Choose a few job-related criteria, ask consistent core questions, and distinguish observed evidence from unanswered questions. Use notes to support a next-step decision. A brief event conversation should help direct further discussion, with the limits of that conversation visible to the next reviewer.
Choose criteria before meeting candidates
Start with the tasks the new employee will perform and select a small set that can reasonably be explored in a short conversation. For a customer support opening, those might include clarifying a request, explaining a process, and documenting a handoff. O*NET can help a team identify relevant occupational tasks, but the scorecard needs to reflect your actual opening.
Write an evidence prompt beside each criterion. For example, ask for a time the person noticed missing information and how they resolved it. Allow examples from employment, training, volunteering, or other relevant activities. Describe the work context clearly so candidates are responding to the same problem rather than guessing what the recruiter wants.
Record evidence and open questions
Use simple labels such as clear example, partial example, and needs further discussion. Add a short note explaining the label. A description of checking an order against a source document is more useful than a broad comment that someone seems detail-oriented. Keep presentation style separate from the skills the opening actually requires.
Leave room to record what the recruiter explained: pay, shift, location, training, and the next stage. Ask whether the candidate wants to continue after hearing those details. If a noisy room or short time limit prevents an adequate answer, note that limitation and arrange another format where practical. Missing evidence is a question to explore, not a fact to invent.
Use the scorecard as a handoff
At the end of the conversation, agree on a specific next action and identify who owns it. A hiring manager should receive enough context to continue the discussion without starting from zero. Review a few sample notes together before the event so recruiters apply the labels consistently.
Afterward, compare the scorecard with what later interviews reveal. Remove criteria that do not help explain performance in the role, and improve questions that repeatedly produce vague answers. Store recruitment notes in the team's approved system with appropriate access. The value comes from disciplined observation and a clear handoff, supported by discussion rather than a number treated as a final verdict.
Your next-step checklist
- Tie every criterion to a real job task.
- Use consistent questions with relevant example options.
- Record evidence and unanswered questions separately.
- Assign a next action and a responsible person.
Questions people ask
Should we give every candidate a numerical score?
Only if the team understands what each number means. Clear evidence labels and concise notes may work better for an initial conversation than an unexplained total.
What if someone has no paid work example?
Invite an example from another relevant setting or a brief hypothetical task. Evaluate the job skill demonstrated rather than requiring a particular employment history for every answer.
Sources & useful resources
Sources checked for this October 17, 2026 edition. This guide combines linked public resources with practical editorial recommendations. Job listings, programs and event details can change.
Published by JobFairGiant.com, which promotes its own hiring events and MichiganHired.com job-posting services. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy.
