Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Portfolio
35% weight
Ask for a reel of shipped product sounds: notification tones, onboarding stingers, error states, haptic pairings. Check they name the platform and where each cue lives in the flow.
Evidence to listen for
Work exists and can be looked at, not just described
States what they made versus what the team or a template made
Shows range rather than one repeated style
Can walk through a piece from brief to final
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No portfolio, or work that is unattributable or clearly templated.
2
Needs Improvement
Thin portfolio; unclear what they personally made.
3
Satisfactory
Real work with adequate range; contribution mostly clear.
4
Very Good
Strong varied portfolio with clear personal ownership.
5
Excellent
Plays specific shipped cues on real devices, explains the interaction each one marks, and names ship dates plus platform constraints.
02
Evaluation factor
Craft and rationale
25% weight
Probe synthesis and editing chops: Reaper or Pro Tools sessions, Serum or Massive patches, foley capture, loudness targets, sample rate and bit depth decisions for 200ms assets.
Evidence to listen for
Explains why a layout, type choice, or colour decision serves the brief
Knows typography and hierarchy as craft, not decoration
Works to a brand system without either breaking it or hiding behind it
Names the tools they are genuinely fast in
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot explain any decision; work is arbitrary.
2
Needs Improvement
Talks in taste terms only; no link between choice and brief.
3
Satisfactory
Sound craft with some ability to justify decisions.
4
Very Good
Articulate about why each choice serves the brief.
5
Excellent
Describes exact signal chain and why, hitting perceived loudness and frequency choices that survive tiny phone speakers and noisy rooms.
03
Evaluation factor
Feedback and iteration
25% weight
Explore how they handled critique from PMs and accessibility reviewers: A/B tests on tone preference, annoyance and repeat-listen fatigue, versions cut after user research.
Evidence to listen for
Takes critique without treating it as an attack
Distinguishes a subjective preference from a real problem, and says so politely
Iterates fast rather than defending version one
Delivers files correctly and on time
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Defensive about critique; will not revise.
2
Needs Improvement
Accepts feedback passively; iterations do not improve the work.
3
Satisfactory
Revises willingly; struggles to push back on weak feedback.
4
Very Good
Iterates quickly and can argue for the work when the feedback is wrong.
5
Excellent
Cites a cue redesigned across several rounds using research data, and states plainly which of their favourite ideas got killed.
04
Evaluation factor
Working with the brief
15% weight
Look for fluency with engineering handoff: asset naming conventions, Wwise or FMOD or native AVAudioEngine integration, file size budgets, spec docs, brand sonic guidelines they authored.
Evidence to listen for
Asks about audience and goal before opening the design tool
Works with marketing, product, or clients rather than in isolation
Flags an impossible brief early
Hands over files and assets others can actually use
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Designs in isolation; ignores the brief's purpose.
2
Needs Improvement
Starts designing before understanding the goal.
3
Satisfactory
Asks the right questions when prompted.
4
Very Good
Interrogates the brief up front and hands over cleanly.
5
Excellent
Delivers to a documented spec, anticipates implementation limits, and turns a vague brand brief into a defensible sonic system.
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