STAR interview scoring rubric template.

Score every candidate on the same four elements, 1 to 5, with plain-English anchors. Copy it or download it as a CSV.

Element	1: Weak	3: Solid	5: Strong
Situation	Vague or hypothetical	Real, but missing context	Specific, recent, clear stakes
Task	Own role unclear	Role described	Own responsibility and goal explicit
Action	“We” only, no detail	Some steps, partly their own	Concrete steps, their own decisions and trade-offs
Result	No outcome stated	Outcome, not measured	Measured outcome and what they learned

How to use it

Ask every candidate the same behavioural question for each skill.
Score each STAR element separately, then average. Write the candidate’s words in the evidence column so the score can be checked later.
Score the answer, not the accent, confidence or polish.
Use the totals to compare consistently, then let a person decide.

For the full guide with example questions, read how to score STAR interviews. To check that your process is fair, see how to bias-test it.

What does STAR stand for?

Situation, Task, Action, Result: a way to structure an answer about something the candidate has actually done.

Can I use this without Critical Hive?

Yes. The template is free to copy or download as CSV and works in any interview process.

Should the score decide who gets hired?

No. Use scores to compare answers consistently and to focus your follow-up questions. A person should make the hiring decision.

GUIDES Read next

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Critical Hive scores each answer against a rubric and shows the candidate's own words as evidence. A person decides.