are distraction magnets that can derail your focus instantly.
Shorthand and Symbol Systems
Some veterans develop abbreviations and shortcuts that help capture information faster. The challenge is that effective shorthand takes significant practice, and your clever abbreviation system might look like ancient hieroglyphics to teammates weeks later.
The Real Problem: Inconsistent Documentation
Here’s what most people don’t realize: traditional note-taking isn’t just inefficient, it’s inconsistent. Each conversation gets captured differently depending on your energy level, conversation flow, and what you think is important in that moment.
This creates a nightmare when comparing candidates. Sarah’s notes might focus on technical skills while Mike’s emphasize leadership experience. Now you’re comparing apples to oranges, making fair evaluation nearly impossible.
Modern Solutions: AI-Powered Transcription and Custom Templates
Why AI Transcription is Game-Changing
AI transcription eliminates the cognitive trade-off between listening and documenting. Your brain is finally free to process information, read between the lines, and build genuine connections.
When you’re not worrying about capturing every word, you can focus on tone, body language, and meaning. You can ask better follow-up questions because you’re actually listening to the answers.
Modern AI transcription achieves 95%+ accuracy with the ability to handle different accents, speaking speeds, and multiple languages.
Introducing Notta’s Complete Interview Solution
After testing numerous tools, I keep coming back to Notta; not just for transcription accuracy (98.86% across 58 languages), but for how it solves the entire interview documentation workflow.
Here’s where Notta becomes truly powerful: custom templates that automatically organize responses into standardized formats. Instead of getting a wall of transcript text, you create templates that pull specific information into organized sections, making every interview instantly comparable.
For example, if you ask every candidate about leadership experience, biggest challenge, and career goals, Notta automatically places those responses in designated template sections. When reviewing candidates weeks later, you’re not hunting through paragraphs, you’re comparing structured, organized responses side by side.
The real-time transcription means you can occasionally glance down to ensure important points are captured without losing conversation flow. Speaker identification works seamlessly, even in panel interviews.
The Power of Shareable, Consistent Documentation
Notta transforms interview documentation from a solo activity into a collaborative process. Every stakeholder gets access to the same complete, accurate record.
For hiring teams, this means no more “telephone game” where the hiring manager’s interpretation gets passed through multiple people. The recruiter, technical lead, and department head can all review the exact same transcript and AI-generated summary.
The custom templates ensure everyone’s looking at information organized the same way, making collaboration and decision-making significantly more efficient.
Creating Effective Custom Templates
Here are the custom templates I have developed in Notta to output interview notes in the most helpful and consistent format for different scenarios:
Hiring Manager Templates
Create sections for each standard question:
- Role-Specific Experience: Captures responses about relevant work history
- Leadership Examples: Organizes STAR method responses
- Problem-Solving Approach: Examples of handling challenges
- Cultural Fit Indicators: Work style and values responses
- Questions for Us: What the candidate wants to know
This means when comparing five candidates two weeks later, you’re looking at five organized profiles rather than five different sets of random notes.
Journalism and Research Templates
- Key Quotes: Automatically highlights quotable statements
- Background Information: Captures context about the source
- Supporting Evidence: Organizes data and factual claims
- Follow-up Leads: Documents other sources mentioned
- Fact-Check Items: Flags statements needing verification
Client Discovery Templates
- Current Challenges: Organizes pain points and problems
- Budget Parameters: Captures financial constraints
- Decision Timeline: When decisions need to be made
- Key Stakeholders: Everyone involved in the decision
- Success Criteria: How they’ll measure success
The beauty of these templates is creating consistency without constraining conversation. The AI automatically organizes responses while you focus entirely on natural, engaging discussion.
I recommend you add your company name to your custom dictionary before starting, as well as any industry jargon or other proper nouns that might be difficult for Notta to recognize.
Interview Type-Specific Strategies
Job Interviews (As an Interviewer)
Documentation isn’t just helpful, it’s often legally required. Notta’s custom templates ensure every candidate gets evaluated on the same criteria, creating a standardized process that’s thorough and legally defensible.
For team interviews, share the transcript and organized summary with all stakeholders immediately. Everyone reviews the same complete, accurate information.
Job Interviews (As a Candidate)
Create a simple template with sections for role responsibilities, team dynamics, growth opportunities, company challenges, and next steps. Review the AI summary immediately after to add your impressions while fresh.
Journalism and Research Interviews
Every quote is captured precisely, and custom templates automatically separate factual claims from opinions, organize quotes by topic, and flag statements needing verification. The searchable transcript feature helps you quickly find specific information across multiple interviews.
The STAR Template System
For behavioral interviews, create template sections that automatically organize responses:
- Situation: Context and background
- Task: Specific challenge or responsibility
- Action: Steps they took
- Result: Outcomes and impact
When someone shares an example, Notta automatically distributes their response across these sections, giving you complete STAR-formatted examples without manual organization.
Comparison Table: Interview Note-Taking Methods
Here’s how the three main approaches stack up:
| Method | Best For | Accuracy | Consistency | Shareability | Setup Time |
| Manual Notes | Traditional settings | 60-70% | Low | Poor | 2 minutes |
| Digital Typing | Tech environments | 75-85% | Medium | Fair | 3 minutes |
| AI + Templates (Notta) | All interview types | 98.86% | High | Excellent | 2 minutes |
AI transcription with custom templates delivers accuracy and engagement while adding consistency and collaboration features that transform how teams work together.
The shareability factor is crucial for modern teams. Traditional methods create bottlenecks where one person’s interpretation filters information for everyone else. Notta gives everyone access to the same complete, organized information.
Your Next Steps
Start by identifying core information you need from every interview. What questions do you ask repeatedly? What information do you need to compare? Use these insights to design your first custom template.
Ready to transform your interview process? Try Notta free for 120 minutes and experience the difference AI transcription with custom templates makes. You’ll get real-time transcription, automatic organization, and shareable summaries that make team collaboration effortless. Most users see immediate improvements in interview consistency and stakeholder alignment from their very first template.
Build redundancy into your system. Even the best technology can fail, so have backup plans.
Remember, technology is just a tool. Use AI and custom templates to enhance your natural abilities and create systematic processes that benefit everyone involved in the interview process.
FAQs
Can you take notes during a job interview as a candidate?
Yes, taking notes shows preparation and genuine interest, but keep it minimal and focus on key details about the position.
What’s the best way to take notes when interviewing someone for research?
Use AI transcription tools like Notta with custom templates for accuracy, and always get explicit consent before recording.
How do custom templates improve interview consistency?
Templates automatically organize responses into standardized sections, making it easy to compare candidates by ensuring the same information is captured from every conversation.
What should you do if technology fails during an important interview?
Always have backup plans: bring a notebook, use your phone’s voice recorder, or take brief manual notes while staying focused on the conversation.
How do you share interview insights with your team effectively?
Use audio-to-text converter tools with shareable summaries and custom templates so all stakeholders can review the same organized, accurate information.
Is it professional to use AI transcription tools during interviews?
Yes, when disclosed upfront and used with consent, AI transcription demonstrates commitment to accuracy and allows for better engagement during conversations.
