Screening questions help employers validate non-negotiable requirements early in the assessment process, such as the right to work, relevant licences (driver’s, medical, etc.), and candidate availability.
Included in this article:
- How to Add Screening Questions
- The Screening Workflow for Candidates
- Reviewing Screening Results
- Introducing Conversational Screening
- Enabling Conversational Screening
How to Add Screening Questions
Screening questions can be added to an assessment via the Create Editor. In the left-hand question panel, click + Screener to start the process.Once the + Screener button is clicked, a screening questions section will open. From here, you can:
- Select from Suggested Questions: Choose from 8 predefined screening questions. You can amend the default responses to suit your needs.
- Create Your Own: Choose the "Create" option to add your own questions and responses.
Screening questions can be:
- Single Choice or Multiple Choice format
- Set with Pass/Fail scoring outputs
By default, you’ll see two empty fields for screening questions, but you can add additional response options and set custom grading as needed.
Important: Screening questions should only cover non-negotiable role requirements. Candidates who fail these questions will not proceed to the skills assessment.
If you would like to collect information only (e.g., location preferences), you can enable multiple correct answers without setting pass/fail.
Candidate Experience of Screening Questions
Candidates will encounter screening questions first, before the skills assessment begins.
The Screening Workflow for Candidates
- Screening questions are mandatory and cannot be skipped.
- Assessment timers will not start until the candidate passes the screener.
- If a candidate fails, they are notified immediately and removed from the process, without accessing the main assessment.
Reviewing Screening Results
Candidates' screening results are easy to access and manage.
How Results Are Displayed
Candidates who fail screening:
- Will not proceed to the Select stage
- Can be seen and managed in the Invite stage
- Will have statuses such as:
- Screening in progress
- Failed Screening
- Passed Screening
Their candidate card will show the screening questions only.
Candidates who pass and complete the assessment will have both their screening and assessment results visible.
Additional Considerations
When using screening questions, keep the following in mind:
Timing and Completion
- Screening questions do not belong to any skill group and have no timer.
- The assessment timer starts only after candidates complete screening.
- Screening questions are mandatory and cannot be skipped.
- Candidates who fail screening do not count towards assessment completion caps.
Candidate Management
- Failed candidates will remain visible in the Invite stage.
- Extension requests work as normal; candidates will resume screening if their extension is approved.
Availability and Language
- Screening questions can be saved to your personal question bank.
- Screening functionality is available to employers on all plans.
- Currently, screening questions are available in English only (no Spanish version yet).
Introducing Conversational Screening
You have the option to present screening questions in a conversational format, creating a more natural candidate experience.
Enabling Conversational Screening
- Conversational screening is enabled via a toggle at the assessment level.
- Once enabled, all candidates invited after the toggle is switched on will experience the new conversational flow.
- Candidates are then invited to the assessment as normal.
Candidate Workflow Overview (Conversational Screening)
Starting the Assessment
Candidates begin by clicking Start Assessment from their email invitation.
A standardised chat interface opens — "Ollie from Vervoe" introduces the screening process.
The opening message welcomes the candidate and explains what to expect:
"Welcome, [candidate first name]! We’re excited to have you as part of the assessment process for the [assessment name] position at [company name]. Our screening process is designed to be straightforward and efficient. We’ll go through a series of questions to understand your qualifications and preferences. Let’s get started!"
If the assessment requires video or audio checks, candidates will complete these before proceeding.
Completing Screening Questions via Chat
- Screening questions are delivered one at a time in a chat flow.
- Candidate responses are highlighted in blue; system messages in grey.
- Candidates can scroll back to view previous interactions but cannot edit their answers.
If a candidate decides to leave and complete the assessment later, they will be prompted to confirm and reminded of the deadline date.
Note: If the assessment closes or expires while a candidate is completing screening questions, they are notified immediately in the chat.
Candidate Screening Results
What Candidates See
- If the candidate fails, a message displays the outcome and redirects them back to their dashboard.
- If the candidate passes, a success message redirects them to the full assessment.
Results are displayed clearly in the chat interface.
Reviewing Conversational Screening Results
Recruiters can easily access candidates’ conversational screening logs.
Accessing Candidate Insights
- Open the candidate card and view their pass/fail result.
- To see detailed interactions, click View Chat Log.
- The chat log records all interactions, providing transparency and supporting compliance or performance reviews.
Screening results (pass/fail) and candidate responses are all available for your review.
If you have further questions, please contact support@vervoe.com.