After candidates complete their audio screening questions, it's time to evaluate their responses and identify your top prospects. This guide explains how to use Truffle's evaluation tools to assess candidates fairly, consistently, and efficiently.
Understanding the Review Interface
When you open a candidate's screening responses in Truffle, you'll find a comprehensive evaluation interface designed to help you make informed decisions:
Key Interface Elements
Overall Match Percentage: A summary score showing the candidate's overall alignment with your job requirements
Navigation Tabs: Profile, Resume, and Screening sections to review different aspects of the application
Individual Question Match Scores: Percentage match for each specific question
Audio Player: Controls to listen to candidate responses with playback speed options
Response Transcript: Written text of the candidate's verbal response
Evaluation Tools: Rating options and note-taking features
Action Buttons: Reject, Hold, or Advance options to move candidates through your pipeline
Understanding Match Percentages
Match percentages are calculated using Truffle's AI, which analyzes:
How well responses address the specific questions
Alignment with the traits being evaluated for each question
Overall communication quality and relevance
Patterns across multiple responses
While these scores provide helpful guidance, they should be considered alongside your own professional judgment.
The Evaluation Methodology
Each screening question in Truffle is designed to evaluate specific traits relevant to job performance. When reviewing responses, you'll see:
Why We Ask This
This section explains the purpose of the question and what it's designed to reveal about candidates. For example:
"Reveals if candidates understand your needs and are genuinely interested, not just mass-applying to jobs."
What We Look For
This highlights the specific traits being evaluated in the response. For example, a Goals question might evaluate:
Alignment with Job Requirements
Motivation and Enthusiasm
Understanding of the Role
Evaluation Criteria
For each question, you'll see detailed descriptions of what constitutes strong and weak responses:
Strong Response Example:
"A strong answer specifically references the job description, demonstrates genuine enthusiasm for the role, and shows deep understanding of the position's responsibilities and challenges."
Weak Response Example:
"A weak answer is generic, lacks specific connection to the job description, shows little enthusiasm, and demonstrates minimal understanding of what the role actually involves."
These criteria help you evaluate responses consistently across candidates.
Effective Evaluation Techniques
To make the most of candidate responses, follow these best practices:
1. Establish a Consistent Review Process
Review responses in the same environment with minimal distractions
Listen to all responses before making final decisions
Apply the same criteria to all candidates for the same position
Consider having multiple team members review responses independently
2. Focus on Content First, Delivery Second
Prioritize what candidates say over how polished their delivery is
Use transcripts to focus on content when delivery might bias your assessment
Look for specific examples and details that demonstrate experience
Consider whether nerves might be affecting delivery
3. Look for Evidence of Key Traits
For each question category, focus on the relevant traits:
Goals Questions:
Do they show genuine enthusiasm for this specific role?
Have they researched your company and position?
Do they understand what the job actually entails?
Style Questions:
Do their work preferences align with the role's requirements?
Are they self-aware about their strengths and preferences?
Do they demonstrate intrinsic motivation for key responsibilities?
Skills Questions:
Can they articulate their relevant skills clearly?
Do they connect their abilities directly to your needs?
Do they show confidence without exaggeration?
Behavior Questions:
Do they provide specific examples rather than hypotheticals?
Do they demonstrate ownership and accountability?
Is their problem-solving approach logical and effective?
Teamwork Questions:
Do they show emotional intelligence in handling conflicts?
Are they open to feedback and different perspectives?
Do they balance individual contribution with team success?
Culture Questions:
Do their values and interests align with your company culture?
Do they show self-reflection and personal growth?
Would they bring complementary qualities to your team?
4. Utilize the Complete Candidate Profile
Connect screening responses to resume details
Look for consistency across different questions
Consider how audio responses complement written information
Making Evaluation Decisions
After reviewing responses, you'll need to decide how to proceed with each candidate:
Using the Action Buttons
Advance: Move promising candidates forward in your process
Hold: Keep candidates in consideration but don't immediately advance
Reject: Remove candidates who aren't a good fit from your active pipeline
Documenting Your Assessment
Add notes to explain your decision-making
Focus on specific, job-related observations
Avoid subjective or potentially biased comments
Document both strengths and areas of concern
Rating Overall Fit
The star rating system allows you to quickly indicate a candidate's potential:
5 stars: Exceptional fit, top priority candidate
4 stars: Strong fit, definitely worth advancing
3 stars: Good potential, consider advancing
2 stars: Some concerns, likely better options available
1 star: Not a good fit for this role
Team Collaboration in Evaluation
Truffle makes it easy to involve multiple stakeholders in the evaluation process:
Sharing Candidate Responses
Share specific responses with hiring managers or team members
Collect feedback from different perspectives
Build consensus on candidate quality
Maintaining Evaluation Consistency
Establish shared evaluation criteria before reviewing
Discuss differences in assessment to calibrate standards
Use Truffle's structured evaluation framework to guide all reviewers
Building a Diverse Hiring Panel
Include evaluators with different backgrounds and perspectives
Reduce individual bias through collective assessment
Balance technical and cultural evaluation
Advanced Evaluation Strategies
Comparing Candidates Effectively
Use Truffle's side-by-side comparison features
Focus on the same key traits across candidates
Avoid recency bias by reviewing notes rather than relying on memory
Identifying Diamond-in-the-Rough Candidates
Look beyond polished delivery for substantive content
Consider potential and learning ability alongside current skills
Recognize when nervousness might be masking capability
Handling Borderline Candidates
Identify specific concerns that could be addressed in later interviews
Consider whether weaknesses are relevant to core job functions
Ask yourself if training could overcome identified gaps
Common Questions About Evaluation
How much weight should I give to the match percentage?
Match percentages provide helpful guidance but shouldn't replace your judgment. Use them as one factor among many in your evaluation process.
What if a candidate is strong in some areas but weak in others?
Consider whether their strengths align with the most critical functions of the role. Some weaknesses may be less relevant or more easily developed than others.
How can I ensure I'm being fair and consistent across candidates?
Use the structured evaluation criteria, take good notes, involve multiple reviewers, and regularly calibrate your standards by discussing evaluations with your team.
Should I listen to responses or just read transcripts?
Both have value. Listening gives you a feel for communication style and enthusiasm, while transcripts help you focus on content without being influenced by delivery style.
Where to Learn More
Effective evaluation of audio screening responses is key to identifying your best-fit candidates. By using Truffle's structured evaluation tools and following these best practices, you'll make more confident hiring decisions based on meaningful candidate insights rather than just resume details.