> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.interviewflowai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI resume screening

> Screen resumes against your must-haves and scoring criteria, then rank Candidates automatically.

AI resume screening checks every resume against the same requirements. It looks for direct evidence in the resume text, scores each Candidate, and can decline Candidates who don't qualify, so you spend less time on manual review.

## How resume screening evaluates resumes

* **Evidence-based**: The AI looks for explicit mentions of skills, years of experience, and job titles in the resume.
* **Quoted proof**: For each requirement, the AI tries to quote the resume. If it can't find anything, it shows "No evidence found."
* **No assumptions**: If a skill is missing from the resume, the AI doesn't assume the Candidate has it.

## When resume screening works best

* You have a large Candidate pool to filter early.
* The role has strict must-have experience or credentials.
* You want to rank Candidates consistently before they interview.

## Before you start

Resume screening only runs when both of these are true:

* **Resume required** is on in the Interviewer's [Interview settings](/interview-automation/create-an-ai-interviewer/interview-settings#candidate-requirements).
* You've added at least one required qualification or evaluation criterion.

## Set up resume screening

Resume screening is set up after you create the Interviewer.

<Frame caption="Configure must-have qualifications, scoring criteria, and the pass threshold.">
  <img src="https://website-images.interviewflowai.com/docs/resume-screening.png" alt="Resume Evaluation Settings showing the Required Qualifications tab, pass threshold, and automatic rejection control." />
</Frame>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Resume tab">
    Open your Interviewer and click the **Resume** tab. You'll see **Resume Evaluation Settings**, with a summary of your **Must-have filters**, **Scoring criteria**, and **Pass threshold**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add required qualifications">
    On the **Required Qualifications** tab, list what Candidates *must* have. These are pass/fail deal-breakers.

    * Click **Generate with AI** to draft qualifications from your role details. This works when the list is empty.
    * Click **Add qualification** to write your own, for example "5+ years of experience in React".
    * Turn on **Auto reject when must-have fails** to automatically decline resumes that miss any required qualification.

    **Examples of deal-breakers:**

    * **Retail manager**: Multi-year store leadership experience is explicitly mentioned.
    * **Designer**: A portfolio link showing shipped work is included.
    * **Healthcare**: A valid, active medical license is listed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add evaluation criteria">
    On the **Evaluation Criteria** tab, define how resumes are scored and ranked. Click **Generate with AI** to draft criteria, or add your own.

    For each criterion, fill in:

    * **Evaluation criterion**: The skill or experience to score, such as "Technical Skills".
    * **What you're looking for**: What the AI should look for in the resume.
    * **Score of 5 (Strong)**: What a strong resume looks like.
    * **Score of 1 (Weak)**: What a weak resume looks like.
    * **Weightage**: How important this criterion is, from 1 to 10. The default is 5.

    Set a **Minimum pass score** from 0 to 100%. The default is 70%. Candidates who score below it are automatically declined.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save Settings**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What Candidates experience

When a Candidate applies and uploads a resume, InterviewFlowAI reads it and screens it against your settings. Candidates who pass continue in your pipeline. Candidates who fail a must-have (with **Auto reject when must-have fails** on) or score below the **Minimum pass score** are declined. To email these Candidates automatically, turn on **Early rejection email** in [Interviewer settings](/platform/interviewer-settings#candidate-communication).

<Warning>
  **Common mistakes to avoid**

  * **Vague requirements**: Instead of "good leadership", write "mentions managing a team or holding a Lead or Manager title." If the AI can't find proof in the resume, it assumes the Candidate doesn't have the experience.
  * **Too many deal-breakers**: If every nice-to-have is a must-have, you may decline great Candidates whose resumes are just formatted differently.
  * **Empty benchmarks**: Always describe what a strong and a weak resume look like, so scoring stays consistent.
  * **Testing hidden traits**: Score things Candidates actually write on resumes, like tools or sales results. Test soft skills in the interview instead.
</Warning>


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