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Interview Feedback Template

How should interviewers write up feedback that's fair, factual and useful?

Write up an interview in a consistent format: recommendation, summary, strengths and concerns backed by evidence, competency ratings and open questions for the next round. Switch on the candidate-facing summary to add a short, polite note you can send the candidate, limited to factual, job-related points.

How the feedback write-up works

Interview feedback is the interviewer's record of what they heard and what they recommend. It starts with a clear recommendation, then a short summary, then strengths and concerns, each tied to something the candidate said or did. Competency ratings use the same 1–5 scale as the scorecard. Open questions tell the next interviewer what still needs testing. The candidate-facing summary is separate: one strength, one job-related reason or focus area, and a clear outcome.

Evidence: What the candidate actually said, did or produced in the interview — not an impression of them.
Recommendation: Strong hire, hire, no hire or strong no hire — the interviewer's own view before the debrief.
Open question: Something the interview didn't settle that the next stage should test.
Candidate-facing summary: A short, factual note for the candidate, separate from the internal write-up.

Before you submit or send it

Write the internal feedback as if the candidate could read it: specific, job-related and free of personal remarks.
Submit your feedback before the debrief and before you hear other interviewers' views.
Check the candidate-facing note against the internal feedback — the reason you give must be the real one.
This is a template, not legal advice. Check what candidate data you may keep, and for how long, where you hire.

Before and after the write-up

Score the interview first with the interview scorecard template, using the same scale defined in the interview rubric generator. Listed open questions for the next round? Find questions to test them in the behavioural interview questions or the interview question generator. When the panel agrees on a hire, send the offer with the offer letter generator.

Frequently asked questions

What should interview feedback include?

A clear recommendation, a two- or three-sentence summary, strengths and concerns each backed by a specific example, a rating for each competency you assessed, and any open questions for the next round. Add the date, stage and your name so the hiring team can follow the process later.

How do I write evidence-based interview feedback?

Record what happened, not your feeling about it. Instead of 'very confident', write 'presented the cost-saving project without notes and answered three follow-ups with figures'. Instead of 'weak on tax', write 'has reviewed but not filed a corporate tax return; confirmed when asked twice'.

What should I leave out of interview feedback?

Comments on age, appearance, accent, nationality, religion, marital status, pregnancy or family plans, and vague judgements like 'not a culture fit' without evidence. They are not job-related, they can't be defended if the candidate asks for reasons, and they weaken the decision.

Should we give feedback to rejected candidates?

Short, factual feedback is good practice and helps your reputation with candidates, especially after later-stage interviews. Name one genuine strength and the main job-related reason, keep it brief and don't reopen the decision. The candidate-facing summary in this template is written that way.

When should interviewers submit their feedback?

The same day, or at the latest the next working day, and before the debrief. Detail fades fast, and feedback written after hearing colleagues' views tends to repeat them rather than add a separate opinion.

What is the difference between interview feedback and a scorecard?

A scorecard is the form you fill in during and straight after the interview: competencies, ratings and evidence lines. Interview feedback is the written summary built from it, with a recommendation, strengths, concerns and open questions, in a format the hiring manager can read in a minute.

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