What to Include in a Pre-Interview Questionnaire + Free Template
If you’ve ever reached the end of an interview and realized the candidate wasn’t even close to what you needed, you’re not alone. As someone who’s helped hundreds of hiring managers fine-tune their recruiting process, I can tell you that most of those mismatches could’ve been caught long before anyone blocked off time on their calendar, if only a solid pre-interview questionnaire had been in place.
A pre-interview questionnaire is one of the most underrated tools at a recruiter’s disposal. It bridges the gap between a resume and an interview, giving you the insight you need to decide who’s worth moving forward. Think of it as your quality filter: it screens for the must-haves, surfaces red flags early, and saves hours of back-and-forth scheduling with candidates who just aren’t the right fit.
The best questionnaires reveal personality, motivation, and how a candidate thinks. They help you separate the applicants who simply want a job from those who genuinely want your job. Whether you’re hiring for an entry-level role or an executive position, taking a few minutes to build a thoughtful pre-interview questionnaire can streamline your process and set the tone for a professional, candidate-friendly experience.
In this article, we’ll break down exactly what to include in a pre-interview questionnaire, share best practices that help you get honest and helpful answers, and provide a free, ready-to-use template to make your next hire faster and more efficient.
What Is a Pre-Interview Questionnaire?
A pre-interview questionnaire is a short, structured form sent to candidates before the interview to gather information that goes beyond what’s on their resume. It helps hiring managers assess skills, experience, and cultural fit, without the time commitment of a full interview.
Think of it as your first layer of insight. While a resume tells you what a candidate has done, a pre-interview questionnaire helps you understand how they think, communicate, and approach their work. For example, their responses can reveal whether they’re detail-oriented, how they handle challenges, or if their salary expectations align with your budget.
In today’s hiring market, where speed and efficiency matter more than ever, these questionnaires also serve as a data-driven screening tool. Many applicant tracking systems (ATS) now integrate pre-interview questionnaires directly into the workflow, automatically flagging candidates who meet your key requirements.
The result? A streamlined hiring process that saves your team time, improves consistency, and ensures that every candidate who makes it to the interview table has already cleared your most critical initial checkpoints.
Why Use a Pre-Interview Questionnaire?
Hiring today moves fast, and top candidates don’t wait around. A pre-interview questionnaire helps you move efficiently without sacrificing quality. It gives you a structured way to screen applicants before interviews, allowing your team to make informed decisions earlier in the process. But beyond efficiency, there are three significant reasons why every hiring manager should use one.
Save time by screening early
A well-designed questionnaire filters out candidates who aren’t a match before you spend time on phone calls or interviews. For instance, if a role requires weekend availability or a specific certification, those details can be confirmed up front, saving hours that would otherwise be lost in scheduling or interviewing the wrong people.
Improve the candidate experience
Candidates appreciate transparency. By outlining expectations early, like responsibilities, pay range, or remote work requirements, you help them self-assess whether the role fits their goals. That level of clarity reduces ghosting, creates smoother communication, and demonstrates that your company values their time.
Related: Candidate Experience Best Practices & Why You Should Follow Them
Reduce bias and improve consistency
Every candidate answers the same set of questions, which promotes fairness and reduces unconscious bias in early-stage screening. This also helps hiring managers compare responses side by side using measurable criteria rather than first impressions. It’s a small change that leads to stronger, more equitable hiring decisions.
When to Send the Pre-Interview Questionnaire
Timing matters. Send your pre-interview questionnaire too early, and you risk overwhelming candidates before they’ve had a chance to engage with your company. Send it too late, and you’ll waste valuable time interviewing people who don’t meet your baseline criteria. The sweet spot is after you’ve reviewed resumes but before scheduling the first interview.
Here’s how to integrate it effectively into your hiring workflow:
After initial resume screening
Once you’ve narrowed your applicant pool to those who meet your minimum qualifications, send your questionnaire as part of your subsequent communication. This step serves as a bridge between the application and the interview, confirming details and helping you prioritize the strongest fits.
For example:
- You’ve received 50 resumes.
- You identify 10 who meet the core requirements.
- You send the questionnaire to those 10 and move forward with the top 4–5 based on their responses.
This approach keeps your process lean, objective, and consistent.
Before scheduling interviews
Use questionnaire responses to decide who moves forward to the interview stage. By reviewing answers in advance, you can eliminate redundant questions and focus your interview time on deeper, more strategic conversations.
