Workflow Setup Best Practices
Provide Alternative Interview Options
Not all candidates are comfortable with AI interviews. To improve completion rates and candidate experience while encouraging AI interview adoption:
Add a data collection question before the AI Interview stage:
Give candidates the option to choose AI interview or an alternative (e.g., video interview with a recruiter)
Route candidates based on their choice using conditional logic
Include language that highlights the benefits of choosing the AI interview (faster processing, quicker response time)
Example approach for a data collection question before the AI Interview stage:
Question: "How would you prefer to complete your interview?"
Question description/context: "We offer AI-powered phone interviews that allow you to interview immediately at your convenience. Candidates who choose the AI interview typically receive feedback faster as we can process your application more quickly."
Options:
"AI phone interview (5 minutes) - Get faster feedback!"
"Video interview with recruiter (schedule required)"
Then route candidates to the appropriate stage based on their selection using conditional logic in your workflow.
When you are providing an alternative to the AI Interview, here's why you should encourage that the applicant choose the AI Interview option:
Faster candidate processing - AI interviews provide immediate results, allowing your team to move candidates forward more quickly
Better data quality - Structured, consistent interviews generate comparable data across all candidates
Time savings - Reduces recruiter workload compared to manual interviews or reviewing written assessments
24/7 availability - Candidates can interview on their schedule without waiting for recruiter availability
Important: Avoid rejecting candidates solely for not completing the AI interview. Always offer an alternative path forward. While AI interviews offer advantages, providing choice improves candidate experience and completion rates.
Recommendations for AI Interview
Wait For The Score Before Routing
Calls can drop and internet connections can be interrupted during interviews. Your move rules should account for interviews that never finished, and for results that have not fully arrived yet.
Anna returns its results through more than one field. Completion status and the interview score do not always appear at the same moment. If a rule moves a candidate the instant completion status appears, the candidate can move before the score exists, and any score-based rule downstream will not evaluate as you expect.
When you need score-based routing, condition on the score itself
On the AI Interview stage, click Add rule and build the condition against the score rather than the completion status:
Set Condition Type to Partner detail has key with value.
Set Partner Detail to Score.
Set the Operator and Value for the score band you want to route.
Under ACTION, set Action Type to Move applicant to stage and choose a review stage.
Because the condition is built on the Score partner detail, the rule only evaluates once a score exists.
Always include a fallback
Add a rule for candidates whose score is missing or whose interview is incomplete, and route them to a review stage rather than leaving them stuck.
Do Not Trigger Score Rules On Completion Alone
Using Partner Status = Completed to trigger a score-based rule can move a candidate before their score arrives. Build the condition on the Score partner detail when the routing depends on the score.
Recommended routing strategies:
Option A — Fast-track high scorers
Use this when you want strong candidates moving without waiting on a reviewer.
Score is 4 or 5 → Move to the next stage, such as "In-Person Interview"
Score is 3 or below → Move to "Review" for human evaluation
Score is missing or the interview is incomplete → Move to "Review" or a follow-up stage
Option B — Route all candidates to score-based review
Use this when you want every candidate seen by a person, sorted by priority.
Score is 4 or 5 → Move to "High Score Review"
Score is 3 or below → Move to "Low Score Review"
Score is missing or the interview is incomplete → Move to "Incomplete Review"
Recruiters review all candidates and make advancement or rejection decisions.
AI Interview stage rules cannot move applicants into a terminal stage
When you choose the destination stage for a rule on an AI Interview stage, your Approved, Rejected, and On Hold stages appear greyed out with this note:
"AI regulations prevent automated hiring decisions based on AI assessment results."
This applies to the stage type rather than the stage name. A stage of the Approved type stays blocked even if your team has renamed it — for example, to "Hired!"
Route score-based outcomes to a review stage instead, so a person makes the final advancement or rejection decision. Anna supports human decision-making rather than replacing it.
Handle Incomplete Interviews
Candidates may not complete an interview because of a dropped call, a poor connection, a browser permission problem, or simply choosing to stop.
Recommended approach:
Do not reject candidates automatically for an incomplete interview.
Route incomplete interviews to a review or follow-up stage.
Use an Idle Move Rule on the AI Interview stage to transfer candidates who have gone idle to a follow-up stage automatically, rather than letting them sit indefinitely.
Give candidates instructions on how to retry when a retake is appropriate.
Use Reminders To Lift Completion Rates
Send an initial message when the candidate lands on the stage, then follow up after 1, 3, and 5 days. Include why they are receiving the message, how long the interview takes, and the link to begin or resume.
Recommended Stage Structure
A workflow that works well with Anna usually looks like this:
Application or initial screening
Data collection and knockout questions
Candidate choice stage, if you offer an alternate path
AI Interview stage
Review stage, or score-based review stages
Next step, such as a recruiter interview, background check, or offer
Screen for basic eligibility before the AI Interview stage so candidates who clearly do not meet minimum requirements are not routed to an interview unnecessarily.