Template · Interviewing and selection
Interview evaluation form template
In short
An interview evaluation form is the feedback document an interviewer completes after meeting a candidate, recording ratings on job-related criteria, the evidence behind them, strengths, concerns and a hiring recommendation. This template combines a 5-point rated section with structured narrative prompts so feedback is comparable across interviewers and still useful in the debrief.
Interview Evaluation Form template
Interview Evaluation Form
Fill this in alone, the same day as the interview, before you talk to anyone else about the candidate. Base every rating on what the candidate said or did in this interview, and write at least one line of evidence for any rating of 1, 2 or 5. Mark N/A for anything you did not assess.
Interview information
- Candidate name
- Position
- Requisition number
- Interviewer name and title
- Interview date
- Interview round
- Recruiter screenHiring manager interviewPanelTechnical / skills interviewFinal interview
- Format
- In personVideoPhone
- Length of interview (minutes)
Rating scale
5 = Outstanding: clear, specific evidence well above what the role requires. 4 = Strong: specific evidence above the requirement in some respects. 3 = Meets: enough specific evidence that the candidate can do this well. 2 = Below: limited or vague evidence; significant development needed. 1 = Not demonstrated: no relevant evidence, or evidence of a real problem. N/A = Not covered in this interview.
Job-related criteria
- Relevant experience and knowledge for this role: rating 1-5
- 54321N/A
- Evidence (experience and knowledge)
- Technical or job-specific skills [name the skill]: rating 1-5
- 54321N/A
- Evidence (job-specific skills)
- Problem solving and judgment: rating 1-5
- 54321N/A
- Evidence (problem solving)
- Communication (clarity, listening, adapting to the audience): rating 1-5
- 54321N/A
- Evidence (communication)
- Working with others / customer orientation: rating 1-5
- 54321N/A
- Evidence (working with others)
- Reliability, ownership and follow-through: rating 1-5
- 54321N/A
- Evidence (reliability)
- [Role-specific criterion, e.g. leading a team / sales results]: rating 1-5
- 54321N/A
- Evidence (role-specific criterion)
Requirements check
- Available for the required schedule, shift or travel
- YesNoNot discussed
- Holds required license or certification
- YesNoNot applicable
- Compensation expectations within the posted range
- YesNoNot discussed
- Available start date
Overall assessment
- Top two strengths for this role (with examples)
- Concerns or gaps, and what they are based on
- What the next interviewer should probe
- Candidate's questions and level of interest
- Average of rated criteria
- Recommendation
- Strongly recommendRecommendDo not recommendStrongly do not recommend
- Would you be comfortable with this person on your team?
- YesNo
- I completed this form independently and based it only on job-related evidence
- Interviewer signature
- Date submitted
How to use this template
- Before interviews start, replace the bracketed criteria with the skills that matter most for this role and remove any that do not apply.
- Agree with the hiring team which interviewer covers which criteria, so each form has depth on a few areas instead of a light pass on everything.
- Take notes during the interview on what the candidate said and did, including the specific examples they gave.
- Complete the form the same day: write the evidence first, then pick the rating that matches it.
- Fill in the requirements check, strengths, concerns and what the next interviewer should probe, then choose a recommendation.
- Submit before the debrief and do not read colleagues' forms until yours is in.
- Store the completed form with the candidate's record for at least the retention period required where you hire.
When to use an interview evaluation form
Use it after any interview where the interviewer's view will shape the hiring decision. It suits final rounds, hiring manager interviews and panel interviews especially well, because those are where you want both a rating and a short written case for or against.
It differs from an interview scorecard, which is lean and numeric: weighted competencies, an anchored scale, one score. The evaluation form keeps ratings but adds prompts for strengths, concerns, open questions and the candidate's interest level. Many teams use the scorecard at screening stages and this form at the end. After all interviewers submit, roll their forms into a candidate evaluation form that supports the final decision.
