Interview Rating Sheet

Table of Contents

• The purpose of an interview rating sheet
• What is an interview rating sheet?
• How to create an interview rating sheet
• Sample interview rating sheet
• Concluding thoughts

The purpose of an interview rating sheet

Time and time again companies end up coming to the same conclusion, unstructured interviews don't work. Why you ask? Unstructured interviews are the breeding ground for bias in the interview process. When a recruiter or a hiring manager has an informal conversational interview with a candidate they end up leaving said interview with a feeling of whether or not they like the candidate. This may happen consciously or unconsciously, but it influences the hiring decision. Now it's not a problem to see whether or not the team will get along with and like the candidate. But unstructured interviews leave out processes that will point to or gather any reliable evidence or indicator of future performance.

Structured interviews help curb bias and allows companies to evaluate candidates on factors that contribute to the bottom line. It's important to note the legal benefits that structured interviews can also have. Having a predetermined course and script to the interview can help you avoid going down the wrong path, or asking illegal interview questions.

When an interview is structured a candidate can tell. The questions seem standardize and objective. While you might think the candidate will find these types of interviews dull or repetitive, candidates are often appreciative to be judged based on their skill and experience and the fact that they are being allocated the same chance as every other candidate.

What is an interview rating sheet?

One of the best ways to structure an interview is with an interview rating sheet. An interview rating sheet allows recruiters and interviewers to score a candidates interview in a uniform, consistent way. An interview scorecard, or rating sheet is a great way to minimize bias and score candidates objectively. Once data is collected from the various candidates, it's easy to compare and contrast them to find the best pick for your organization.

How to create an interview rating sheet

Set measurements and requirements as a team:

• Make sure the criteria that you will be assessing candidates on is agreed upon by a diverse group of people. Make sure everyone on the team has had a chance to input here. This will help make sure that all the scoring criteria is relevant and that nothing important has been left out. This will also allow you to make sure you have interviewed the candidate on all technical aspects required for the job.

Make sure the scoring system is clear:

• This one almost goes without saying. Make sure you have a clear scoring system and be explicit in it. For example if you are using a 1 to 5 system, make sure you have clearly stated on the form that 1 is poor and 5 is excellent. This will help clear up any costly confusion.

Allow room for comments:

• Encourage and focus on a clear rating system, but still leave room for comments. Candidates are always full of surprises and unique value propositions. Make sure your sheet has a place for interviewers to write down comments under each section on the sheet.

Sample interview rating sheet

Interview rating sheet:

Candidate’s Name:

Position/Job title:

Date:

Department/team:

Interviewed By:

This interview rating sheet should be used by interviewers to provide an objective way to score candidates. Use the below numerical rating system to assign values to the candidates skills or area in question.

The numerical rating system is based on the following: 5★ – Excellent 4★ – Good 3★ – Average 2★ – Below Average 1★ – Poor

Prior Education – Does the candidate have the appropriate educational qualifications, training, or technical skills for this position?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Prior Work Experience – Does the candidate have relevant work experience or experience that matched the skills needed to perform the job in question?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Strengths – Is the candidate able to highlight their strengths and articulate how said strengths will help them in the position?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Aspirations – Does the candidate have a clear answer when asked about their long term career goals?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Disagreements – Is the candidate able to point to past disagreements in the workplace that was handled with professionalism and showed resolve?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Motivation – Is the candidate able to explain and articulate what motivates them both at work and in life?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Prioritization – When asked about how they prioritize their work, does the candidate have a clear methodology?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Past mistakes – When asked to explain a past mistake they have made at work, does the candidate have a clear answer that shows rectifying the mistake and growth?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Company – Is the candidate able to explain why they are interested in working for this specific company?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Overall Impression and further action – Final comments and thoughts. How should we proceed with said candidate?

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Comments:

Concluding thoughts

Structuring an interview using an interview rating sheet is a great way for you to judge and compare candidates objectively. It allows you to meet as a hiring team and assess what aspects of this new hire are most critical, and clearly test for them using a standardized method. If you are interested in optimizing other parts of your recruitment process, check out the new standards in recruiting metrics.