An interview scorecard turns a hiring call into a structured, weighted evaluation.1 For an SDR, the bar is pipeline through disciplined, repeatable outreach and weekly improvement.2 Build the scorecard before the interview, and make every score answerable with evidence. Use the hires it produces to improve the sheet. After 20 to 30 hires, the dimensions that predict success in the role become clearer, so use that feedback to revise the sheet.3
Build the scorecard
Start with the work the hire must do. Then choose the few competencies that show whether they can do it. Keep each field close to an observable behavior so the score has concrete support.
Create a separate scorecard for the SDR role and weight its criteria to your sales motion, company stage, deal complexity, and revenue ownership.4 Start with four to six job-related competencies and record the evidence behind each score.5 Define an evidence standard for each competency so the sheet stays focused on what the candidate demonstrated.6 Calibrate what each score means before interviews begin.7 Use a 1 to 4 scale for this template.8
| Dimension | Weight | Prompt | Evidence to capture | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Targeting judgement9 | Which account would you target first, and what made you choose it? | Selection logic, signals used, and tradeoffs | ||
| Conversation quality | Describe a conversation that changed because of what you heard. | Clarity, listening, and question choice | ||
| Resilience | Tell me about a stretch of repeated outreach that produced rejection. | Response to setbacks and what changed afterward | ||
| Tooling fluency | Which sales system have you used, and how did you keep activity and notes accurate? | Workflow, accuracy, and ability to learn the system |
For tooling fluency, check familiarity with basic sales technology such as CRMs.10 Leave the weight field open until you decide which competencies matter most for this sales motion.
Run the same interview path
Hold the interview path steady while allowing the candidate to explain their own decisions. Use the table as the working sheet for every candidate in the search.11
| Stage | What you are trying to learn | Example question |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare | Whether the scorecard tests the work | What must this person accomplish in the first months? |
| Context | What the candidate actually owned | What were you responsible for? |
| Decision | How the candidate chose an action | What options did you consider? |
| Probe | How the candidate responded when the plan failed | What changed after the rejection? |
| Test | How the reasoning sounds in a live situation | What did you notice first? |
| Record | What evidence supports each rating | Which answer supports this score? |
Keep the stages in this order for every candidate. Ask follow-up questions when an answer stays broad, then return to the decision, action, and result the candidate can describe.
Use a live exercise
A live exercise gives you a shared situation to score alongside the interview answers. Keep the instructions and timebox fixed so each candidate gets the same task.
Use 10 minutes for research, 2 minutes for the rationale, and a 5-minute call.12 Listen for the target choice, the reason behind it, the opening of the conversation, and the response when the other person pushes back. Record the evidence against the same dimensions on the scorecard. Move on after the candidate completes the research, rationale, and call, then capture the score before discussing the performance with anyone else.
Score the evidence
Ratings work when another reader can see why they were earned. Write what the candidate did, what informed the action, and what happened after it.
Keep each score attached to a specific example. If the answer is thin, write the gap as a follow-up question instead of filling it with an impression. For resilience, ask about a rejection and listen to the response. Comfort with structured repetition, response to rejection, and asking questions in the interview are roughly predictive characteristics for an SDR candidate.13
Use the same standard across the dimensions. A strong answer shows a clear decision and a reason that fits the situation. A weak answer leaves the decision, ownership, or result unclear. The score records the strength of the evidence you heard in that interview.
Debrief and validate
Debrief is where you compare completed sheets and decide which gaps still need checking. Keep the discussion anchored to the written observations each person recorded.
Integrate evidence across referees and assessment methods, then look for common themes and discrepancies.14 If the interview score and live exercise point in different directions, preserve both observations and investigate the difference through the next assessment. The sheet should help you find an answer to an open question, not close the question by itself.
What not to do
These rules keep the scorecard from becoming a record of impressions.
- Leave personality checklists out of the scorecard. Tie every rating to a defined competency and observable evidence.15
- Generic questions produce rehearsed answers, so ask about specific decisions.16
- Keep the dimensions and their order the same between candidates. Run the same four dimensions in the same order and score in writing during the interview.17
- Complete the scorecard before the debrief so the panel discussion does not set your first score and independent observations remain intact.18
- Use the score as an input to the hiring decision, not as a substitute for references, work samples, or fair hiring practices.19
- Keep feedback tied to position requirements, merit criteria, the assessment of qualifications, and the reason for elimination.20
- Examine the details behind a candidate's claimed sales results rather than accepting them without checking.21
Copy the table into your hiring sheet, add the weights, and define what each score means before the next conversation. After each interview, keep the written score beside the evidence that earned it and carry open questions into the next check.