What's great
As someone who interviews consistently, they have always come with a hidden tax: the mental gymnastics of staying present with a candidate while simultaneously scribbling notes I'll barely be able to decipher later. Textio's Lavalier eliminates that entirely, and I didn't realize how much that friction was costing me until it was gone.
The core value is simple but profound, I can actually show up for the candidate. No more split attention. No more rapid typing during a moment that deserves eye contact. Lavalier handles the capture so I can focus on the conversation.
What really sets it apart is the candidate comparison feature. Being able to objectively evaluate candidates side-by-side against specific criteria AND then have the tool surface exactly where in the recording that evidence lives is remarkable. I can jump to the timestamp, watch the moment, and make a confident call backed by real context, not fuzzy memory. That alone is a game changer.
The thumbs up/down feature also deserves a shoutout. It feels almost too simple, but that's the beauty of it. Capturing a reaction in the moment, without breaking flow to type an explanation, means the context is actually preserved. It's the kind of small UX decision that shows the team really understands the workflow.
Bottom line: if you're skeptical, just ask for a demo. I was an instant convert the moment I saw it in action. It's that intuitive, and that good.
What needs improvement
One area I'd love to see evolve: the feedback sections can feel a bit automated. In a domain where trust and human judgment matter deeply, there's a risk that AI-generated language flattens the genuine assessment a manager wants to communicate. While I trust Textio I'd love more tools to make that output feel distinctly mine and not just accurate, but authentically voiced. For teams navigating AI adoption carefully, this is worth being thoughtful about.