Fountain's new AI Recruiter drastically reduces manual recruiter time and effort but utilizes AI to streamline the interview process. AI Recruiter leverages an AI Agent to conduct candidate interviews by using predetermined interview templates and job qualifications from previously created job descriptions. The AI Recruiter (Agent) will conduct the interviews and score each candidate based on the predefined job qualifications, creating a consistent interview process and feedback collection.
Ultimately, AI Recruiter transforms phone interviews into a seamless part of the hiring process. By automating screening and delivering structured insights, recruiters can move top talent forward faster while focusing on what really matters—building great teams.
Benefits of AI Recruiter:
Reduced Time-to-Hire: Automates screening and scoring for faster decision-making.
Increased Fairness and Consistency: Every candidate gets the same structured experience.
Improved Hiring Efficiency: Recruiters focus on top talent rather than manual screening.
Higher Quality Candidates: More in-depth screening up front can result in higher quality candidates.
This feature is available in Fountain Hire and Hire Go.
Beta Feature:
AI Recruiter is currently released in limited Beta. Please contact your Fountain Customer Success contact or [email protected] if you are interested in piloting this functionality.
Watch the video below to learn more!
AI Recruiter Glossary of Terms
The following terms are important to understand when working with AI Recruiter:
Job Type: This represents the portion of the interview template that stores the job description, job qualifications, and questions the AI Agent will use to interview and assess the candidate. These can be used across Openings. This most closely maps to “Position” in Hire.
Example: Job Type = “Cashier”
Job Opening: This represents a Job Type at a specific Opening location. A Job Opening adds in Opening-specific context (e.g. pay, location) to the Job Type (i.e. position) to answer questions and possibly tailor instructions on how to conduct the interview to the Opening level. If Job Type is added to a stage in a workflow with numerous Hire openings, new Job Openings are automatically generated whenever a candidate lands on an interview in that opening
Example 1: Los Angeles - Cashier
All new ‘interviewers’ (aka, new Job Types) will immediately generate one Job Opening to start because, like Workflows in Hire, Job Types need at least one Job Opening to exist.
Example 2: San Diego - Cashier
A Cashier Job Type was added to a workflow, which is = linked to a "Los Angeles - Cashier Opening" and a "San Diego - Cashier Opening" in Hire.
The first time an applicant lands in the AI Recruiter stage within the "San Diego - Cashier Opening", a new Job Opening level interview template is generated using the same Cashier Job Type.
The template will pull in the appropriate pay, location, and other Opening-specific details directly from the Hire Opening.
Fountain’s Approach to AI Assessment Solutions
At Fountain, we use diverse data training and adverse impact monitoring. This means our AI models are trained on broad datasets and undergo continuous auditing to detect and mitigate bias, ensuring compliance with fair hiring practices.
Intelligent Questions Design
Job-specific AI-generated questions Fountain’s AI analyzes Job Descriptions to generate tailored interview questions, ensuring assessments align with the specific requirements of each position.
Standardized interview and assessment framework: This ensures consistency across all candidates, reducing variability in evaluation.
Candidate Interaction and Assessment
Conversational AI for inclusive engagement: Candidates interact with AI-driven interviews at their convenience, eliminating scheduling conflicts and accessibility barriers.
Automated skill and behavioral evaluation: AI assesses candidate responses based on predefined job qualifications, focusing on competencies rather than subjective impressions.
Bias Reduction and Response Analysis
Objective AI-powered evaluation: AI transcribes and analyzes candidate responses in real time, applying structured scoring models to eliminate human bias.
Data-driven decision support: Provides recruiters with AI-generated summaries highlighting key skills, experience, and response quality, ensuring evaluations are based on relevant qualifications rather than subjective impressions.
What Fountain’s AI Does and Doesn’t Do
Review the table below to understand what Fountain AI does and does not do for your hiring process.
