How to answer screening questions on job applications
Screening questions come before anyone reads your CV, and some decide whether they ever do. Answer them carefully and truthfully.
The three kinds of question
- Yes/no questions: right to work, driving licence, a qualification, willingness to work shifts. These often check the advert's must-haves.
- Number questions: years of experience, salary expectations, notice period.
- Free-text questions: "Why do you want this role?" or "Describe a time you...". Usually with a word limit.
Yes/no questions: be exact
Read each one twice. "Do you hold a full UK driving licence?" is different from "Do you have access to a car?". Answer the question asked.
Answer truthfully even when you think no will end your application. Employers check licences, qualifications and right to work, and a false yes can lead to a withdrawn offer or dismissal later.
If the honest answer is "not yet but soon" (for example, a qualification you finish next month), say so in any free-text box or cover letter, and answer the yes/no question as things stand today.
Common questions and how to approach them
Right to work in the UK
Answer yes if you have the right to work in the UK for this job now. If you have a time-limited visa or need sponsorship, say so where asked. You may be asked for a share code or documents later.
Years of experience
Count honestly from your dates. If the question is about a specific skill, count only the time you used that skill. Make sure your CV's dates back up your answer.
Salary expectations
If the advert gives a range, answering within it is usually safe. If you must give a number, base it on what similar jobs near you pay. Some forms let you write "in line with the advertised range".
Notice period
Give your contractual notice period. If you could start sooner by agreement, you can say that too.
Free-text answers: use a simple structure
For "Describe a time when..." questions, the STAR structure keeps you on track:
- Situation: where you were, in one sentence.
- Task: what you needed to do.
- Action: what you did. This is the longest part. Say "I", not "we".
- Result: what happened, with a real number if you have one.
- When [situation, such as a staff shortage on a busy shift], I [action: what you did, step by step]. As a result, [result: what changed, a number if you have one].
Pick examples that match the advert's must-haves. Keep to the word limit, and write it in a document first so you don't lose it.
"Why do you want this job?"
Make it about this job, not any job. Name one or two things from the advert that genuinely suit you, and one or two things you'd bring that it asks for. Avoid answers that only talk about what you want (pay, location), even if they're true.
Questions
Can I go back and change a screening answer?
Usually not once you've submitted. Some systems let you withdraw and reapply. If you made a mistake, contacting the recruiter to correct it is better than leaving it.
What if a yes/no question doesn't fit my situation?
Answer as truthfully as the options allow, then explain in the next free-text box, a cover letter or an email to the recruiter.
Are screening answers checked?
Often, yes. Qualifications, licences, right to work and references are commonly checked before or after an offer.