Interview feedback form template & guide

If you’re hoping to select the very best talent from your pool of applicants, then a rigorous interview process is essential.

And an interview feedback form provides you with a consistent method of assessing candidate interview performance, so that you can make fair comparisons of every applicant.

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about interview feedback forms, from how to create one and use it, through to evaluating candidate performance with them.

It also includes an interview feedback form template which you can download.

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What is an interview feedback form?

An interview feedback form is a document that seta out a fixed criteria to which all potential candidates for a position are assessed and evaluated, helping to streamline the interview process for both managers and candidates alike.

It contains a number of questions on the candidate’s suitability and requires interviewers to answer the question by rating the candidate’s suitability on a number scale, such as 1-5.

Each candidate will generate a total score based on the answers to their questions, allowing them to be easily compared by hiring managers.

Benefits of using an interview form

By evaluating each candidate based on a certain number of standardised questions, interview feedback forms help greatly reduce unconscious bias from the recruitment process, as well as simplifying the practice for managers and recruiters.

Organisations which operate with an interview feedback form also find it easier to train new managers in their recruitment process. As candidates are all held to the same standards, it is simple for new managers to choose the right applicants by simply assessing and comparing their scores.

Interview feedback form template

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What should an interview feedback form include?

Whilst certain companies and organisations might differ on specific job requirements, an interview feedback form should always include the following information:

• The position the candidate is interviewing for: the title of the job.
• How to rate the candidate’s skills: Each interview feedback form should provide the interviewer with the necessary scale for rating, for example: 1 (Poor) 2 (Needs Improvement) 3 (Adequate) 4 (Above average) 5 (Excellent).
• Candidate details: This includes the candidate’s name, the date of the interview, the stage of interview if concerning a multiple stage interview, and the name(s) of the interviewer(s).
• Essential Requirements: A list of criteria that the successful candidate in this specific job must meet, for example: experience in certain field, proficiency in English or other language.
• Desirable Qualities: This section helps interviewers distinguish between equally impressive candidates, by evaluating a selection of desirable – but not obligatory – skills and competencies relevant to the job.
• Company–specific requirements: This section will concern the company’s ethics and principles, in order to evaluate candidate’s compatibility with the organisation’s overall values and beliefs.
• Candidate evaluation: The interviewer will assess the candidate’s competences in the relevant criteria according to the scale provided, in this case 1 (Poor) 2 (Needs Improvement) 3 (Adequate) 4 (Above average) 5 (Excellent). There should also be space for additional comments for the interviewer to note down.
• Other Comments: The interviewer can use this section to add any additional comments and observations, any potential gaps in the candidate’s application or further, personalised recommendations such as a second interview or relevant training.
• Recommendations: The interview feedback form should finish with a justified recommendation from the interviewer for this particular candidate: either to hire, hold or withdraw the candidate’s application.

How to use an interview feedback form

Use your interview feedback form to compare applications and candidates without venturing into personal preference or unconscious bias.

Evaluating candidates’ scores and creating a pool of the highest scoring candidates is the easiest way to save time, cut bias or favouritism and ensure that the most qualified person for the job is hired.

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Finding the ideal candidate

Using an interview feedback form is the most efficient way to ensure that your hire will meet and exceed all the necessary criteria from the job description, no matter who conducts the interview.

Fine-tune your interview feedback form to ensure that all future hires possess the necessary skills and qualities to function and thrive effectively in your organisation.

Make sure to tailor the questions so that they apply directly to your company or organisation’s needs and criteria; whilst there are certain universal standards to observe in potential employees – such as punctuality, verbal communication and relevant experience – your company will certainly have its own benchmarks and standards to adhere to, so make sure to incorporate these into your form.

In addition, make sure to enlist the help of colleagues and associates who will be interacting with your new hires on a regular basis: colleagues can offer detailed perspectives and add requirements to the interview feedback form in order to optimise the efficiency of the exercise.

How to provide interview feedback to candidates

One of the most common problems for jobseekers is the lack of follow-up after the interview process: candidates are left unsure of their application status and are less likely to reapply to the same company if they never hear back.

Make the best impression on all your applicants by providing them with a helpful interview feedback form in the event of their application being unsuccessful.

Not only does this help your candidates improve their future applications and job search, but it also offers a positive impression of your organisation and will encourage failed candidates to reapply in the future to more suitable roles within your company.

Be constructive

In order to give helpful feedback to your candidates, write relevant notes in the comments section and listen attentively during the interview process, even if it’s clear from the outset that their professional profile is inadequate.

Give constructive, valuable feedback that will assist them when applying for future roles, and avoid personal, insulting comments at all costs. Comments such as “would be more suited to a role in [field] with your current level of experience” or “not adequately trained in [skill]” offer constructive and clear advice to candidates and won’t leave them waiting by the phone wondering if their application got lost.

Compare the candidate’s skills with the job requirements and explain where the gaps are; this can help the candidate to understand their weaknesses and work on them.

Interview feedback form example