The evaluation matrix, also called an interview table, is a recruitment aid tool. It is used during job interviews to assess a candidate's suitability for the position and the company, ensuring that the recruitment process is as objective as possible.

What are the specific benefits of using a job interview matrix? How do you prepare an effective evaluation matrix? Here's how it works.

The advantage of creating a job interview evaluation matrix

Using an interview evaluation matrix offers several benefits:

• More objective recruitment. Recruitment is fertile ground for cognitive bias. Because human beings are at the core of this practice, it is easy to let yourself be influenced by your preferences, your intuition or your beliefs. With an evaluation matrix, you reduce subjective and cognitive bias such as first impressions. By following the template and the evaluation method, you increase your “chances” of hiring the right person.

• Uniform recruitment. From one interview to another, from one candidate to another, the questions and evaluation methods are often different. The principle of uniformity is therefore hard to observe, which means that candidates are not evaluated in an equal manner. But if there is unequal treatment, the candidates will not have the same chances.

• Candidate evaluation is comprehensive. The evaluation matrix is structured, with several themes that combine technical abilities with company culture. By following the proposed interview template, recruiters tackle all of the topics and guarantee 360° evaluation.

• Recruit the right person. Failed recruitment is costly: from €20,000 to €150,000.

Where to start when creating an interview template

#1- Understanding the open position is an essential step

Knowledge of the available position is a prerequisite for concrete evaluation of the candidate’s answers. The recruiter, and any other person who takes part in the job interviews must understand the ins and outs of the position.

In concrete terms, what are the tasks that come with the open position? What technical skills need to be mastered? What qualities and soft skills are required? What are the goals to be achieved? Who will the future employee have to work with? To get the answers to these questions, speak to the manager and employees in identical or equivalent positions.

Another important point to correctly evaluate candidates is to know the recruitment context. Is the current social climate difficult? Is the company in a phase of development? Each context requires employees to deploy singular skills. The interview is to check whether the candidate has the skills to serenely and efficiently grow within this context.

#2- Decide who is going to use the interview template

While the recruiter is the main point of contact for the candidates, other people may need to take part in the recruitment process and therefore use the interview template. In fact, this initiative is recommended to get an objective reading of the candidate.

Among these people, we can find the recruiting manager. As the immediate supervisor, they will be in a good position to assess the candidate’s expertise, previous experience and social skills. They can also offer a view from the field in terms of the compatibility of the personality of the applicant with the company culture.

The CEO of the company can also conduct the interview. Their role is mainly to evaluate the candidate in line with the company culture and purpose. Finally, in organisations that practice collaborative recruitment, it is important to specify the points that the participants will be evaluating (motivation, soft skills, expectations, etc.).

How to structure the interview evaluation matrix

To be easy to use, the interview template should be structured and contain several sections. We will not be looking at the administrative category in this article.

#3- A skills section

This section groups two types of skills:

• Technical skills. The evaluation matrix should include a part about expertise. List the operational skills as well as the tools and software that need to be used as part of the duties;

• Soft skills. What relationship, cognitive and emotional skills are required for the open position? To evaluate these skills, you can turn to assessment questionnaires.

#4- A motivation section

Workplace motivation is the energy that allows an employee to achieve a goal. Based on the theory of self-determination by academics Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, we can question a candidate’s motivation during the interview by basing it on the following:

• The company values in relation to personal values. The match between their values and those of the company is indeed the primary factor that motivates candidates to say yes to a new job (CCLD and myRHline study 2023).

• Meaningful work. How is the position useful to the candidate?

• Company purpose. Has the candidate found out about the company purpose and business? What do they think about them?

#5- A company culture section

Company culture is an umbrella term for all the practices, principles, behaviour, values and operating modes that we can find in an organisation. Being aligned with the company culture is primordial for performance, and to thrive and be engaged. In this section we find questions about the “culture fit”.

For example, in a company with a strong culture of innovation, questions will focus on soft skills like creativity. Here are some examples:

• Name a product that was very well made. What makes it unique?

• How do you go about coming up with solutions and ideas?

• Tell me about a situation where you found the best way to do something at work? What did you do?

#6- A previous professional experience section

The career path is interesting to evaluate candidate behaviour and find out what results they have achieved. In other words, past experiences provide a glimpse into the achievements, strengths and previous yield in similar positions. This can help to predict how the candidate will perform in the position and evaluate the added value that they can bring to the company.

#7- A salary section

Salary is the number one criterion when it comes to joining a company (Robert Half study, March 2022). Knowing the candidate’s salary expectations is essential because if the employer and the applicant do not agree about the salary, there is no reason to pursue the recruitment process.

Scoring system: how to complete the interview template

#8- Choose a scoring system

How are you going to assess the candidates? This is a crucial question, because you are going to make your choice on the basis of this scoring system. It should be simple, relevant and easy for all users to understand.

Above all, your scoring system should be adapted to the position. It can be a level of appreciation ranging from 1 to 3, scoring with a number of points awarded for each validated criterion or in the form of comments: acquired, in progress, not acquired.

A word of warning however: the importance of each criterion will be different depending on the position. For example, for a web developer, an aptitude for negotiation, punctuality and public speaking will be less important than for a salesperson.

#8- Train the people who are going to use the interview template

When creating your evaluation matrix, remember to train the people involved in the recruitment process so that they can use the tool properly.

#9- Adapt the evaluation matrix over time

Finally, the interview template is a tool destined to change all the time to ensure its efficiency. Here is a detailed process to improve it:

• Gather user feedback;

• Analyse the results of the recruitment process (average hiring time, level of employee longevity, etc.);

• Evaluate the relevance of the criteria in the matrix in relation to skills and the genuine qualities required for the post. Update this if necessary;

• Review the scoring scale to more precisely reflect the candidates’ performance level;

• Conduct a test on a recruitment sample to measure the impact of the changes and carry out any necessary adjustments;

• Communicate about the changes made to the evaluation matrix;

• Plan a review that takes feedback into account.

In conclusion, the evaluation matrix is an appropriate

recruitment aid tool.

However, be careful not to become a slave to the matrix on the day of the interview at the risk of not making a good impression and creating a stressful environment for the candidate by dehumanising your conversation.