Most finance hiring decisions come down to a conversation afterwards: "I liked her", "he seemed very technical", "not sure about culture fit". A scorecard turns that into a decision you can defend, and it makes your process faster because each stage has a clear job.
Step 1: agree four or five criteria before you meet anyone
Keep them specific to the role. For a Finance Manager in a manufacturing business, for example:
- Technical: can own a month-end close and explain the balance sheet.
- Commercial: can explain margin and cost movements in plain English to an operations manager.
- Systems: has improved a process or report, not just used one.
- Leadership: has developed at least one junior team member.
- Motivation and fit: wants this job for reasons the role can actually satisfy.
How this fits our scorecard: the template scores the five Gravitate Baseline criteria (proactivity, accountability, commitment to the role, communication and technical background), which every finance hire needs. Role-specific criteria like the ones above go in its technical must-have rows, so you assess both.
Step 2: write the questions and what good looks like
For each criterion, write one or two questions and a short description of a strong, average and weak answer. "Tell me about a month-end that went wrong and what you changed" tells you far more than "Are you organised?"
Step 3: score independently, then discuss
Each interviewer scores every criterion from 1 to 5 straight after the interview, before talking to anyone else: 1 no evidence, 2 limited, 3 meets the bar, 4 strong, 5 exceptional. Treat 3 as the bar, not a safe middle, and ask for evidence behind every 4 or 5. Then compare and talk about the differences.
Step 4: split criteria across stages
On a two-stage process, cover technical and motivation at stage one, and commercial, leadership and fit at stage two, often with a short practical task. That's how a two-stage process can target shortlist to offer within two weeks without skipping anything.
Step 5: check it after the hire
At six months, look back at the scores. Did the criteria predict performance? Adjust them for next time.
Read next
Counter-offers in finance hiring: how to plan for them before you make the offer
A counter-offer rarely comes out of nowhere. Most of the warning signs are visible at first interview, if you know what to ask.
How long should a finance hiring process take? A shortlist-to-offer plan for a two-stage process
Most finance hiring processes don't lose candidates at interview. They lose them in the gaps between interviews.
Why good finance candidates drop out of your hiring process (and how to fix it)
Candidates rarely tell you why they withdrew. These are the reasons we hear when they tell us.
The South West Finance Hiring Guide 2026/27
Salary bands for eight finance roles, a two-week shortlist-to-offer plan and counter-offer advice, written by Eliot Acton.