Take criteria from the person specification
Use the essential and desirable criteria marked for assessment at interview. Four to six criteria is enough for most interviews.
Free hiring template
Interview scoring sheet and scorecard template
Score every candidate against the same weighted criteria, with an anchored 1 to 4 rating scale and space for the evidence behind each score. Copy it into a document or print one per interviewer.
Blank interview scoring sheet
One sheet per interviewer, per candidate. Weights total 100%.
| Criterion | Weight | Question | Evidence notes | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Essential criterion 1 from the person specification] | [30%] | [Question asked] | [What the candidate said and did] | [1-4] |
| [Essential criterion 2] | [25%] | [Question asked] | [Evidence] | [1-4] |
| [Essential criterion 3] | [20%] | [Question asked] | [Evidence] | [1-4] |
| [Skill or working-style criterion] | [15%] | [Question asked] | [Evidence] | [1-4] |
| [Desirable criterion] | [10%] | [Question asked] | [Evidence] | [1-4] |
Interview rating scale
Anchors stop a 3 from meaning different things to different interviewers. Read them out at the panel briefing and keep them next to the sheet.
| Score | Label | What the evidence looks like |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Strong evidence | Specific, relevant examples that clearly meet or exceed the standard, with the candidate's own actions and results explained. |
| 3 | Good evidence | Relevant examples that meet the standard, with minor gaps in detail, scope, or outcome. |
| 2 | Limited evidence | Some relevant evidence, but general, partial, or mainly describing what a team did rather than the candidate. |
| 1 | Little or no evidence | No relevant example, or an example that does not show the criterion, even after follow-up questions. |
Completed example: customer success manager
Weighted scores are the weight multiplied by the score. This candidate totals 315 out of 400 (about 79%) with no essential criterion scored 1. The 2 on cross-functional work becomes a specific question for the next stage rather than a hidden concern.
| Criterion | Weight | Evidence notes | Score | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renewal and expansion ownership | 30% | Owned renewals for 40 mid-market accounts; described a recovery plan for a churn-risk account and the result. | 3 | 90 |
| Handling a difficult customer conversation | 25% | Clear STAR answer: escalated outage, set expectations, followed up in writing, kept the account. | 4 | 100 |
| Working with product and support teams | 20% | Mentioned raising feature requests but could not describe how they were prioritised or followed up. | 2 | 40 |
| Prioritising a large portfolio | 15% | Used health scores and renewal dates to plan the week; gave one concrete example. | 3 | 45 |
| Customer health tooling (desirable) | 10% | Two years using a customer success platform to build health dashboards. | 4 | 40 |
How to set up an interview scorecard
The scorecard should continue the criteria you used to shortlist. Start with the person specification, carry forward anything the CV screening rubric marked for follow-up, and draw questions from the competency-based question bank.
Weight the criteria before interviewing
Agree weights with the hiring manager so they total 100%. Weighting after the interviews invites bias towards a preferred candidate.
Write one or two questions per criterion
Use the same core questions for every candidate, with follow-up probes, so answers can be compared fairly.
Define what each score looks like
Use an anchored scale so a 3 means the same thing to every interviewer. Add role-specific examples if your panel is new to scoring.
Score independently, then discuss
Each interviewer completes their sheet before the panel meets. Discuss large differences by reference to the evidence, then record the agreed outcome.
Panel guidance
Keep interview scores consistent and defensible
01
Score during or straight after
Write evidence notes during the interview and score immediately afterwards. Memory of specific answers fades quickly and is replaced by an overall impression.
02
Keep scores independent
Hearing a senior colleague's view first tends to pull scores towards it. Collect sheets before the discussion starts.
03
Treat essentials as a floor
A high total should not hide a score of 1 on an essential criterion. Flag it and decide explicitly whether the gap can be closed with training.
04
Note reasonable adjustments
Record any adjustments made, such as extra time or questions in advance, so the process is consistent and the candidate is assessed on the criteria, not the format.
05
Write notes a candidate could read
Interview notes and scores are personal data. A candidate can ask for a copy through a subject access request under UK GDPR, so keep notes factual and job-related.
06
Use N/A, not a guess
If a criterion was not covered, mark it not assessed and follow up, rather than scoring it from an impression.
More free hiring templates
Person specification template
Set essential and desirable criteria, and how each one is assessed, before the vacancy goes live.
CV screening rubric template
Copy or print a recruiter intake and screening rubric for must-haves, evidence rules, red flags, and human review.
Competency-based interview questions
Competency and strengths-based questions with probes and anchored scoring guidance.
Interview feedback form
Record independent, evidence-based interview feedback and a clear recommendation.
Candidate rejection email templates
Respectful rejection emails for after CV screening and after interview, with a data retention line.
Related guides
How Marxel works
See how a hiring brief becomes a reviewed screening rubric and an evidence-backed shortlist.
View a worked candidate assessment
Follow a synthetic example from hiring brief to a reviewed shortlist.
Check criterion fairness
Test whether each criterion is role-related, evidence-based, consistent, and reviewable.
CV screening software for UK teams
See how approved criteria become explainable candidate placements.
Arrive at interviews knowing what to probe
Marxel screens CVs against criteria you approve and shows the reasoning behind each placement, including follow-up questions for candidates whose evidence is unclear.
Frequently asked questions
What is an interview scoring sheet?
An interview scoring sheet, also called an interview rating sheet or scorecard, is a form interviewers use to rate a candidate's answers against agreed criteria. It records the question asked, the evidence heard, and a score for each criterion, so candidates can be compared on the same basis.
What rating scale should an interview scorecard use?
A short anchored scale works best. This template uses 1 to 4, which avoids a neutral midpoint and forces a decision about whether the evidence meets the standard. A 1 to 5 scale also works if every point has a clear written description.
Should interview criteria be weighted?
Weighting helps when some criteria matter much more than others. Agree the weights before the first interview and keep essential criteria as a minimum standard, so a strong score elsewhere does not hide a gap the job cannot carry.
How do I calculate a weighted interview score?
Multiply each score by its weight, then add the results. With weights totalling 100 and a 1 to 4 scale, the maximum is 400. For example, scores of 3, 4, 2, 3, and 4 against weights of 30, 25, 20, 15, and 10 give 315 out of 400, or about 79%.
Can candidates ask to see their interview scores?
Yes, in most cases. Interview notes and scores are usually the candidate's personal data, so they can be requested through a subject access request under UK GDPR. Write notes that are factual, relevant to the criteria, and fair to the candidate.
What should happen when interviewers disagree?
Discuss the specific evidence behind each score rather than averaging. If the panel still disagrees, record both views and the reason for the final decision. Large gaps often show that a criterion or anchor needs clearer wording.