Interview evaluation form: a free template for every interviewer
The short answer
An interview evaluation form is what each interviewer fills in straight after an interview to record their assessment of one candidate. It should capture the candidate and interview details, a rating with evidence for each criterion, strengths, concerns, whether each must-have was met, and a clear recommendation. Fill it in within a few hours, before talking to other interviewers, and write down what the candidate said or did rather than your impression of them.
A one-candidate form with every section below, rating and evidence columns for six criteria, must-have checks and a four-point recommendation. Free to download and adapt; no sign-up needed.
When to use this template
Use an evaluation form for every interview, including informal ones, so each decision rests on a written record. It helps hiring teams compare candidates fairly, gives the next interviewer something to build on, and lets an agency explain to a client why a candidate was or was not put forward.
The form works with an interview rubric: the rubric says what each rating means, and the form records the rating and the evidence for one candidate. If you use a weighted scorecard, the ratings on this form feed straight into it.
What goes in the form
Each section of the template, with what to write in it.
Candidate and interview details
So the form can be filed and found again.
- Candidate name
- As it appears in your ATS.
- Role and client or hiring team
- The exact role, and the client if you are an agency.
- Interview stage and format
- For example: first interview, video call, 45 minutes.
- Interviewer and date
- One form per interviewer per candidate.
Ratings by criterion
One row for each criterion in your rubric.
- Criterion
- From the rubric, such as problem solving.
- Rating (1–5)
- Against the rubric’s anchors, not against other candidates.
- Evidence
- What the candidate said or did that supports the rating. Quote where you can.
Must-haves
The essential requirements agreed at the start.
- Requirement
- For example: right to work, licence, notice period.
- Met?
- Yes, No or Unsure. Unsure becomes a question for the next stage.
Strengths and concerns
Two or three of each, every one backed by evidence.
- Strengths
- What would help the candidate succeed in this role.
- Concerns
- Gaps or risks, and what the next interviewer should probe.
Recommendation
One clear call, with no “maybe”.
- Overall recommendation
- Strong yes, Yes, No or Strong no.
- Reason
- One or two sentences linking the call to the evidence.
- Completed before the debrief?
- Yes or No. Forms written after discussion are less independent.
Turning impressions into evidence
Feedback is only useful if someone who was not in the room can act on it.
| Instead of | Write |
|---|---|
| Great communicator. | Explained the payroll migration to me in plain terms and checked I had followed before moving on. |
| Seemed a bit junior. | Has run projects of up to three people; this role leads a team of eight. Probe how they would scale. |
| Not a culture fit. | Said they prefer working alone with minimal check-ins; the role has daily stand-ups with the client team. |
| Strong technically. | Walked through how they reconciled 2,000 supplier invoices a month and caught a duplicate-payment error. |
How to use the interview evaluation form template
- 01
Step 01
Prepare the form before the interview
Fill in the candidate details and the criteria from your rubric, so you know what evidence you are listening for. - 02
Step 02
Take notes during the interview
Write down what the candidate says, in their words where you can. Leave the ratings until the end. - 03
Step 03
Complete the form within a few hours
Rate each criterion against the rubric, write the evidence for each rating, and mark the must-haves. - 04
Step 04
Submit before the debrief
Hand the form in before talking to other interviewers, so your view stays independent. - 05
Step 05
Use the forms in the debrief
Discuss differences with the evidence in front of everyone. For an agency, the forms become the basis of your note to the client.
What not to write on an evaluation form
- Comments on appearance, accent, age or any personal characteristic. They are irrelevant to the job, and evaluation forms can be disclosed, for example in response to a data subject access request or in a tribunal.
- “Culture fit” without evidence. Write down the specific, job-related behavior instead.
- A recommendation that does not match the ratings. If they disagree, explain why in the reason field.
- Comparisons with other candidates. Rate each one against the rubric.
Get the evidence written down for you
In a Beatview interview every answer is recorded and scored against your criteria, with the reasoning shown, so each evaluation starts from the candidate’s own words. Recruiters add notes, make the decision and share the shortlist with clients through a password-protected link. AI interviews are on the Pro plan; the Free plan screens resumes for one active job.
Interview evaluation form: frequently asked questions
Still deciding?
Bring a live vacancy and we’ll walk through where automation ends and recruiter review begins.
Candidate and interview details, a rating and evidence for each criterion, whether each must-have was met, strengths, concerns, and a clear recommendation with a reason.
Within a few hours of the interview, and before talking to other interviewers. Memory fades fast, and discussing a candidate first tends to pull everyone’s ratings towards the most confident voice.
Usually not. A four-point recommendation (strong yes, yes, no, strong no) forces a decision. If you are unsure, record what you would need to know and make it a question for the next stage.
They overlap. A scorecard focuses on weighted ratings for each criterion; an evaluation form adds must-haves, strengths, concerns and a recommendation. Many teams use one document that does both.
In the UK and EU, candidates can request their personal data, which can include interview notes and evaluation forms. Write every form as if the candidate might read it: factual, job-related and respectful.
Get the interview evaluation form template
A one-candidate form with every section below, rating and evidence columns for six criteria, must-have checks and a four-point recommendation.
Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. Version 1 October 2026.