TL;DR:
Pick a few criteria for the role and ask the same questions of every candidate.
Write evidence for every score: what the person actually said or did.
Score on your own before you discuss, then compare.
After a day of interviews, three people sit down and each says, "I liked her" or "I didn't get a great feeling about him." Whoever speaks first and most confidently often wins, and the reasons are hard to recall by the next morning.
A scorecard is a one-page form filled in during or right after the interview. It turns a feeling into a score and a note, so you can compare candidates on the same footing. You can make one in a document or a spreadsheet in an hour.
What belongs on a scorecard
The role and the candidate's name, the date and your name as interviewer.
Four to six criteria, taken from the job post.
A scale with written meanings, such as 1 to 4.
A box for evidence next to each score.
A final line for your overall recommendation, written after the scores.
Choose criteria from the work itself
Ask what separates someone who does this job well from someone who struggles. Those differences are your criteria. They should be things an interview can actually show, such as how someone handles a conversation, not general traits like "energy".
Give each interviewer a different focus where you can, so the panel does not ask the same questions three times. Then every criterion is covered by at least two people.
Steps for using the scorecard
Share it first: Everyone who interviews sees the criteria and the scale before the first interview, and agrees what each score means.
Take notes as evidence: During the interview, write what the candidate said or did, not your conclusion. "Asked three questions about the customer's budget before suggesting a plan" is evidence; "good at discovery" is a verdict.
Score alone: Right after the interview, score each criterion yourself before talking to anyone. Independent scoring stops the loudest opinion from setting everyone else's.
Compare and decide: Put the scores side by side, discuss the largest gaps by reading the evidence, and decide together. Record the outcome and the reason.
Worked example: a scorecard for a sales role
Say you are hiring a salesperson and use four criteria, each scored 1 (weak) to 4 (strong), for a top score of 16. Two interviewers score two candidates independently. The names and numbers are invented.
Criterion | Candidate 1 (A / B) | Candidate 2 (A / B) |
|---|---|---|
Asks good discovery questions | 3 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
Handles objections calmly | 2 / 3 | 4 / 4 |
Communicates clearly | 4 / 4 | 3 / 2 |
Follows through on details | 3 / 3 | 4 / 3 |
Average each criterion across the two interviewers, then add. Candidate 1: 3.5 + 2.5 + 4 + 3 = 13. Candidate 2: 2 + 4 + 2.5 + 3.5 = 12. Check one by hand: (3 + 4) ÷ 2 = 3.5 for Candidate 1's discovery.
Candidate 1 leads, 13 out of 16 against 12, but the total hides the shape. Candidate 1 is weaker on objections (2.5), Candidate 2 on discovery (2). Which gap matters more for the role? That is the real discussion, and the evidence notes let you have it with facts.
Tip: If two scores for the same criterion differ by two or more points, treat it as a prompt to compare notes, not to average it away.
Mistakes to avoid
Changing the criteria after you have met the people.
Scoring from memory days later.
Letting the first score you hear change yours.
Adding up the total and ignoring a score that is a hard no for the job.
Asking different questions of different candidates, then comparing the answers.
Keep the notes and scores private to those hiring. Questions about protected characteristics are off limits in many places, and rules vary, so ask your HR contact if unsure.
Questions that fit the criteria
Each criterion needs at least one question that lets the candidate show it. For discovery, you might ask them to describe how they would learn what a new customer needs before recommending anything. For objections, give a realistic pushback and ask how they would reply.
Ask follow-ups such as "what did you say next?" so the answer moves from opinion to what happened. Use the same core questions for everyone, and note any extra ones you asked so you can compare fairly.
Finally, leave time for the candidate's questions. What they ask is evidence too, and it shows what they care about in the job.
Running the debrief
Start the debrief by having each person say their score for one criterion, in turn, before anyone explains. Then read the evidence for the biggest differences. Ask what would change someone's mind, and note the answer. End by writing the decision and its main reason in two lines, so the record stands without the meeting.
Doing it faster
In a spreadsheet, =AVERAGE(B2:C2) averages a row and =SUM(D2:D5) totals a column. If you want a plain-language explanation of a formula while you work, DuckyHelper can see your screen and answer out loud. The decision stays with your team.
Frequently asked questions
How many criteria are too many?
More than six is hard to score reliably in one conversation. Keep the ones that matter most and drop the rest.
Do scores replace discussion?
No. The scores organize the discussion. A strong objection backed by evidence from the interview should still be heard.
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