Does | Does not |
Does process only candidate-consented data There is no unauthorized data collection. | Does not infer or correlate candidate traits based on voice or facial features. There are no assumptions based on non-relevant factors. |
Does evaluate responses based on structured job qualifications. There is no personal or demographic biases. | Does not process social media, personal, or web data. Only job-related responses are considered. |
Does provide transparent, explainable scoring so Recruiters understand how the AI evaluates responses. | Does not expose diversity data to hiring managers, which means it is compliant with fair hiring practices. |
Does use only role-relevant factors in assessments. There are no arbitrary or irrelevant job qualifications. | Does not make hiring decisions autonomously. The AI provides structured insights, but final decisions remain with human Recruiters. |
Does undergo regular bias testing and audits which ensures fairness across all applicant demographics. | Does not produce unexplainable recommendations. Every score is backed by structured, auditable data. |
AI Recruiter Stage Configuration
To configure the AI Recruiter stage in Fountain Hire’s Workflow Editor, follow the steps below:
On the Workflow Editor for the workflow you want to add the AI Recruiter stage to, click Add Stage in the top left corner.
Type a title for the stage, select AI Interview as the stage type, and determine the placement of the stage.
Fountain recommends placing the AI Interview stage after a Data Collection stage that asks candidates which type of interview, AI or human, they would prefer to complete.
Fountain also recommends adding a review stage after the AI Interview stage to review the results before deciding to move the applicant forward or reject them.
You could route high-scoring applicants (4s and 5s) to a fast track stage and then have lower-scoring applicants move into a review stage. Move on this in step 5.
Fountain suggests avoiding rejecting applicants for not completing the AI interview. Instead, offer another call to action, such as recording a video via a Video Recording stage.
Decide to select a previously configured AI Interviewer (Job Type) or create a new interviewer:
To configure a new interviewer (Job Type) for the stage, click Manage Integrations towards the top right. Learn the rest of the steps to create a new Job Opening later in this article.
To select a previously configured interviewer (Job Type), click the Stage Option Type dropdown and make a selection.
Click Customize in the top right corner to configure Applicant Portal instructions.
Fountain recommends using this to encourage candidates to complete the interview and to disclose that an AI Recrutier will be conducting the interview.
Configure stage rules to accelerate high-scoring interviews through the hiring process, while having lower scores require manual recruiter review:
Partner Status can be used if you simply want to move all candidates forward once their interview is Completed.
Partner detail has key with value can be used to move candidates to different stages based on their Score.
Fountain does not recommend making hiring decisions automatically from AI Recruiter results. Candidates should be manually reviewed before a hiring decision is made.
Learn more about creating rules by reviewing this article. Review an example rule below!
Configure stage messages to ensure candidates complete the interview:
Insert [PORTAL_URL] in the stage message as the Call To Action (what they should click) to complete the interview.
Customize the message inviting candidates to take the AI Recruiter. AI Recruiter messaging is handled entirely through Fountain’s existing communication channels to maintain a consistent experience.
Learn more about stage messages by reviewing these articles.
Important Notes:
Users may notice numerous Job Openings they did not create. These are generated if a candidate lands in an AI Recruiter stage for that Opening. Users may also notice Job Openings don’t appear in the AI Recruiter stage option selector. Only Job Types are selected in the AI Recruiter stage option selector.
If a Job Type is created and added to a stage that is linked to 10 Openings, AI Recruiter dynamically generates a new Job Opening whenever a candidate first lands in an AI Recruiter stage in one of the 10 Openings. This is used to pull pay rates, location, and other information available at the Opening level to answer candidate questions.
Create New Job Types
To create a new job type (AI Interviewer), follow the steps below:
Within the Workflow Editor AI Recruiter stage, click the Manage Integration link.
On the AI Interview Management screen, click either:
Import job postings: Allows you to paste up to 10 active job posting links separated by a comma or pasted on a new line. Fountain will scrape the URL for the job description.
+ Create job opening: Allows you to create from scratch or from an existing Fountain position.
