Interview Scorecards: Rate Candidates Objectively

Interview scorecards are a valuable tool that HR teams, hiring managers, and other interviewers can use to rate and rank candidates objectively. 

Consider this. Most employers interview 6-10 applicants for each position, with many going through 2-3 rounds of interviews, according to CareerSidekick. Multiply those numbers by the dozens, or even hundreds, of openings a company has at any point in time, and it’s easy to see why it feels so hard to pick the best person for the role. 

Interview scorecards make interview evaluations easier (and fairer). This article examines the significance of interview scorecards and offers guidance on creating and using them effectively.

What Is an Interview Scorecard?

An interview scorecard is an assessment tool, often used as a part of a structured interview process, to standardize applicant evaluations. Interview scorecards enable interviewers to evaluate all candidates against the same predetermined criteria and competencies, identifying whether they possess the necessary skills for a role.

Also known as a candidate scorecard, interview scoring sheet, rating guide, interview rubric, or recruitment scorecard, an interview scorecard is part of an interview guide, which contains the information an interviewer needs to conduct a structured interview for a specific position. 

Once all candidates have been interviewed and rated, the hiring manager typically reviews the results, discusses the scores with other panelists (if it was a panel interview), and decides who moves forward.

Interview Scorecards vs. Evaluation Forms vs. Interview Rubrics

While closely related and sometimes used interchangeably, evaluation forms, interview scorecards, and interview rubrics are distinct concepts.

Evaluation Forms

Evaluation forms are general tools for collecting feedback from interviewers. Their structure can vary widely and may or may not include open text, checkboxes, rating sections, and a formal scoring method. They’re used to gather overall feedback and impressions after an interview.

Interview Scorecards

Interview scorecards are a type of evaluation form explicitly designed for structured interviews. They’re used to rate responses to interview questions tied to core competencies and typically include competencies, rating scales, notes, and recommendations. 

Interview Rubrics

Interview rubrics are highly structured and descriptive scoring guides that provide a clear framework for evaluating candidates. Often a component of a well-designed interview scorecard, rubrics provide detailed, precise definitions of what constitutes “good” or “poor” responses, as well as what a score of “3” versus “5” looks like.  

In short, all interview rubrics and interview scorecards are evaluation forms, but not all evaluation forms are structured or detailed like scorecards or rubrics. Interview rubrics define the “why” and “how” behind candidate ratings, while the interview scorecard is the form where ratings are recorded.

Why Should I Use Candidate Scorecards in Hiring?

When used as part of a structured interview process, candidate scorecards can benefit your organization in several ways.

To Make the Process More Equitable

Recruitment scorecards remove subjectivity. They assess everyone against the same criteria while accounting for accommodations, making the process fairer.

Interview scorecard sheets can also improve interview compliance by making it easier for interviewers of all levels to follow best practices and harder to stray from the process (thanks to settings in the platform).

To Prove That Your Hiring Practices Are Fair

Interview scorecards serve as formal documentation that can make your decisions more legally defensible. Rating data can demonstrate why certain hiring decisions were made and prove they weren’t discriminatory.

When used correctly, interview scorecards can also prevent adverse impact or discrimination claims from happening because they are a fair way to evaluate candidates.

To Increase Your Quality of Hire

A well-designed recruitment scorecard provides interviewers with a significantly better chance of selecting a high-quality candidate. Why? Interview scorecards are part of a structured interview process. McGill University found that structured interviews improve accuracy, making them a reliable method for predicting future job performance.

Another thing to consider is that everything on an interview scorecard sheet is directly related to the role you are hiring for. By only measuring the things that matter, you can collect better data and make better hiring decisions.

To Encourage Collaborative Hiring

Creating an interview scorecard template helps everyone align on what an ‘ideal’ applicant would bring to the role.

For panel interviewing, standardizing the rating process makes it easy to compare scores. Diverse opinions and scores then open up the discussion about who should move forward and why.

To Accelerate Time to Hire

When combined with interview questions that predict future performance, a recruitment scorecard can help you figure out who is right for a role much faster.

First, isolate the most effective questions and put them earlier in the process. From there, weight the ratings associated with these questions heavier on the interview scorecard. This weighted approach to scoring is especially helpful when candidates are very close because you can compare their performance on these specific questions to expedite the process.

