Social Media Manager Interview Scorecard
ZYTHR Resources •
September 11, 2025
TL;DR
This scorecard provides a role-specific framework to evaluate candidates for a Social Media Manager consistently across interviews. It translates observable behaviors into weighted criteria to guide hiring decisions and compare candidates objectively.
Who this scorecard is for
Designed for hiring managers, marketing leads, and recruiters evaluating mid-level to senior Social Media Manager candidates. Useful for interviewers running panel interviews, hiring debriefs, and calibration sessions.
Preview the Scorecard
See what the Social Media Manager Interview Scorecard looks like before you download it.
How to use and calibrate
- Pick the level (Junior, Mid, Senior, or Staff) and adjust anchor examples accordingly.
- Use the quick checklist during the call; fill the rubric within 30 minutes after.
- Or use ZYTHR to transcribe the interview and automatically fill in the scorecard live.
- Run monthly calibration with sample candidate answers to align expectations.
- Average across interviewers; avoid single-signal decisions.
Detailed rubric with anchor behaviors
Social Strategy & Planning
- 1–2: No clear channel strategy; reactive posting without goals.
- 3: Creates basic monthly plans tied to a single objective.
- 4: Builds cross-channel plans with audience segmentation and KPIs.
- 5: Develops multi-quarter strategies aligned to business goals and measurables with test-and-learn roadmap.
Content Creation & Copywriting
- 1–2: Writes generic or tone-deaf copy with poor formatting.
- 3: Produces clear, on-brand posts with basic visual assets.
- 4: Crafts platform-specific copy and concise briefs for designers.
- 5: Delivers high-impact creative concepts, scripts, and templates that drive engagement uplift.
Community Management & Engagement
- 1–2: Ignores comments or responds inconsistently and defensively.
- 3: Responds promptly to routine questions and flags issues.
- 4: Builds engagement routines, escalates issues, and fosters conversations.
- 5: Designs programs that grow active community, reduces churn, and converts advocates.
Analytics & Measurement
- 1–2: Relies on vanity metrics without interpretation.
- 3: Tracks core metrics and reports weekly performance.
- 4: Analyzes trends, performs A/B tests, and recommends optimizations.
- 5: Builds dashboards tying social metrics to business outcomes and ROI.
Paid Social & Campaign Execution
- 1–2: No experience setting ad targeting or budgets; wastes spend.
- 3: Runs basic boosted posts and monitors CPM/CTR.
- 4: Sets targeting strategies, optimizes bids, and tests creative.
- 5: Designs integrated paid strategies that scale efficiently and hit CPA targets.
Cross-functional Collaboration
- 1–2: Works in isolation; misses stakeholder input and deadlines.
- 3: Communicates clearly with design and product on deliverables.
- 4: Coordinates timelines, briefs agencies, and aligns stakeholders.
- 5: Leads cross-functional initiatives, negotiates trade-offs, and delivers on complex launches.
Brand Voice & Reputation Management
- 1–2: Misrepresents brand voice or mishandles negative feedback.
- 3: Maintains voice on routine posts and follows escalation playbooks.
- 4: Adapts voice by platform and mitigates reputation risks proactively.
- 5: Creates tone guides, trains teams, and manages crises with measured responses.
Scoring and weighting
Default weights (adjust per role):
| Dimension | Weight |
|---|---|
| Social Strategy & Planning | 20% |
| Content Creation & Copywriting | 18% |
| Community Management & Engagement | 15% |
| Analytics & Measurement | 15% |
| Paid Social & Campaign Execution | 12% |
| Cross-functional Collaboration | 12% |
| Brand Voice & Reputation Management | 8% |
Final score = weighted average across dimensions. Require at least two “4+” signals for Senior+ roles.
Complete Examples
Social Media Manager Scorecard — Great Candidate
| Dimension | Notes | Score (1–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Social Strategy & Planning | Presents a quartered strategy mapping content to conversion metrics. | 5 |
| Content Creation & Copywriting | Shares viral-ready concepts with storyboarded assets. | 5 |
| Community Management & Engagement | Shows examples of programs turning commenters into advocates. | 5 |
| Analytics & Measurement | Presents a dashboard linking social activity to leads/sales. | 5 |
| Paid Social & Campaign Execution | Demonstrates campaigns that reduced CPA and scaled conversions. | 5 |
| Cross-functional Collaboration | Led multi-team launch with clear briefs and on-time delivery. | 5 |
| Brand Voice & Reputation Management | Authored tone guide and led an effective incident response. | 5 |
Social Media Manager Scorecard — Good Candidate
| Dimension | Notes | Score (1–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Social Strategy & Planning | Provides a monthly plan tied to follower growth. | 3 |
| Content Creation & Copywriting | Provides ready-to-post captions and simple graphics. | 3 |
| Community Management & Engagement | Demonstrates timely responses and basic escalation. | 3 |
| Analytics & Measurement | Shares a report showing reach and engagement trends. | 3 |
| Paid Social & Campaign Execution | Shows experience with boosted campaigns and basic optimizations. | 3 |
| Cross-functional Collaboration | Provides examples of collaborating with design/PR. | 3 |
| Brand Voice & Reputation Management | Consistent voice across platforms and follows playbook. | 3 |
Social Media Manager Scorecard — No-Fit Candidate
| Dimension | Notes | Score (1–5) |
|---|---|---|
| Social Strategy & Planning | No documented content calendar or KPIs. | 1 |
| Content Creation & Copywriting | Copy is long, off-brand, or needs heavy edits. | 1 |
| Community Management & Engagement | No process for moderating or escalating comments. | 1 |
| Analytics & Measurement | Cannot explain how to measure success beyond likes. | 1 |
| Paid Social & Campaign Execution | Has never set up an ad or mismanages a budget. | 1 |
| Cross-functional Collaboration | Cannot name stakeholders or missed launch deadlines. | 1 |
| Brand Voice & Reputation Management | Posts that contradict brand tone or escalate issues. | 1 |
Recruiter FAQs about this scorecard
Q: Do scorecards actually reduce bias?
A: Yes—when you use the same questions, anchored rubrics, and require evidence-based notes.
Q: How many dimensions should we score?
A: Stick to 6–8 core dimensions. More than 10 dilutes signal.
Q: How do we calibrate interviewers?
A: Run monthly sessions with sample candidate answers and compare scores.
Q: How do we handle candidates who spike in one area but are weak elsewhere?
A: Use weighted average but define non-negotiables.
Q: How should we adapt this for Junior vs. Senior roles?
A: Keep dimensions the same but raise expectations for Senior+.
Q: Does this work for take-home or live coding?
A: Yes. Apply the same dimensions, but adjust scoring criteria for context.
Q: Where should results live?
A: Store structured scores and notes in your ATS or ZYTHR.
Q: What if interviewers disagree widely?
A: Require written evidence, reconcile in debrief, or add a follow-up interview.
Q: Can this template be reused for other roles?
A: Yes. Swap technical dimensions for role-specific ones, keep collaboration and communication.
Q: Can ZYTHR auto-populate the scorecard?
A: Yes. ZYTHR can transcribe interviews, tag signals, and live-populate the scorecard.
See Live Scorecards in Action
ZYTHR is not only a resume-screening took, it also automatically transcribes interviews and live-populates scorecards, giving your team a consistent view of every candidate in real time.