Decide what screener questions to include

Indeed provides a number of pre-made screener questions to choose from, based on your job title, to get the information you need from applicants upfront. Examples of screener questions include:

• How many years of experience do you have in XYZ?
• Have you completed your GCSEs?
• Please list 2-3 dates and time ranges when you could do an interview.
• Do you have a valid [licence type]?
• What percentage of the time are you willing to travel for work?
• Why do you want to work at Company ABC?

You can select as many relevant questions as you want. You can also create your own questions and include as many as you need on the application. You can ask any question that helps you figure out who is a great potential employee, or even to figure out interview availability. Screener questions help you set the minimum requirements that someone would need to be successful if recruited.

How to add screener questions on Indeed

Step 1: as you go through the job posting process, you will see a page titled Applicant Qualifications.

Step 2: select from the pre-made list of questions or make your own. You can use a variety of question formats like:

• Yes or no
• Short answer
• Multiple choice 
• Date or number
• Request for file upload

You can remove suggested questions by clicking the ‘X’ icon.

Step 3: once you have added the questions you would like applicants to answer, you can mark must-haves as ‘deal breakers’. It’s worth defining which qualifications are a must and which are ‘nice-to-haves’.

Step 4: when the job applications start coming in, you can sort applicants based on the answers to these questions from your Employer Dashboard in the Candidates Tab.

Filter applications by their answers

Once your job is posted and you’re in your Employer Dashboard, you can use candidates’ responses to filter your applicants. This can help you quickly identify your top candidates and contact them ASAP to set up an interview.

If you mark any questions as ‘deal breakers’, applicants who answered in a way that did not meet your requirements are automatically deprioritised and placed in the Rejected Tab. You can review these applicants at any time and move them to Reviewed instead.

Try exploring different filter options to determine the best way to view applicants for your position.

Screener question FAQs

Can I skip phone screenings if I add screener questions?

While screener questions are a powerful way to find out if a candidate meets your must-have requirements, phone screening interviews often reveal more about candidates. Consider adding screener questions and then conducting phone screens or virtual interviews with your top candidates to learn more about them.

Are there any screener questions I’m not allowed to ask candidates?

Do not ask questions that are discriminatory or illegal, personally invasive or otherwise violate the Indeed Site Rules.

Log in now to add applicant qualification questions to your job posting or explore our other tools that you can use to streamline your recruitment process.

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1. Indeed data (UK), March-May 2023↩