For instance, if a candidate’s questionnaire already explains their technical proficiency or work authorization, you can spend the interview exploring problem-solving ability, communication style, or leadership fit.
When filling multiple or recurring roles
If you regularly hire for the same type of position, like sales reps, customer service agents, or nurses, your questionnaire can become a reusable asset. Store it in your ATS or create an automated email workflow so it sends instantly after a resume review.
Automation ensures every candidate gets the same experience and speeds up turnaround time, especially for high-volume or seasonal hiring.
For passive or referred candidates
Even when you’re dealing with a strong employee referral or a passive candidate sourced through networking, a short pre-interview questionnaire helps keep your process consistent. It ensures every applicant is evaluated by the same criteria, maintaining fairness and compliance standards.
What to Include in a Pre-Interview Questionnaire
This questionnaire works best when it gives you just enough information to make confident decisions, without feeling like homework to the candidate. The right questions help you identify who’s qualified, motivated, and aligned with your company culture before the first interview even begins.
Below are the key sections every effective pre-interview questionnaire should include.
Basic candidate information
Start with the essentials. This section should confirm who the candidate is and how to reach them, while also collecting a few practical details that influence the hiring process.
Ask for:
- Full name and preferred pronouns
- Contact information (email and phone)
- Current location or time zone
- Work eligibility and authorization status
- Willingness to relocate or travel
These questions help you quickly verify logistical fit and avoid compliance issues later on.
Job-specific qualifications
This is the heart of your questionnaire, the section that determines whether the candidate meets the baseline requirements for the role. Tailor these questions to each position rather than using a one-size-fits-all list.
Ask questions like:
- “How many years of experience do you have with [specific software, tool, or skill]?”
- “Have you managed direct reports before? If so, how many?”
- “Do you hold any certifications or licenses relevant to this role?”
Keep this part concise and measurable. Using specific, quantifiable prompts makes it easy to sort and compare candidates objectively.
Work authorization and logistics
Before diving into interviews, make sure the basics are covered. Ask whether the candidate is legally authorized to work in your country and if they require visa sponsorship now or in the future.
You can also confirm scheduling details here, like:
- Preferred working hours or shifts
- Willingness to travel (and how often)
- Comfort with remote, hybrid, or in-office settings
This ensures no surprises during the offer stage and prevents mismatches that could delay hiring.
Motivation and culture fit
A resume can tell you what a candidate has done, but not why they want to do it for you. Understanding motivation helps you find candidates who are genuinely excited about the role, not just looking for any paycheck.
Ask open-ended questions like:
- “What attracted you to this position or our company?”
- “Describe the type of work environment where you do your best work.”
- “What motivates you to perform at your highest level?”
These responses often reveal personality, communication style, and alignment with your company culture, all critical factors for long-term retention.
Compensation expectations
While it can feel awkward to discuss pay early, aligning salary expectations upfront prevents wasted time on both sides.
Try phrasing it simply:
“What is your desired salary range or total compensation expectation for this role?”
This allows you to identify candidates who fit your budget while giving them an opportunity to self-select out if expectations differ significantly.
Related: Search Salary Data in Your Area by Job Title
Availability and start date
Finally, confirm practical details about timing and transition. These questions are especially useful for roles that need to be filled quickly or that require coordination with other departments.
Examples include:
- “What is your current employment status?”
- “When would you be available to start if selected?”
- “Do you have any upcoming commitments or notice periods we should be aware of?”
This section keeps your timeline clear and helps your team plan interviews and onboarding accordingly.
Best Practices for Using a Pre-Interview Questionnaire
A pre-interview questionnaire is only as effective as the way it’s implemented. While it’s a simple tool on the surface, it can either enhance your hiring experience or frustrate candidates, depending on your approach. Below are some best practices that ensure your questionnaire improves both efficiency and candidate experience.
Keep it short and relevant
Attention spans are short, and candidates are often applying to multiple roles at once. Aim for a concise questionnaire that takes no more than 10 minutes to complete. Five to ten targeted questions are enough to help you evaluate key criteria without overwhelming candidates.
Prioritize what truly matters: skills, logistics, and motivation. For example, if you’re hiring for a customer service role, you might ask how they handle demanding clients or their experience with specific platforms rather than a long list of personality questions. The goal is to screen efficiently, not exhaustively.
Use clear, conversational language
Your tone matters. If the questionnaire reads like a government form, you’ll lose engagement quickly. Use natural, human phrasing that reflects your company’s culture. Instead of asking, “Describe your experience collaborating in a cross-functional matrixed organization,” try something like, “Tell us about a time you worked with people outside your department to achieve a goal.”