If choosing to create from scratch or from an existing Fountain position, click the +Create job opening button and then select either:
From a job description: Allows you to create from scratch.
From Fountain Position: Allows you to select an existing Fountain position previously created. Fountain recommends using this option if you already have positions created.
Once your job description has been scraped, loaded, or created from scratch, you’ll see an overview screen that includes the phone number, which will be visible in the AI Recruiter stage for applicants. You’ll also see pre-created job qualifications and interview questions. Review the best practices at the end of this article when updating the Job Description, job qualifications, and interview questions.
To make changes to the job qualifications or interview questions, simply click on the applicable section to open the interview editor, and then click on the words to type any changes.
To delete the job qualifications or interview question entirely, click the trash can icon, which will appear when hovering over the job qualification or question.
You can also manually add job qualifications or questions by clicking the +Add job qualification or +Add question buttons.
You will also have the option to bulk import interview questions on this screen.
When finished, click Save changes.
If you want to test the AI Recruiter, you can click Try this interview in the top right corner of the interview creation screen. This will open a chat widget on the right where you can type questions as if you were an applicant to see how the AI Recruiter would respond. This is especially helpful to test follow-up questions that may be asked by a candidate at the end of the interview.
Important Note:
You should ensure job qualifications and interview questions match the Job Description in the interview template. Even if you remove a job qualification item from the “job qualifications” section, any requirements still mentioned in the interview template’s Job Description section will still be assessed and affect scores.
Updating Job Openings
To update existing Job openings, click the Job opening name to open that specific Job opening details screen. Here you can make any needed adjustments.
Other AI Interviewer Set Up Options
There are additional options you can choose to enable when creating your AI Interviewer.
Review more in the table below:
Option | Description |
Data extraction fields | Allows you to define the properties you want to extract from the interview transcript using AI. This is great for pulling out structured data like "years of driving experience" or "available to work weekends" from an interview without affecting grading. |
AI Interviewer instructions | Provide additional guidance for the AI Recruiter, such as how to end the interview |
Interview language | Select the language and voice. Learn about the languages available in the FAQ section of this article. |
Resume Collection | Will ask the applicant to provide an optional resume prior to the AI interview. If provided, interview questions will be automatically personalized for that individual! For example, the AI Recruiter may ask the applicant about a specific previous job experience or certification listed on the resume. |
Fullscreen Mode | Forces the interview into full-screen to discourage the applicant from cheating by using a different tab on their browser. This is only available if the applicant is using desktop when completing the interview. |
Record Video | Requires the applicant to interview with a computer and webcam access turned on. Applicants are prompted to accept before starting the interview. |
Candidate Experience
When candidates land in an AI Recruiter stage, they will immediately see an invitation to interview. They can complete the interview by phone call, text, or desktop computer. The interview will open in a new browser tab.
To complete via phone call, they will click the provided phone number extension to be immediately connected with the AI Recruiter.
To complete via text or desktop computer, they will click the web link and follow the on-screen prompts.
Reviewing Results
The results of the AI Recruiter are visible within Fountain Hire and Hire Go via the Applicant’s Profile. Additionally, in Fountain Hire, you can view results by clicking on the AI Recruiter Status Label.
Fountain Hire:
Hire Go:
Results are broken into two sections:
Full Report (View Interview Report): A URL to access the full interview report, including an assessment summary, the original recording, and a full transcript.
Interview Score (Partner Details): A numerical rating of the candidate’s performance, which is also visible on the label.
Full Report
Within the full report, you can review the score and reasons the AI Recruiter gave the candidate that specific score, including promoter and detractor reasons. You will also have the option to listen to the phone call or review the full transcript.
