Interview scorecard: rate candidates by criterion on a five-point scale and choose fairly
After three or four interviews in a day, impressions of each candidate blur together, and the last person interviewed is usually remembered best. A scorecard lets each panel member record their assessment against the same criteria during the interview. The tool at the top of this page has ten criteria: choose the ones that suit the role, then print a scorecard rated on a five-point scale from Poor to Excellent, with a box for overall comments.
The ten criteria and when to use them
| Criterion | Best used for |
|---|---|
| Professional knowledge | Best used forAny role that requires specialist know-how |
| Relevant experience | Best used forRoles where the new hire must be productive from day one |
| Problem solving | Best used forEngineering, operations, management |
| Communication skills | Best used forSales, customer service, HR |
| Attitude and willingness to learn | Best used forInterns, newcomers, fast-changing industries |
| Motivation for applying | Best used forRoles that need long-term commitment |
| Cultural fit | Best used forSmall teams that work closely together |
| Work organisation | Best used forAdministration, projects, many tasks in parallel |
| Leadership potential | Best used forTeam leaders, managers |
| Foreign languages | Best used forRoles working with foreign partners |
Define each score level before the interview
A five-point scale is only fair when the whole panel agrees on what counts as Good and what counts as Very good. Write one sentence describing the behaviour at the low, middle and high levels of each criterion; for problem solving, for example, Poor means the candidate cannot propose an approach, Good means they put forward one sensible approach, and Excellent means they compare several options and point out the risks of each.
- Number of criteria
- 5 to 7More than that is hard to score properly in one interview
- Scale
- 5 levelsPoor, Fair, Good, Very good, Excellent
- Must-have criteria
- Marked separatelyBelow Good is a fail, however high the total score
Score independently, then discuss
- One form per personEach interviewer scores separately and notes the examples the candidate gave next to each score.
- Hand in the forms before discussingThis stops the most senior person's opinion from swaying the whole panel.
- Discuss the criteria where scores divergeWhen two interviewers are two or more levels apart, go back over the specific examples.
Frequently asked questions
Between 5 and 7 criteria is about right. With fewer you risk missing something; with more, interviewers score superficially because they do not have enough time to observe.
You can use the average to rank candidates, but set the must-have criteria in advance; a candidate who scores below Good on a must-have criterion should not be chosen just because their total is high.
Keep them with the recruitment file for a reasonable period so you can refer back to them when needed, and limit access to the people responsible, because the forms contain personal comments about candidates.