Interview recording consent script: what to say, send and log

An interview recording consent script is the few sentences you say at the start of a call so the candidate knows you are recording or transcribing, what happens to it, and that they can say no. Say it before the first real question, wait for a clear yes, and note that you asked. Send the same information in writing beforehand so the spoken line is not a surprise.

Below are three spoken versions (short, standard and strict), versions for panels and phone screens, a calendar-invite notice, an email notice, what to say when a candidate declines, and a log you can paste into your ATS. Replace the brackets with what is true for your tool and your team.

Fill in four facts before you write your script

A consent line only works if every word in it is true. Most scripts that go wrong overstate privacy ("nobody else will hear this") or understate what the tool does ("just taking some notes"). Answer these four questions first, then copy the answers into whichever script you use.

What I capture:       [live transcript only / audio recording / video recording / AI notes or scores]
Where it goes:        [my computer / our ATS / the vendor's cloud / a speech-to-text service]
Who sees it:          [me / the hiring team / the client for this role]
How long we keep it:  [a real period, e.g. 90 days after the role closes]

Two details deserve care. First, a transcription tool counts. Many recording laws are written around acquiring what people say with a device, not around saving a file: the federal wiretap statute defines "intercept" as the acquisition of the contents of a communication "through the use of any electronic, mechanical, or other device" (18 U.S.C. § 2510(4)). Second, "where it goes" includes processing, not just storage. If audio is sent to a cloud speech-to-text service during the call, "it all stays on my computer" is not accurate even if the finished transcript does.

Three spoken scripts: short, standard and strict

Short version

For screens where the candidate already received the written notice below and you are both in one-party consent states.

"Quick note before we start: I'm [recording / transcribing] this call so I can
listen properly instead of typing. Is that OK with you?"

Standard version

The default for most interviews. It says what, why, who and how long, and makes the alternative real.

"Before we get going: I use a [transcription tool / recorder] on my calls so I
can focus on our conversation instead of my keyboard. It captures what we both
say, and I use it only to write up my notes for the [role] position.
[The hiring team / the client for this role] sees those notes, and we keep them
for [period].

If you'd rather I didn't, just say so. I'll take notes by hand, and it won't
change how your interview is assessed. Are you comfortable with me
[recording / transcribing] today?"

Strict version

Use this when either of you may be in an all-party consent state, when you do not know where the candidate is, or when your employer or client asks for proof. Start capture immediately before you speak, so the capture opens with the notice and the candidate's answer. If they decline, stop and delete those few seconds.

"I've just started [recording / transcription], and I want to check with you
before we go any further. Everything we both say from this point is being
[recorded / transcribed] by [tool], so that I have an accurate record for the
[role] position. It is seen by [who] and kept for [period]. You can ask me to
pause or stop at any time, and you can say no now without it affecting your
application.

Do I have your permission to continue?"

[Wait for a clear yes. Then:]

"Thank you. Just so it's on the record, could you say your name and that
you're happy for me to [record / transcribe] this interview?"

Silence, "I guess", or carrying on talking is not a clear yes. Ask again in plain words, and if the answer is still unclear, treat it as a no.

Versions for panels and phone screens

Panel or multi-interviewer call

"One housekeeping point before we start, for everyone on the call:
[Name] is running a [transcription tool] for our interview notes today, and it
captures all of us. [Candidate name], are you comfortable with that? If you'd
rather we didn't, we'll switch it off and take notes by hand.
If anyone joins us later, I'll mention it again when they arrive."

Ask the other interviewers before the call, not in front of the candidate. An interviewer who objects on the call puts the candidate in an awkward position.

Phone screen

A phone call has no on-screen recording indicator, and the candidate may be driving, walking or sitting in a car park. Say the line even if the invite mentioned it, and do not start until they confirm they can talk.

