Interview scorecard
An interview scorecard is a structured record of an interviewer's assessment against agreed criteria. It normally combines ratings with notes that explain the evidence behind a recommendation.
A record, rather than a verdict
A scorecard turns an interviewer’s view into material the team can examine. It should name the criteria, capture a rating where a rating is useful, and leave space for the observation that led to it. A recommendation can be included, but it is not a substitute for the evidence behind it.
For a structured interview, OPM describes predetermined job-related questions and common rating criteria. The scorecard is where those common criteria become a usable record.
How the record earns its place
Keep the criteria close to the work of the role. An interviewer can then write what the candidate demonstrated, what remains unclear, and which question produced that evidence. Notes are especially useful when a rating needs context: two people can select the same rating for different reasons.
What weakens the evidence
A form filled in after a group discussion may simply reproduce the loudest view. A long list of vague traits creates the same problem in a different format. Nor should a scorecard promise objectivity by itself; it supports a disciplined conversation only when the questions and criteria were chosen with care.
Use it in the debrief
Read individual submissions before the hiring debrief, then discuss material differences. The group can ask for clarification and document its next decision. A completed scorecard informs that decision; it does not make it automatically.