How to Create a Hiring Rubric

By Kathy McGrath, PHR, HR Partner
Published April 14, 2024

Recruiting is like the process of solving a Rubik’s cube. It's a daunting puzzle, but once all the colors are aligned, things come into a better perspective. You post a job opening, collect applications and resumes, and assemble a hiring team. But have you used a rubric as one of your ways to unscramble the hiring puzzle? 

What is a Hiring Rubric?
A hiring rubric is a tool used to objectively compare a candidate’s qualifications to a job posting. It assesses specific requirements and expectations for the job.

Useful Tool for Team Interviews
In team interviews, using a well-defined, consistent plan to assess candidates and make selections is critical. Engagement with the hiring team in the planning process allows for an effective, compliant, and transparent selection process that will mitigate any biases in your hiring practices. A thoughtful process will lead to a successful candidate hire. 

Rubric Creation
A rubric is a hiring tool that aligns the stated position requirements and priorities in a way that can be used to evaluate candidates. Below are key steps.

• Quantify Job-Relevant Skills. Use a numerical system to quantify job-relevant skills. Your system should map the level of performance to a specific number, allowing for a quantified final score for each candidate. For example, use a scale of one to five, where one represents the lowest proficiency and five indicates the highest. This approach streamlines the evaluation process and shifts the focus towards objective measures.
• Define Score Meanings. To ensure consistency across candidates, it’s important that everyone understands what each score on the rubric means. For instance, if you’re assessing a candidate's customer-service skills, specify what behaviors or responses correspond to each score. 
• Calibrate Your Rubric. Once you’ve designed your rubric, assess its effectiveness. Have each interviewer independently evaluate the same interview using the rubric. This process helps identify any score discrepancies and areas where interpretation differs among interviewers. 

To make a rubric that really hits the mark, put careful thought and a strong dedication into being fair and consistent. Like any document an employer creates, it can be helpful in defending against claims of discrimination but, if you’re not careful and consistent, it could become damaging instead. Ultimately, the rubric should assist your team in evaluating candidates in a reliable manner, resulting in smarter hiring choices and an even-handed hiring process.

Download a sample hiring rubric to get started.