The problem we’re all feeling
Every posting attracts hundreds—sometimes thousands—of applicants. Even with an ATS, recruiters triage by résumé skimming and keyword rules. Great people get missed because they:
- Use non-standard titles or keywords
- Have transferable (but non-obvious) skills
- Shine in conversation, not on paper
- Apply outside typical business hours
The result: longer time-to-hire, interview bandwidth wasted on weak fits, and occasional “how did we miss them?” regrets.
What is Voice AI prescreening?
Voice AI prescreening uses natural, human-sounding calls to interview applicants automatically. Candidates pick up the phone, answer a consistent set of job-specific questions, and within minutes Screenwise:
- Scores responses against a rubric (skills, availability, intent, compensation alignment)
- Summarizes key quotes, risks, and rationale
- Tags & syncs results into your ATS for instant triage
No waiting rooms, no scheduling logistics, no bias from first-impression optics—just structured signals from every person who applied.
Why Voice (not only chat)?
- Higher response rates for first touch (especially hourly/deskless roles)
- Richer signals (tone, confidence, fluency, scenario reasoning)
- Accessibility & equity for candidates who prefer speaking over typing
- Frictionless scale—you can call 500 candidates before lunch
How Screenwise fits into your day
- Import candidates (ATS sync or CSV).
- Attach job context (JD, location/shift, must-haves).
- Pick a template + choose voice & language (EN/ES/FR/HI/… with fallbacks).
- Launch with call windows and retry cadence.
- Candidates answer structured questions; consent & compliance handled in-call.
- Auto-score & summarize; push results to ATS (status, notes, transcript link).
- Review the shortlist; schedule interviews manually or auto-book.
Outcome: You talk to every applicant—without burning recruiter hours.
What to measure (and how to prove ROI fast)
- Time-to-screen: From application to first touch. Goal: hours, not days.
- Pass-through rate: % moving from Prescreen → Interview.
- Shortlist quality delta: Average score of shortlisted vs. overall pool.
- No-response rate: Should fall with smart call windows + SMS follow-ups.
- Bias/consistency checks: Same questions, same scoring rubric, audited.
Benchmarks to aim for in 30 days:
- 50–70% faster time-to-screen
- 20–30% higher interview pass-through (better front-end triage)
- <20% no-response with 2–3 attempts + SMS
A simple rubric that works (copy/paste)
Weights (example)
- Role essentials (40%) – must-have skills/credentials
- Availability & logistics (25%) – shifts, location, start date
- Communication & problem solving (20%) – scenario prompts
- Intent & alignment (15%) – motivation, compensation, tenure signals
Knockouts
- Work authorization, location radius, required certification, comp floor/ceiling
Sample 7-minute prescreen (for a Sales Development role)
- Intro + consent (10s)
“Hi, this is Screenwise calling about the SDR role at Acme. With your permission, I’ll ask a few questions…” - Eligibility KO (45s)
- “Are you authorized to work in the country where this role is based?”
- “Are you comfortable working onsite 3 days/week?”
- Core skills (2–3 min)
- “Walk me through your prospecting workflow.”
- “Give an example of turning a ‘not now’ into a meeting.”
- Availability & logistics (60s)
- “Earliest start date?”
- “Expected OTE range?”
- Scenario (90s)
- “You’ve sent 2 emails and left 1 voicemail with no response. What’s your next move, and why?”
- Close (15s)
- “Thanks! You’ll receive next steps via email.”
Auto-output you’ll see in ATS
- Score: 82 (Pass)
- Summary: 4 bullet points with key quotes
- Risks: “Gap on cybersecurity product knowledge”
- Tags:
SW-shortlist, EN-US, Prospecting-Strong - Artifacts: Link to transcript/audio (if policy allows)
Case snapshot (composite)
- Role: Warehouse Associate (night shift)
- Applicants: 1,026
- Reached by Voice AI: 811 (79%)
- Shortlisted: 132
- Time-to-screen: 8 hours (down from 5 days)
- Interview pass-through: 64% (up from 41%)
Takeaway: the team interviewed fewer but better candidates—and hired 2 weeks faster.
Candidate experience matters
- Clear, friendly voice that matches your brand
- Language options with detection/fallbacks
- Flexible timing (evenings/weekends)
- Graceful reattempts + SMS/email follow-ups
- Transparency on how responses are used and scored
Screenwise treats people with respect—no trick questions, no pressure. Just clarity.
Safety, fairness & compliance
- Consent & recording handled in-call; opt-out honored
- Bias controls via standardized questions + scored rubrics
- Audit logs and data retention policies
- PII handling with redaction options
- Explainability—why a candidate passed or failed, in plain language
(For details, see your Safety & Trust page.)
Common objections (and the real answers)
“Will candidates think it’s robotic?”
The voice is natural, concise, and friendly. Candidates appreciate quick next steps more than waiting days for a first touch.
“Can we trust the scores?”
You define the rubric, weights, and KO rules. Screenwise adds consistency and auditability—no more subjective “gut feel” at the prescreen stage.
“Can this work for corporate roles?”
Yes. For senior or specialized roles, treat Voice AI as a signal amplifier: gather structured signals quickly, then move to human interviews.
The bottom line
High-volume hiring isn’t a résumé-reading contest. It’s a signal-gathering problem. Voice AI prescreening lets you hear from everyone, score them fairly, and move fast—so you never miss a qualified candidate again.
Ready to try it?
→ Start with one role, one week, one shortlist. We’ll help you set it up.
