Table of Contents
Introduction
Both employers and applicants have specific non-negotiables and desirable qualities that can be identified early in the application process.
Screening Questions facilitate this process helping you assess these criteria from the outset, making it easier to identify suitable applicants and avoid poor matches.
How? Define the screening questions that applicants must answer as part of their application. Their responses will determine the most appropriate default stage in the hiring pipeline.
How Screening Questions Affect the Hiring Pipeline
As applicants answer screening questions during their application process, Indigo Hiring automatically places them into the most appropriate default stage folder in the Hiring Pipeline , ranging from Perfect fit to Not a fit. This sorting relies on the degree to which their answers match the ideal responses predetermined for each question.
Applicant's Responses | Perfect fit | Maybe | Not a fit |
Meets all ideal answers and qualifying answer criteria. | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Meets some, but not all, ideal answer and qualifying answers criteria. | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Does not meet any ideal answer or qualifying answer criteria. | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Does not meet the ideal answer or qualifying answer criteria for a question marked as a Killer Question. | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
🤔 Remember: Screening questions play an important role in sorting applicants, but they are not the only factor considered. The Applicants' Location Preferences can also influence which stage they are placed in.
The Question Structure
To build a screening question there's a set of fields and options you can use to customise it to your needs:
Change Type dropdown menu
Question text field
Required checkbox
Qualifying Answer checkbox
Ideal answer field
Killer Question checkbox
Add follow-up question button
Drag handle
Keep reading to get a better idea on what to expect from each field or option and learn how to use them to give life to the perfect questionnaire. 😉
Change Type
This dropdown menu helps you determine the kind of response an applicant will be allowed to provide.
Select a question type that aligns with the answer you're seeking by clicking Change type and choosing one from the following options:
Question Type | Definition |
Yes/No | Allows applicants to select either Yes or No as their answer. Use this for questions that require a simple confirmation or decision. |
Numeric | Allows applicants to enter a numerical value. Define whether the value should be More than or Less than a specified number. This is useful for questions about years of experience, age, salary expectations, or notice periods. |
Open Answer | Allows applicants to provide a free-text response in their own words. Use this when you need detailed information or explanations. |
Attachment | Allows applicants to upload additional files as part of their application beside the typical CV. For example, you can use it to ask for certificates, portfolios, or other supporting documents. |
Multi-select | Allows applicants to select more than one option from a predefined list. Use this when multiple answers may apply. |
Single-select | Allows applicants to select one option only from a predefined list. Use this when applicants must choose a single answer from several options. |
Applicant Source | Allows applicants to indicate how they heard about the job vacancy. This helps track the effectiveness of your recruitment channels. |
Question Text
In this untitled field, phrase your question carefully to ensure that you're clear about the information you seek from the applicant. Edit this by clicking the field and changing the text.
Required Checkbox
Tick the Required checkbox to require an answer to the question. To leave the question optional, untick the checkbox.
Qualifying Answers
The Qualifying Answers field is available for Single-select and Multi-select question types. It allows you to define one or more preferred answers from the available options.
📋 Note: applicants who do not select a qualifying answer can still progress through the hiring pipeline unless the question is marked as a Killer Question.
Ideal Answers
The Ideal Answer field is only available for Yes/No and Numeric question types. It allows you to define the response you are looking for when evaluating applicants.
Yes/No: select whether Yes or No is the preferred answer.
Numeric: define whether a response should be More than or Less than a specified value. This can be useful for questions such as wage expectations or years of experience.
📋 Note: applicants who do not meet the ideal answer can still progress through the hiring pipeline unless the question is marked as a Killer Question.
Killer Questions
Tick this checkbox to exclude applicants who do not provide the ideal or qualifying answer you've set up for the question. The applicant will automatically be sorted into the 'Not a fit' stage folder.
Follow-up Questions
Add follow-up questions to collect additional information based on a specific answer to a question, without making the application form longer for all applicants.
Select Add follow-up question to open the same menu displayed when selecting Change type, then choose the type of follow-up question to add.
The follow-up question is added beneath the original question and assigned a sub-number. For example, if the original question is numbered 5, the follow-up question is numbered 5.1.
In the follow-up question, use the 'Show this question only if the selected answer for Question [x] is:' field to select the answer that triggers the follow-up question. The follow-up question is displayed in the questionnaire only when applicants select that answer in the original question.
For example:
Original question: 'How many live events have you coordinated in the last 12 months?'
Answer triggering follow up question: 'None'.
Possible follow-up question: 'Have you coordinated live events prior the last 12 months?'
💡 Good-to-know
You can set up a follow up question only for Yes/No, Multi-select and Single-select question types.
You can add follow-up questions to existing follow-up questions, creating multiple levels of conditional questions when needed.
Drag Handle to Reorder your Questions
Each question has a drag handle on the left-hand side. Use its arrows to move the question up or down one position in the list. Alternatively, click and hold the handle, then drag the question to the required position.
You can remove an unnecessary question by clicking on its Delete button.
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