How to get interviewer feedback you can actually use
The most common interview feedback is a rating and the words "great energy, would hire." That tells you nothing in the debrief and less in a dispute. Three changes fix most of it:
- Evidence before ratings. Ask interviewers to write what the candidate said first, then rate. When the rating comes first, the evidence becomes a justification.
- Evidence required at the extremes. Ratings of 1, 2 and 5 need a line of evidence each. Those are the ratings that swing decisions.
- A deadline. Same-day completion makes a real difference. After 48 hours, interviewers remember impressions, not answers, and recruiters spend their mornings chasing forms. A standard interview feedback request email sent right after the interview, with the form linked, helps.
The "comfortable with this person on your team" question is there on purpose, but read it with care. A yes with weak ratings usually signals affinity bias; a no with strong ratings is worth discussing in the interview debrief.
Worked example
Priya interviews Daniel for a customer service team lead role and is assigned problem solving, communication and the role-specific criterion (leading a team). Her ratings: problem solving 4, communication 3, leading a team 2. Evidence for the 2: "Described running the team's schedule but when asked about a struggling agent, said he would 'escalate to the manager.' No example of coaching someone himself."
Average of rated criteria = (4 + 3 + 2) / 3 = 3.0. Her recommendation is "Do not recommend" for a lead role, though she notes he might be strong as a senior agent. Under "next interviewer should probe" she writes: "Ask for a specific time he gave difficult feedback to a peer." That single line is often more useful in the debrief than the average.
Fairness and legal notes
Every criterion and every comment should relate to the job. Do not record observations about age, pregnancy or family plans, religion, national origin, disability, accent unrelated to job requirements, or any other characteristic protected under Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA or state law. If a candidate volunteers that information, do not write it down and do not let it affect the rating.
Avoid vague judgments that are hard to defend, such as "not polished" or "doesn't feel like a fit." If something felt off, write the behavior that caused it. Several states and cities also ban questions about salary history, so do not include that on the form; the template asks about expectations against the posted range instead.
Interview evaluations are hiring records. Under federal EEOC rules, private employers keep them for at least one year, and federal contractors and some states require longer. Rules vary by state and country.
Adapting the form for high-volume hiring
For roles where you interview hundreds of candidates a month, such as agents, warehouse associates or retail staff, a long narrative form slows everything down. Trim it to four criteria, keep the requirements check, and replace the open strengths and concerns boxes with a single "main reason for recommendation" line. Use the same questions for every candidate in the requisition so ratings are comparable; our structured interview questions are a good base.
Build the form into your ATS or a digital form tool rather than a PDF so averages calculate automatically and you can see completion times and rating patterns per interviewer. If one interviewer rates 90% of candidates as Recommend while another sits at 35%, calibrate them with a shared recorded interview before the next hiring wave.
Frequently asked questions
What is an interview evaluation form?
It is the form an interviewer completes after an interview to rate a candidate on job-related criteria, write the evidence behind each rating, note strengths and concerns, and give a hiring recommendation. Using the same form for every candidate makes feedback comparable.
What should an interview feedback form include?
Candidate and interview details, a defined rating scale, 5 to 7 job-related criteria with evidence boxes, a check of must-have requirements, strengths, concerns, what the next interviewer should probe, and a recommendation without a neutral option.
What is the difference between an interview assessment form and an interview scorecard?
A scorecard is mainly numeric, with weighted competencies and anchored ratings. An evaluation or assessment form adds narrative feedback about strengths, concerns and fit for the role. Many teams use scorecards early and evaluation forms at the final stage.
When should interviewers complete the evaluation form?
The same day as the interview and before talking to other interviewers. Memory of specific answers fades quickly, and discussing the candidate first pulls ratings toward the loudest opinion.
Should an interviewer feedback template include a neutral recommendation?
We recommend against it. A neutral option lets interviewers avoid a decision. Four options, from strongly recommend to strongly do not recommend, force a clear view while still showing how strongly the interviewer feels.
How long do you need to keep interview evaluation forms?
Private US employers must keep hiring records, including interview evaluations, for at least one year under EEOC rules. Federal contractors, some states and any pending charge or lawsuit can require longer retention.