1. Draft from the role brief
Perfect uses the role context to draft the information to collect and the assessment questions to ask. Keep the screen focused on what your team needs to establish in a first conversation.
From interest to first screen
Prepare the interview before the candidate says yes.
First Interview follows a positive response in an agentic outreach sequence. The workflow coordinates an interview time by email and uses the screen prepared for that role, taking the conversation beyond the initial introduction.
2. Review and adjust the screen
Review the questions, change the draft and approve the screen. The setup separates screening facts from assessment questions so your team can see what is being collected and what is being evaluated.
3. Coordinate the candidate's time
After a positive response, the workflow uses email to agree a time with the candidate. The first screen follows the role context and questions your team prepared.
4. Review the evidence
Read the summary and scorecard, and review the transcript and recording. Recruiters use the evidence to decide what needs clarification and whether to move the candidate forward.
Two kinds of questions
Keep screening facts separate from assessment.
A candidate's availability is a fact to collect. An example of their relevant work is evidence to evaluate. The First Interview setup keeps those purposes distinct.
Screening facts
Collect values such as salary expectations, notice period, location preferences and work authorization where relevant and appropriate for the role. These are captured as facts rather than assessment scores.
Assessment questions
Ask about role-relevant experience and evaluate the answers against the interview rubric. For a sales role, for example, the screen can ask the candidate to describe a deal they personally owned and the decisions they made.
Candidate questions
The screen includes a role introduction and room for the candidate's questions. Review what they asked so the next recruiter conversation can address it.
Recruiter review
Read the assessment. Check the conversation.
The result is a first-round review package, not a final hiring decision. Use the scorecard to organize your review and the transcript or recording to check the candidate's answers in context.
Summary and screening facts
Review the discussion and the factual information collected in the screen. Keep practical requirements distinct from the assessment of experience.
Rubric-based scorecard
See how the candidate's assessment answers were evaluated for the role. Treat the score as an input to recruiter review, not as a substitute for it.
Transcript and recording
Return to the source conversation when an answer needs a closer look. Prepare your next interview around the questions that remain.
Human judgment
Your team defines the screen and makes the decision.
Review the draft before using it, keep questions relevant to the role and use the conversation to decide the candidate’s next step. Recruiters can inspect the answers behind the assessment and follow up where more context is needed.
Fit with your stack
Keep first-round evidence with the candidate.
Review the interview in the context of the candidate’s outreach and application history. Use Perfect’s built-in ATS and candidate CRM to manage the next stage, or connect your existing system through a supported integration.
Questions before rollout
AI First-Round Interviews: frequently asked questions
What does Perfect's First Interview workflow do?
It prepares a role-specific first-round screen, coordinates an interview after a positive outreach response on enabled accounts, and returns a summary, scorecard and source conversation for recruiter review.
Can recruiters edit the interview questions?
Yes. The setup presents a draft screen for review and changes before approval. Screening facts and assessment questions are shown separately.
What is the difference between a screening fact and an assessment score?
A screening fact captures information such as a candidate's notice period or location preference. An assessment score evaluates an answer to a role-relevant question against a rubric. The factual answers are not scored as assessment responses.
How is an AI interview different from an AI recruiting call?
An outreach call introduces an opportunity and establishes interest. First Interview is the more structured screen that follows interest, with factual questions and role-based assessment. The two workflows have separate setup and availability.
Is First Interview available to every customer?
First Interview access and supported formats are confirmed per account. The team can walk you through current availability for your recruiting workflow.
Can I use it with everyone already in my ATS?
The current First Interview workflow starts after a positive reply to agentic outreach. Interviewing an existing ATS applicant pool depends on the candidate entry point and integration; ask about your specific system and use case.
Does the interview score decide who gets hired?
No. The interview supplies information and assessment evidence for your recruiting team. People remain responsible for evaluating the candidate and making the hiring decision.
See a first-round screen for your role.
Bring an open role and your current first-round questions. See how the screen is prepared, how candidates move into the interview and what evidence comes back to your team.
See First Interview in a demo