Updated October 24, 2026 6 min read
When to use this scorecard
Use this sales interview scorecard template when more than one person interviews your sales reps, or when you run several rounds and need the same yardstick each time. It turns gut feel into a written rating that another manager can read, compare and question. If you are new to the format, this short explainer on what an interview scorecard is covers the basics.
The templates are built for commission-based roles: field sales, door-to-door, inside sales and appointment setting. Copy them into a doc, a form or your candidate notes, then adjust the competencies to your offer.
How to use this scorecard
- 1 Pick your competencies before interviews start Choose five to seven competencies from the list below. Every interviewer scores the same ones.
- 2 Ask the same core questions Use the sample questions for each competency. Follow-ups can vary. The core questions should not.
- 3 Score right after the interview Fill in the rating and one line of evidence while the conversation is fresh. Do not wait until the end of the day.
- 4 Compare scores, then discuss Each interviewer submits a score before the debrief. This keeps the loudest voice in the room from setting the outcome.
- 5 Record a final recommendation Close every scorecard with hire, hold or no hire and a short reason.
Core competencies for commission-based sales
| Competency | What it looks like on the job | What to listen for |
|---|---|---|
| Coachability | Applies feedback from one shift to the next | Specific examples of changing an approach after feedback |
| Resilience | Keeps knocking or dialing after repeated no's | How they reset after a bad day, not just that they did |
| Self-motivation | Starts prospecting without being told | Goals they set for themselves and tracked |
| Communication | Explains the offer simply and listens for objections | Clear answers, questions back to you, no rambling |
| Closing | Asks for the commitment directly | Comfort asking for a decision in a role-play |
| Reliability | Shows up on time, follows up when promised | Attendance habits, how they handled past commitments |
Copy-ready scorecard templates
Template 1: Scorecard header and competency grid
Candidate: [Candidate name] Role: [Sales rep job title] Location or territory: [Office or territory] Interviewer: [Interviewer name] Interview date: [Date] Interview type: [Phone screen / In person / Video / Ride-along] Rate each competency from 1 to 5 using the rating anchors. Write one piece of evidence for every score. Coachability: Score [ ] Evidence: [What the candidate said or did] Resilience after rejection: Score [ ] Evidence: [ ] Self-motivation and prospecting drive: Score [ ] Evidence: [ ] Communication and listening: Score [ ] Evidence: [ ] Closing and asking for commitment: Score [ ] Evidence: [ ] Reliability and follow-through: Score [ ] Evidence: [ ] [Custom competency for your offer]: Score [ ] Evidence: [ ] Total score: [Sum of scores]
Keep the competency names identical across every interviewer's copy.
Template 2: Rating scale and anchors
5 – Strong evidence: Gave a specific, recent example with clear actions and a result. Handled follow-up questions without drifting.
4 – Good evidence: Specific example with clear actions. Result or detail slightly thin.
3 – Mixed: General answer with some useful detail. Needed prompting to get specifics.
2 – Weak: Hypothetical answers only ('I would...'). Little sign of real experience or effort.
1 – No evidence or concern: Could not answer, contradicted themselves, or described behavior that conflicts with the role.
Scoring rule: [If you cannot write evidence for a score, score it a 2 or lower.] Anchors matter more than the numbers. Train interviewers on them before the first interview.
Template 3: Sample questions per competency
Coachability - Tell me about feedback a manager gave you that you disagreed with at first. What did you do with it? - [Your follow-up question] Resilience - Describe a day when you heard no over and over. What did you do in the last hour of that day? - [Your follow-up question] Self-motivation - What is a goal you set for yourself that nobody asked you to set? How did you track it? Communication - Explain [your product or service] back to me as if I were a customer at the door. Closing - Role-play: I am interested but say I need to think about it. Ask me for a decision. Reliability - Tell me about a time you committed to something and it got hard to deliver. What happened?
For more question banks, see the entry-level sales interview questions template linked below.
Template 4: Red flags and green flags checklist
Green flags (check all that apply) [ ] Gave specific examples with names of tasks, not just job titles [ ] Asked questions about the territory, schedule or training [ ] Took role-play feedback and adjusted on the second try [ ] Talked about rejection without blaming customers or past managers [ ] Arrived prepared for [Interview format] Red flags (check all that apply) [ ] Only hypothetical answers across several competencies [ ] Blamed others for every past setback [ ] Avoided asking for a commitment in the role-play [ ] Interrupted repeatedly without listening [ ] [Role-specific red flag] Notes on flags: [Short explanation for any checked red flag]
Template 5: Final recommendation and notes
Recommendation (choose one): [ ] Hire [ ] Hold for another round [ ] No hire Top strength: [One sentence with evidence] Biggest concern: [One sentence with evidence] Questions for the next interviewer: [What to probe further] Best fit for: [Territory, shift or team] Interviewer signature: [Name] Date: [Date]
Customization tips
- Match competencies to the job. A field rep working doors needs different weight on resilience than an inside rep working warm leads.
- Add one competency tied to your offer, such as product knowledge for technical services or territory planning for multi-location teams.
- Use a ride-along or role-play for closing. Talking about closing is not the same as doing it.
- Keep the same scorecard across all offices so managers in different locations can compare candidates fairly.
- Store finished scorecards with the candidate record so the next interviewer sees them before the conversation starts.
What to avoid
- Scoring at the end of the day from memory.
- Changing the competencies halfway through a hiring round.
- Questions that have nothing to do with the job. Keep every question tied to the work.
- Letting a strong first impression set every score. Rate each competency on its own evidence.
- Leaving the notes section blank. A score with no evidence is hard to defend in a debrief.
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