Clear language reduces confusion, improves completion rates, and ensures you get authentic, well-thought-out responses. It also signals that your company values communication and approachability, traits candidates notice even before they meet your team.
Automate where possible
Incorporating automation can transform your workflow. Many applicant tracking systems or tools, like Typeform, Google Forms, or Airtable, allow you to send questionnaires automatically after an application is received. Some platforms can even tag or rank candidates based on specific responses, saving your team from hours of manual review.
Automation also promotes consistency; every candidate gets the same questions and experience, reducing bias and keeping your process organized. It’s a simple step that brings structure and scalability to your hiring.
Related: What Is Recruitment Automation and How Can You Use It to Hire Smarter?
Analyze responses objectively
Once the responses are in, evaluate them with defined criteria rather than relying solely on intuition. For example, you might assign point values to specific answers (such as required certifications or experience levels) to create a standardized scoring system.
For open-ended questions, look for evidence of problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills, qualities that often predict long-term success. This method ensures decisions are data-driven and consistent across all candidates, reducing the risk of bias or “gut-based” hiring.
Follow up promptly
Timeliness can make or break a candidate’s perception of your company. Once you’ve reviewed responses, reach out to qualified candidates quickly to schedule interviews or provide next steps. Even a brief acknowledgment email for those not moving forward shows professionalism and respect for their time.
Fast follow-up not only keeps top talent engaged but also sets a tone of organization and transparency, qualities candidates increasingly expect from employers.
Free Pre-Interview Questionnaire Template
Creating a pre-interview questionnaire from scratch can feel time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. Below, you’ll find a free, customizable template you can use as a starting point for your own process. It’s designed to help you quickly gather meaningful insights from candidates while keeping the experience engaging and straightforward.
You can download this free pre-interview questionnaire template to edit, share, and use with your hiring team. Or, you can simply copy and paste the text below into a Word or a Google Doc.
Basic Information
- Full name:
- Email and phone number:
- Current location/time zone:
- Are you legally authorized to work in [country]?
- Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment?
Job Qualifications
- How many years of experience do you have in [specific field or role]?
- What tools, software, or systems are you most proficient in?
- Do you hold any relevant certifications or licenses?
- Tell us about a professional achievement you’re most proud of.
Work Preferences and Logistics
- Are you open to remote, hybrid, or in-office work?
- What is your ideal working schedule or preferred hours?
- Are you willing to travel for this position (if applicable)?
Motivation and Fit
- What attracted you to this role or our company?
- Describe the type of work environment where you do your best work.
- What motivates you to perform at a high level?
- What do you look for in a manager or team dynamic?
Compensation and Timing
- What is your desired salary range or total compensation expectation?
- When would you be available to start if selected?
- Are there any upcoming commitments or notice periods we should know about?
Bonus (Optional)
- Include a link to your LinkedIn profile or professional portfolio.
- Is there anything else you’d like us to know about your background or goals?
To make the most of it:
- Customize the questions to match each role and seniority level.
- Automate the form using your ATS or scheduling software.
- Review responses before interviews to jump straight into a meaningful conversation.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Making it too long or complex. Limit it to 10–15 focused questions. Anything longer can feel tedious and lead to drop-offs.
- Using generic questions. Tailor questions to the specific role so responses are relevant and insightful, not canned or vague.
- Asking non-compliant questions. Avoid anything related to age, religion, family, or other protected characteristics. Keep questions strictly job-related.
- Skipping the review step. Don’t send a questionnaire just to check a box. Review responses before the interview to avoid repetition and show genuine engagement.
- Failing to follow up. Always close the loop. A short, polite update keeps candidates engaged and strengthens your employer brand.
Final Thoughts: Simplify Hiring with the Right Tools
A pre-interview questionnaire may seem like a small step, but it can completely transform the way you hire. By gathering key details early, skills, motivation, and logistics, you eliminate wasted time, improve interview quality, and give every candidate a fair, consistent experience.
When done right, this tool builds trust, reinforces your employer brand, and sets the tone for a professional hiring process.
If you’re ready to streamline your recruiting efforts, contact us today!
Our recruiting experts help companies nationwide find the right people faster, matching top talent with teams that fit their goals, culture, and growth plans.
Because the right hire doesn’t just fill a seat, it moves your business forward.
