Screening outcome
A screening outcome is the clear result a screening conversation ends with, such as “interview booked”, “not eligible” or “not interested”. It tells the recruiter in one look what happened with a candidate and what to do next. Outcomes work best as a short, fixed list.
A screening produces answers. A recruiter with fifty candidates a day does not want to read every answer to know what to do. The outcome sums the conversation up in one label: what happened and therefore what comes next.
How does a screening outcome differ from a candidate score?
| Screening outcome | Candidate score | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A label for how the conversation ended | A number for how well the answers fit the role |
| Example | "Interview booked", "Not interested" | 78 out of 100 |
| Covers | Every candidate, also those who never finished | Only candidates who answered the questions |
| Used for | Deciding the next step | Ranking candidates who meet the requirements |
A candidate who stops halfway has no score, but still has an outcome. See candidate scoring.
Which outcomes does a hiring team need?
A useful list covers every way a conversation can end:
- Interview or intake booked. The candidate fits and has a time.
- Qualified, not booked. The candidate fits but did not pick a time yet.
- Not eligible. The candidate misses a requirement. A recruiter checks it before any rejection.
- Not interested. The candidate does not want this job, but may want another.
- Callback requested. The candidate asked to talk at another moment.
- Needs a person. The candidate asked for a recruiter or had a question the assistant should not answer. See escalation.
- Opted out. The candidate does not want to be contacted again. See candidate opt-out.
Why should the list be fixed?
Free-text notes look flexible, but they do not add up. One recruiter writes "no", another "not suitable", a third "maybe later". A report cannot count them and a colleague cannot act on them.
A fixed list makes outcomes countable. The team sees how many candidates were booked, how many dropped out and where. It also makes the next step automatic: a booked candidate goes to the interview, a "not interested" candidate stays available for other roles.
Where should the outcome end up?
In the applicant tracking system (ATS), on the candidate's record. That is where recruiters plan their day and where reports are built. An outcome that stays in a separate tool gets lost.
Store the outcome together with the answers behind it. A recruiter who doubts a "not eligible" should be able to see which answer caused it, before anyone tells the candidate no. That keeps a person in charge of every rejection, as rubber-stamping explains.
How does Ringtime record screening outcomes?
Every Ringtime conversation ends with a clear result.
- The AI assistant screens the candidate by phone or WhatsApp.
- The conversation ends with one result from a fixed list, such as a booking, a screening score, not interested, not eligible, an opt-out, an escalation or a callback time.
- The result shows in the Ringtime web app.
- The result lands in your ATS, on the candidate's record.
To know where every candidate stands, see how Ringtime screens candidates.
