# Interview rubric — TEMPLATE

> Replace this template's contents with your role-specific rubric.
> The interview-debrief-summary skill validates the passed-in rubric
> against the shape below in step 1 and halts if any dimension is
> missing the required structure. Do not loosen the structure to make
> a vague rubric pass — fix the rubric instead.

## Role metadata

- **Role title**: {e.g. Senior Backend Engineer}
- **Level band**: {e.g. L5 / Senior IC}
- **EEOC job category**: {e.g. Professionals — required for audit log}
- **Last edited**: {YYYY-MM-DD}
- **Owner**: {hiring manager name + recruiter name}

## Score scale

All dimensions use the same 1-5 scale. Anchors below are the *minimum* behavior required at each level; a candidate scoring above the level exceeds the anchor in addition to meeting it.

| Score | Label | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strong no | Misses the bar by a wide margin; would block the team |
| 2 | No | Below the bar with no clear path to growing into it in 6mo |
| 3 | Mixed | At the bar with a meaningful gap; viable with development plan |
| 4 | Yes | At or above the bar; ready to contribute on day one |
| 5 | Strong yes | Above the bar with capacity to lift the team |

## Dimensions

Each dimension below MUST have a 1-5 anchor table with behavioral descriptions. Free-text-only anchors fail the rubric validation in step 1.

### Dimension 1 — {e.g. Technical depth}

What this dimension tests: {one sentence}

| Score | Behavioral anchor |
|---|---|
| 1 | {behavior — e.g. "Cannot describe systems they have built without prompting"} |
| 2 | {behavior} |
| 3 | {behavior} |
| 4 | {behavior} |
| 5 | {behavior — e.g. "Walks through trade-offs at multiple levels of the stack unprompted, with concrete examples"} |

Common evidence sources: take-home review, system-design conversation, deep-dive on past projects.

### Dimension 2 — {e.g. Systems design}

What this dimension tests: {one sentence}

| Score | Behavioral anchor |
|---|---|
| 1 | {behavior} |
| 2 | {behavior} |
| 3 | {behavior} |
| 4 | {behavior} |
| 5 | {behavior} |

Common evidence sources: system-design interview, architecture review.

### Dimension 3 — {e.g. Communication}

What this dimension tests: {one sentence}

| Score | Behavioral anchor |
|---|---|
| 1 | {behavior} |
| 2 | {behavior} |
| 3 | {behavior} |
| 4 | {behavior} |
| 5 | {behavior} |

Common evidence sources: every interview; hiring-manager screen explicitly tests structured explanation.

### Dimension 4 — {e.g. Execution under pressure}

What this dimension tests: {one sentence}

| Score | Behavioral anchor |
|---|---|
| 1 | {behavior} |
| 2 | {behavior} |
| 3 | {behavior} |
| 4 | {behavior} |
| 5 | {behavior} |

### Dimension 5 — {e.g. Ownership}

What this dimension tests: {one sentence}

| Score | Behavioral anchor |
|---|---|
| 1 | {behavior} |
| 2 | {behavior} |
| 3 | {behavior} |
| 4 | {behavior} |
| 5 | {behavior} |

> Add or remove dimensions to match the role. Keep the count between
> 4 and 7. Below 4, the panel cannot triangulate; above 7, scorecards
> get filled out as a chore and evidence quality degrades.

## Interviewer-role assignment

Per loop, every dimension should be covered by at least 2 interviewers of different `interviewer_role`s (the skill validates this in step 1). Suggested coverage matrix:

| Dimension | Hiring manager | Peer | Cross-functional | Bar-raiser |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical depth | yes | yes | — | yes |
| Systems design | — | yes | — | yes |
| Communication | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Execution under pressure | yes | — | yes | — |
| Ownership | yes | yes | — | yes |

## Disqualifiers

Single signals that result in a no-hire regardless of other dimensions. Keep this list short and mechanical. The skill flags these prominently in the brief if any interviewer notes them.

- {e.g. "Misrepresented past role title or scope" — backed by reference check}
- {e.g. "Hostile or dismissive toward an interviewer or coordinator" — noted by 2+ interviewers}

## Things this rubric does NOT score

These get explicitly excluded so they cannot creep back as "intuition":

- "Culture fit" without behavioral anchors — replace with the specific behaviors you mean.
- School prestige as a standalone signal — appears in pattern-match dimensions only.
- Tenure pattern interpretation that penalizes parental leave or health gaps.
- Any inference from photo, name origin, or pronoun usage.