AI Interview Scoring
Review the table below to understand more about the AI interview scoring and hiring implications:
Score | Response Evaluation | Hiring Implication (Human Decision) |
5 - Excellent | Demonstrates deep understanding, relevant experience, and strong alignment with required skills and behavior attributes. | Strong recommendation for advancement. |
4 - Good | Provides well-structured responses with clear competency indicators, meeting job requirements. | Move forward with confidence. |
3 - Moderate | The response is relevant but may lack depth in experience, skills, or example. | Consider for further review or additional screening. |
2 - Partial | Shows potential but lacks key skills, experience, or clarity in response. | Might need upskilling or additional experience. |
1 - Low | Responses are off-topic, incorrect, or fail to demonstrate relevant .qualifications | Do not proceed with the hiring process. |
Did you know that you can provide feedback on interviews? You can leave optional feedback on the AI scoring which Fountain will then use to suggest recommendations for changes that you can make to the Job Qualifications to improve grading calibration. Simply click the thumbs up or thumbs down icons by the transcript to record feedback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my candidate have to complete the interview in a new tab?
We cannot request microphone and camera permissions from within an iframe in the Applicant Portal. When applicants click the “continue interview in browser” link, it will open a new tab to request permissions and start the interview.
Can AI Recruiter be used in only a subset of Openings?
Yes! Customers can add the AI Recruiter stage in select workflows (not all) and can set rules before the stage to determine which applicants should be routed to the AI Recruiter stage.
Can I give my candidates a choice of whether they do an AI Recruiter or a human interview?
Absolutely! Simply set up a Data Collection stage asking candidates to choose between two options: if they’d like an interview immediately, conducted by AI, or if they’d like to schedule one later. A rule can then route candidates who choose the AI Recruiter to the AI Recruiter stage.
Can I set the language my AI Recruiter conducts the interview in?
Yes! A specific interview template can be set to a specific language via the template settings. Here is the list of current supported interview languages as of April 2025:
English (Available accents: American, British, Filipino, Indian, South African)
English + Spanish multilingual (allows candidate to respond in whatever they're most comfortable with)
French
French Canadian
German
Hindi
Italian
Portuguese
Spanish
Russian
Japanese
Dutch
Vietnamese
Can I have the same interview template twice in one Opening?
No. If an applicant lands in the same Interview Template twice in one Opening, the AI Recruiter will assume the applicant got cut off during the last interview and will only show “Resume Interview” as an option. AI Recruiter identifies applicants by email + phone pairs.
Why are none of my applicants receiving a 5 score?
The AI Recruiter scores strictly, but 5s should still appear occasionally. Sometimes adjusting the wording of a qualification or question can help. Reach out to your Fountain Customer Success contact or [email protected] for additional assistance.
Best Practices
Job Description
The Job Description and job qualifications should be similar. If something seems important in the Job Description, the applicant will be dinged on it even if it was removed from the job qualifications.
Use clear language such as "must have" or "nice to have". If you use "must have", the AI Recruiter will ding the candidate if they do not have that skill or experience.
Include important job, company, or role-specific details in the Job Description. This will help guide the AI Recruiter's interview focus.
Avoid trying to tweak the scoring with keyword stuffing. Instead, focus on clarity.
Job Qualification
This section heavily influences candidate scoring, so be sure to use strong, descriptive language in this section as well: “Must have” = higher scoring weight. “Nice to have” or “Preferred” = lower weight
CEFR English proficiency (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which is an international standard for describing language proficiency, including English) is automatically assessed during the interview. If you feel your candidates are being scored too harshly based on CEFR, and it is not a concern for the job role, you can turn this off.
Interview Questions
Avoid Yes/No or minimum requirement questions. These questions should be asked prior to the AI Interview stage in a Data Collection stage.
You should use the AI Interview to gather more context from the applicant. For example, ask them deeper questions about their work flexibility, experience, etc.
Fountain suggests aiming for interviews around 5 minutes long, which equates to approximately 7 to 8 questions. More than 8 questions may result in candidate dropoff.
If you are looking for specific examples in an applicant's response, add that context to the Job Description. For example, "tell me about your ER experience".