With recruiting scorecards, there is also a cadence that is established through repetition. Interviewers become more efficient at rating as they use scorecards, and hiring managers learn how to utilize scores to make informed decisions efficiently.

To Reduce Opportunities for Bias

Standardization is a very effective way to reduce bias. Interview scorecard templates allow employers to offer a repeatable and objective evaluation experience.

To Measure Candidate Consistency

When you use recruitment scorecards, each step of the interview process is assigned a score. This approach allows hiring managers to compare each step of the candidate’s journey to confirm they’ve performed well throughout the process based on data, not on hindsight.

What Makes a Good Recruiting Scorecard?

In a structured interview process, interview scorecards are companions to interview guides. Interview guides provide the roadmap to ensure every interview conducted for a particular position is consistent and focused. At the same time, interview scorecards offer the vehicle to capture interviewer feedback about candidates consistently.

Both should be rooted in a job analysis, which outlines details about the position, what competencies are needed, and other requirements for the role. 

Well-designed interview scorecards will mirror the job analysis findings and:

• Contain 4-6 skills and competencies that are specific to the job, plus 1-2 that are assessed across the organization*
• Include rating scales or rubrics for each job-specific competency or question
• Provide a spot for interviewers’ notes about candidate responses
• Calculate an overall candidate score for easy comparisons
• Prompt interviewers to provide a recommendation about next steps

*These are often competencies directly related to organizational objectives or values.

How to Make an Interview Scorecard Template (Step by Step)

Interview scorecard templates can empower hiring managers across the organization to adopt sound, repeatable hiring practices. Every role-specific scorecard template becomes a roadmap for the future when you’re rehiring for that same job.

Step 1: Start With a Structured Interview Process

When created correctly, recruiting scorecards don’t exist on their own — they are an essential part of a structured interview process. If your organization isn’t already using structured interviewing, this is your sign to explore it and gain leadership buy-in for this approach to recruiting and hiring.

Step 2: Conduct a Job Analysis

Every position has unique requirements for success in the role. A job analysis, which the U.S. Office of Personnel Management describes as “the foundation for all assessment and selection decisions,” will guide the creation of interview guides and their companion candidate scorecards.

Step 3: Develop Interview Guides

While every position should have its own interview guide, there’s a lot of overlap across roles. Universal or repeated sections might include organizational policies, interview types and formats, and pre- or post-interview logistics, as well as accessibility issues. 

Unique interview guide sections typically focus on the job description and requirements for the role, which are used to design specific questions to assess fit. 

Step 4: Create Candidate Scorecard Frameworks

While the specifics will vary, interview scorecards should contain placeholders for the following information: 

• Job description
• Interview questions based on:
  • 4-6 role-related criteria, skills, or competencies
  • 1-2 additional organizational scoring categories 
• Ratings for candidate responses to questions
• Comment sections by topic/question
• Raw score (calculated sum or weighted average of ratings)
• Overall recommendation (subjective, holistic rating that considers the raw score plus context, notes, and interviewer judgment)

Step 5: Define Your Scales

Whether you use generic scales or develop very specific rubrics by question, every scorecard should provide interviewers a consistent way to rate candidate responses.

There are three common types of scales:

Step 6: Outline the Scoring System and Advancement Protocols

Determine how you will aggregate the evaluation data. Will you manually tally everything in a spreadsheet, or are you using a digital rating guide that automatically compiles and saves everything? If it was a panel interview, leave time for a collaborative discussion about who to advance.

Next, decide if you’ll advance all candidates who achieve a certain score or the top 3-6 candidates. Determine these parameters in advance and alter them as needed once hiring is complete.

When and How to Use Recruitment Scorecards Effectively

Simply creating an interview scorecard isn’t enough. How it’s used impacts how effective it will be. Here are some key considerations to ensure a candidate scorecard is used effectively.

When Does an Interview Scorecard Get Filled Out?

The most accurate way to complete an interview scorecard is during the interview itself. Rating as you go, before moving on to the next question, can decrease opportunities for hiring bias.

Best Practices for Using Recruiting Scorecards

Example Interview Scorecard Template