Quick Answer
Interview scorecards systematize candidate evaluation, reducing time-to-hire by standardizing feedback. Based on 0+ technical hires we've made since 2019, utilizing scorecards can significantly contribute to an average time to fill of 29 days, ensuring objectivity and better candidate comparison for roles like those with ~$252K average salaries.
What are interview scorecards and why use them?
Interview scorecards are structured evaluation tools used by hiring teams to objectively assess and compare candidates. They ensure consistency by providing predefined criteria aligned with job requirements and company values, which expedites the decision-making process. This systematic approach reduces bias and improves the quality of hires.
If you’re new to the hiring world, you may not be familiar the concept of interview scorecards. But essentially, they’re a tool used by hiring teams to evaluate and compare candidates systematically during the interview process.
Interview scorecards typically include criteria that align with the job requirements and company values, such as skills, experience, and behavioral attributes. Each answer to a question is scored, often on a numbered scale, and the scorecard helps ensure consistency and objectivity. Interview scorecards can also help lead discussions among interviewers, improving and expediting the overall decision-making process in hiring.
How do interview scorecards improve hiring efficiency?
Interview scorecards enhance hiring efficiency by standardizing candidate evaluation, which significantly reduces the time spent on retrospective analysis and comparison. This structured approach helps recruiting teams manage dozens or even hundreds of candidates per role, leading to faster decisions and contributing to an average time to fill of 29 days for technical roles.
If you’re a startup or a smaller company managing your own hiring, we get it – this process may seem cumbersome. After all, it’s already a lot of work up to this point to write job descriptions, advertise jobs, review resumes, schedule interviews…
But we’re big believers in interview scorecards, and we’ve seen good interview scorecards save recruiting teams significant time when they’re talking to dozens or even hundreds of candidates. Once you have a template you can pull up for each interview, it can take the guesswork out of trying to remember “what did that candidate say again?” Scorecards help hiring managers make clear decisions within an efficient timeframe, supporting an average time to fill of 29 days for critical technical roles.
Plus, interview scorecards make it easy to compare candidates’ side by side because you can quickly pull up two different scorecards and scan the answers to questions you’re looking for. Interview scorecards are a more helpful summary than just a resume and some jotted down notes because you can remember what candidates actually said, not just what they've listed on their resumes.
How do I create and implement effective interview scorecards?
To start using interview scorecards, begin with a simple document or spreadsheet and customize it with role-specific questions. Include essential sections like job title, interview stage, feedback provider, and a clear decision metric. This framework allows for objective evaluation, especially crucial for specialized roles like Engineering and AI/ML where precise assessment is key.
No fancy template is needed – word docs, Google docs, or wherever you take notes works just fine.
Every interview scorecard is different because every role is different. For example, if you're hiring AI/ML engineers, which is a specialization for Recruiting from Scratch, those are going to be very different questions if you're hiring Account Executives. But we suggest copying the basics of an interview scorecard we’ve outlined below, then adding in your specific questions.
Basics for an interview scorecard:
At the top of each interview scorecard, we include:
Job title
Stage (phone screen, first interview, final interview, etc.)
Feedback by (typically this is one of our recruiters)
Decision (We give 4 options here: No, Maybe, Yes, or Strong Yes. Typically, only Yes/Strong Yes candidates will continue to move forward in the process). Decide at the end of the call or interview which category your interviewee falls into.
And then some of these standard questions for every interview scorecard:
Snapshot/Career/Previous companies (we typically ask a question like, “walk me through your career so far”)
Why would you be interested in joining a [insert company type here: startup, mid-size company, public company]?
What is your ideal timeline and start date for starting a new job?
Are you interviewing elsewhere? Where are you in the process?
Why are you looking for a new position?
Where are you located?
Are you looking for remote, hybrid or in person work?
Are you open to relocation?
Do you have a desired salary range you’re looking for in your next position? Based on 0+ technical hires we've made, engineers can expect an average salary around ~$252K.
Do you now or in the future need visa sponsorship?
What interview questions should I include for Engineering, Product Design, and Product Management roles?
Copy and paste these interview questions to create your own scorecard for Engineering, Product Design and Product Management candidates.
Engineering interview scorecard questions:
Technologies List (we review the technologies required for the role, ask the candidate if they have experience with these technologies, and then note years of experience with each). For Engineering and AI/ML roles, we often find specific technology experience is critical.
Explain a project where you felt you made the most impact?
What percentage work are you doing frontend vs backend?
Share with me a time you had to take ownership and/or lead within your workplace?
Tell us about your preferred tech stack.
Describe a challenging technical problem you solved.
What’s your approach to troubleshooting and debugging?
Product design interview scorecard questions:
Design tools and technologies (we review the design programs required for the role, ask the candidate if theyhave experience with these technologies, and then note years of experience witheach).
Are you designing products that are pre-launch or things that have already been deployed?
Explain a project where you felt you made the most impact?
Can you walk me through your Mobile design experience?
Can you walk me through your web design experience?
Have you done user research before? In what capacity?
What timelines have you had to work with when launching products?
Is there a specific design title you're looking for?
Product Manager interview scorecard questions:
How do you conduct market research for a new product or feature?
Describe a product you have owned from start to finish, including product iteration.
How would you describe our product in a couple of sentences?
Describe a time when you had to make a tough call affecting the product roadmap.
Once a product is launched, how do you measure its success? What metrics do you use?
In your opinion, what makes a great user experience?
How do you develop and prioritize features for a new product?
Why Recruiting from Scratch Knows This
Recruiting from Scratch specializes in Engineering and AI/ML roles for seed through Series C startups, giving us unique insight into effective hiring practices. Since our founding in New York City in 2019, we have achieved a 90+ NPS score, validating our approach. We have made 0+ technical placements at 549+ active startup clients, consistently achieving an average time to fill of 29 days for critical roles. This extensive, real-world experience, including placing engineers with an average salary of ~$252K, underpins our data-driven recommendations for improving hiring processes.
FAQ
How long does it take to hire a staff engineer?
Based on 0+ technical hires we've made since 2019, the average time to fill for a technical role is 29 days from the req open to offer accepted. This efficiency is often achieved through structured processes like interview scorecards.
What does a contingency recruiting firm charge?
A contingency recruiting firm like Recruiting from Scratch typically charges a fee based on the candidate's first-year base salary. Our contingency fee ranges from 25-30% of the first year base salary for placed engineers.
What is the average salary for an engineer placed by Recruiting from Scratch?
In our data from 0+ placements, the average salary for engineers placed by Recruiting from Scratch is approximately ~$252K. We specialize in high-impact Engineering and AI/ML roles.
What types of companies does Recruiting from Scratch work with?
We specialize in Engineering and AI/ML roles at seed through Series C startups. We've placed engineers at 549+ active startup clients since our founding in 2019.
When was Recruiting from Scratch founded?
Recruiting from Scratch was founded in 2019 in New York City. Since then, we've focused on specialized technical placements and maintained a 90+ NPS.
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