A scorecard is the simplest way to make interviews fair and comparable. It turns a vague impression into a rating against the things the job actually needs. Below is a template you can copy as it stands or adapt to your roles. The structure matters more than the exact wording: same criteria, same scale, used for every candidate.
The four parts of a good scorecard
Keep it to one page. A scorecard that takes longer to fill in than the interview took will not get used.
- Role and competencies: the four or five capabilities the job depends on
- A rating scale: a four-point scale forces a clear lean
- Evidence notes: a line of what you actually saw, per competency
- An overall recommendation: advance, hold or decline, with a reason
A rating scale that works
Use four points, not five. An odd-numbered scale invites a lazy middle, where unsure becomes a three and no real decision is made. Four points make the interviewer commit.
- 4: Strong. Clear evidence they exceed what the role needs here
- 3: Solid. Meets the bar with evidence to back it
- 2: Mixed. Some signal, some concern
- 1: Weak. Little evidence, or evidence against
Worked example: competencies for a customer success hire
You would replace these with the competencies for your own role, but the shape is the point.
- Customer empathy: reads the customer, handles a hard conversation well
- Problem ownership: takes a messy issue and drives it to resolution
- Commercial sense: understands renewal and growth, not just support
- Communication: clear, calm and structured under pressure
- Working style: organised, reliable, fits how the team operates
How to use it
Share the scorecard with every interviewer before the conversation, so they know what they are listening for. Have each person fill it in alone, immediately after their interview, while it is fresh and before they have heard anyone else's view.
When the panel meets, compare scores criterion by criterion and dig into the disagreements. The overall recommendation is the start of the conversation, not the end of it. Keep the completed scorecards: they are your record of a fair, consistent decision.
Copy this template, swap in the competencies your role actually needs, and use the same scorecard and four-point scale for every candidate. Score alone, compare openly, and keep the records. It is the cheapest upgrade you can make to hiring quality.