"Thanks for picking up. Is now still a good time to talk for about [minutes]?
[Wait.] Great. Before we start, I [record / transcribe] my screening calls so I
can give you my full attention. It's used only for my notes on the [role]
position and kept for [period]. Is that OK, or would you prefer I just take
notes by hand?"

For how to actually capture a phone call, including phones and phone systems that play their own announcement, see how to record a phone screen.

Written notices to send before the interview

The written notice does not replace the spoken line. It removes the surprise, gives the candidate time to think, and gives you a record that notice went out.

Calendar invite line

Note on notes: I use a [transcription tool / recorder] during interviews so I
can focus on the conversation. I'll mention it at the start of the call, and if
you'd prefer I didn't use it, just tell me then and I'll take notes by hand.

Confirmation email paragraph

Subject: Your interview for [role] on [date]

Hi [first name],

Looking forward to speaking on [date] at [time, time zone]. [Joining details.]

One thing to know in advance: I [record / transcribe] interviews so I can
listen properly rather than type. What we say is used only to write up my notes
for this role, which are seen by [who] and kept for [period]. [Tool] is [how it
works, e.g. an app on my computer; nothing joins the call].

You don't have to agree. If you'd rather I didn't, reply to this email or tell
me at the start of the call, and I'll take notes by hand. It won't affect how
your application is considered.

[Your name]

Careers page or privacy notice line

For teams that capture every interview. Your privacy notice should say this in full; this is the short version for the careers page.

We may record or transcribe interviews to keep accurate notes. Your interviewer
will tell you at the start of the call, and you can ask them not to. Interview
records are used only to assess your application, shared only with the people
involved in the hiring decision, and deleted after [period].

When a candidate says no, or hesitates

A no should take two seconds and cost the candidate nothing. Say this, and mean it:

"No problem at all. I've switched it off. I'll take notes by hand instead."

1. Stop capture before you say anything else, and say out loud that you have.
2. Do not ask why and do not explain again how harmless the tool is. That turns a choice into a negotiation.
3. Take notes by hand. Leave extra time after the call to write them up.
4. Log the decision neutrally. "Declined recording; handwritten notes" and nothing else. A comment about the refusal has no place in an assessment file.
5. For panels, if the tool cannot be switched off for one person, switch it off for everyone.

Honest answers to the questions candidates ask

Moments that need the line again

• Someone joins late. Pause, tell them capture is on, and confirm with the candidate that they are still comfortable.
• You resume after a pause. "I'm turning the transcription back on now, is that still OK?"
• The call drops and reconnects. A new call is a new capture. Repeat the short version.
• A second interview on another day. Consent for the first conversation does not carry over to the next one.
• The candidate starts sharing something personal, such as health or family details. Offer to pause. Pausing in the moment is better than promising to delete part of a transcript later.

Add-ons when a specific rule applies

The scripts above cover recording consent. Some rules add separate notices about AI or data protection, and those have their own timing and content. Use this table to see when to go further.

If you are not sure whether recording is allowed at all in your situation, start with is it legal to record a job interview and the consent guide.

A consent log you can paste into your ATS

If anyone asks later whether the candidate agreed, a note written at the time is far better than memory. Paste this into the candidate record straight after the call.

Consent log: [candidate name], [role]
Date and time:            [date, time, time zone]
Interviewer(s):           [names]
Written notice sent:      [yes: invite / email on DATE] or [no]
Spoken notice given:      [short / standard / strict / panel / phone] at start of call
Candidate response:       [agreed / declined / agreed to transcript only]
Captured:                 [nothing / transcript / audio / video]
Candidate location:       [state or country as stated by candidate, or "not confirmed"]
Paused or stopped:        [no] or [yes, at TIME, at candidate's request]
Retention:                [delete on DATE]

Tools can carry some of this for you. Interview Signal, for example, puts a read-aloud consent line on screen before each interview and has a one-click pause, but the log above is worth keeping whatever you use, because it is your record, not the vendor's.

Mistakes that undo a good script