Create a Job Questions Group

Job Screening questions are specific questions in a group that you can add to certain job listings to help you narrow your applicant pool (for example, you might include "deal-breaker" questions in this area).

Job Screening questions form a group of questions which are attached to specific job templates and job listings and are only answered by individuals who apply to those specific job listings.  A group of Job Screening questions assigned to an individual position are specific to that individual position and should not be confused with the Standard Application questions which are asked of all applicants regardless of for which job they are applying. 

Job Screening questions can be created at any time within the Jobs dashboard by users who have Administrator access.  Managers and other Assigned Users cannot create Job Screening questions.  Job Screening questions also support the use of scoring and disqualification filters. (More info about Filters below in this tip sheet.)  

Here are the steps to create a new group of Job Specific questions for a particular position.

Click on the Jobs icon on your portal's dashboard, and then click on the Job Questions tab.

Then, a window will appear asking you to give the Job Screening questions group a title.  You will also want to make the group active so that it is available for selection when you add new job templates and job listings. You can optionally enter instructions if there are specific directions you would like to provide to the applicant about this set of questions. If you would like to use another pre-existing screening question group as a template for copying questions to this new group, then select the existing group from the "Copy Screening Questions" drop-down box. This comes in handy if you have a lot of the same screening questions across many groups and do not want to reenter the same questions over and over again when creating new groups. Lastly, click the "Add New" button to save the group.

Once you have created your new group of Job Screening questions, it is time to create the individual questions in that particular group.  You will want to keep each Job Screening question active so the question can show in this particular group of Job Screening questions.  It is up to you if you want to require the applicant to answer each particular question.  Most questions will be set to "Yes" in the "Required" field so all applicants can answer the same question.  Occasionally, you may wish for the "Required" field to be changed to "No" for certain questions.  For example, when the prior question was a "Yes/No" question and the following question asks for additional info based on the answer to the prior question.  (See the "Yes/No" Answer Type description below for an example.)  

In the "Question" box, type the question you want to create.  The "Question Preview" box is located on the right side, and that will allow you to preview the question and the potential answer field.  You can choose from a variety of Answer Types for the question you want to ask.  Once you create a question with a specific Answer Type, the question text can be edited, but you cannot change the style of the question from one Answer Type to a different Answer Type.    

Type of Answers
     --Small Text:  As with the Large Text box, the Small Text box holds an unlimited number of characters; however, this size box implies that a shorter answer is expected.
    --Large Text:  As with the Small Text box, the Large Text box holds an unlimited number of characters; however, this size box implies that a longer answer is expected.
       --Drop Down:  Questions that can be answered with the Option Button can also be answered with the Drop Down box format. 
    --Option Button:  Questions that can be answered with the Drop Down box can also be answered with the Option Button format.  It is a personal preference as to which you prefer.  Mobile users might find this answer type easier to use on hand held devices. 
    --Yes/No:  This type of question is good for questions with absolute answers.  Also, this type of question can lead into adding a follow up question that could prompt an answer from the candidate only if  the first question was answered a specific way.  For example:  
With the previous "Yes/No" question, you can ask a conditional question to acquire additional information.  For a "Yes/No" question with a subsequent question, it is important not to require the second question in case the applicant does not answer appropriately in the first question.  For example, in the previous "Yes/No" question, if the applicant said (s)he did not have any experience working with manufacturing companies, then (s)he could not accurately answer the question below since it is directed to those applicants who said they do have manufacturing experience.  In this case, it is best to change the "Required" from "Yes" to "No".  
      --Checklist:  This Answer Type allows the applicant to click the check-box(es) to provide multiple answers to the company's Job Screening question.

Drop Down, Yes/No and Checklist Answer Types allow you to add additional answer fields if desired.  If you want to add additional answer fields, click the "Add Now" button at the bottom of the answer choices and ten additional answer fields will be added for you.  If you do not need ten additional fields, click in the numeric box and type the number of fields you desire and then click the "Add Now" button.

No matter the Answer Type of Job Screening question, there are three decision buttons at the bottom of the screen:  Add New, Add and Begin New Question and Cancel.  "Add New" will add the question you are working on to the group and take you back to the Job Screening questions group box once that button is clicked.  "Add and Begin New Question" will add the question you are working on and then create a new box to create a new question with a new Answer Type.  If you decide not to include the question you are working on, click Cancel, and it will not be added to the group of Job Screening Questions.

FILTERS
There are various filters that can be used to narrow your applicant pool.  All answer types except for Small Text and Large Text boxes allow for the use of scoring and/or disqualification filters  

Disqualifier - You can also assign answer choices as disqualifiers should you have any questions with answer options that would automatically make an applicant not qualified for a position.  This is great for use with minimum qualification questions for applicants who are subject to affirmative action plan reporting.

Score - Points can be allocated to various potential answer options tied to a screening question. Then, the applicant would accumulate points/a score based on how (s)he answers questions.  Then, users may optionally choose to view only the applicants that score X points or above.
If you do not want a specific Job Screening questions group in your active list, click the red arrow by the title of the Job Screening Questions group name.  If you do not want a specific Job Screening question you have created in the Job Screening questions group, you can click the red arrow to archive the individual question.  If the question is archived, it is not an active question in the Job Screening questions group.  Helpful tip--change the "Required" field from "Yes" to "No" before archiving a question.
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If you are ready to create Job Screening questions for your ATS, ExactHire has a tip sheet with suggestions for Job Specific Screening Question Ideas that can help you create a group of questions that will meet your needs.