# Candidate evidence matrix: connect a write-up to the role

A candidate evidence matrix places the role requirement, relevant candidate statement, and remaining question side by side.

Canonical source: https://recruitrecap.com/blog/candidate-evidence-matrix-template
Author: Recruit Recap editorial team
Published: 2026-10-06T13:45:00+11:00

A candidate evidence matrix places the role requirement, relevant candidate statement, and remaining question side by side. Use it when a client needs to understand the basis of a recommendation without reconstructing the screen from narrative notes.

## Build a row for each agreed criterion

| Role requirement | Fictional evidence | Open question |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Own customer launches | Candidate described managing schedules for six launches | Authority over scope changes |
| Communicate delivery risks | Presented weekly risk updates to client stakeholders | Handling a disputed escalation |
| Coordinate resources | Requested analysts through a program lead | Direct resource-allocation authority |

These invented examples illustrate a format. They are not scores or proof that a person meets a hiring standard.

## Use the current brief

Build the matrix from the requirements the client actually approved. If the brief changed, update the criterion labels before comparing evidence. Otherwise a clean table can still answer the wrong question.

Do not add a row for every technology or phrase in a resume. Choose criteria that matter to the role's work and the current interview stage. A sprawling matrix can obscure the few decisions the client needs to make now.

## Preserve missing evidence

Use “not discussed” when the screen did not establish an answer. Use a more specific description if the candidate explicitly said they had not performed the work. These states should not be collapsed into an empty cell or an automatic negative rating.

If the candidate provided a partial example, record the part that is supported and the boundary. “Coordinated requests” should not become “owned resource planning” because the requirement asks for ownership.

## Make the matrix useful for the next interview

Convert unresolved cells into focused follow-up questions. Avoid asking every interviewer to repeat the same broad screen. The matrix should help the next person explore missing depth while retaining the evidence already gathered.

Before sharing, remove internal-only information and check that the recipient is authorized to receive the candidate material. Use the agency's normal handling process; this table does not define permissions or replace it.

Start with the [role scorecard](/blog/recruiting-role-scorecard-from-intake) and embed the reviewed matrix in your [candidate submittal](/blog/candidate-submittal-template). Recruit Recap supports custom write-ups from selected meetings, but this is an original editorial format. It does not imply automated candidate ranking, validated scoring, or a hiring recommendation generated without recruiter judgment.