Finding the right candidate isn’t just about resumes and interviews—it’s also about creating a consistent and objective way to evaluate applicants. Zoho Recruit’s assessments feature is designed to help recruiters do exactly that. By setting up pre-screening assessments, you can automatically score responses, qualify candidates, and save valuable time in your hiring process.
In this blog, we’ll walk through what assessments are, how to create them, and how to link them to job openings so they work seamlessly with your pre-screening emails.
Assessments are structured questionnaires that help recruiters evaluate candidates during different stages of the hiring process. They can be used for:
The real advantage is automation. With the right setup, Zoho Recruit can automatically qualify or disqualify candidates based on their answers—removing much of the guesswork.
To build an assessment in Zoho Recruit:
If you don’t see it at the top of your navigation, click the three-dot menu and select it from there.
You’ll see all the assessments already available. Zoho provides some defaults, but you can also create your own.
Choose the type of assessment:
Candidate Assessment – filled out by the candidate directly (ideal for pre-screening).
Recruiter Assessment – completed by the recruiter.
Interviewer Assessment – completed by the interviewer.
For clarity, name it after the role it’s tied to. Example: Virtual Assistant Pre-Screen.
Select Pre-Screening as the type of assessment.
The questionnaire is the core of your assessment. Each section can focus on a competency you want to evaluate—for example, “Attention to Detail” or “Scheduling Skills.”
Subjective questions (single line, paragraph):
These require manual review since the system cannot automatically score them.
Objective questions (radio buttons, dropdowns, multi-select, yes/no):
These allow you to set scoring criteria so Zoho Recruit can auto-qualify or disqualify candidates.
Add your question (e.g., How many years of administrative experience do you have?).
Provide answer options and assign weights:
Option 1 = 0 points (disqualify)
Option 2 = 2 points (qualify)
Option 3 = 2 points (qualify)
Mark the question as a qualifier.
If a candidate chooses the disqualifying option, they are automatically removed from the process.
With multi-select, you can set criteria that require candidates to select multiple correct answers. For instance:
If the candidate selects both option 2 and option 3, they qualify.
If not, the system disqualifies them automatically.
This flexibility allows recruiters to design assessments that reflect the real requirements of the role.
Once you’ve built your assessment, the next step is connecting it to a job opening:
Go to the Job Openings module.
Open the position you want to tie the assessment to.
Scroll to the Pre-Screening Assessment section in the related list.
Add the assessment you created and link it to the position.
Now, whenever you send a pre-screening email template for that job, the system will automatically pull in the correct assessment.
Using pre-screening assessments offers several advantages:
Saves time: Automation removes repetitive tasks and reduces manual reviews.
Improves accuracy: Candidates are consistently evaluated against the same criteria.
Enhances candidate experience: Quick, clear assessments keep the hiring process smooth.
Supports better decisions: Objective scoring reduces bias and highlights the most qualified applicants.
Pre-screening assessments in Zoho Recruit aren’t just a convenient feature—they’re a strategic tool for making recruitment more efficient and effective. By setting up assessments with clear scoring rules, linking them to job openings, and automating email templates, recruiters can focus less on repetitive tasks and more on building relationships with the best candidates.
If you’d like guidance on setting up assessments, customizing your system, or training your team, our experts at Amazing Business Results are here to help.