Shortlist Quality Gate Before Client Review (QA)

Shortlist Quality Gate Before Client Review (QA)

1. 01

   Re-watch the lowest-scoring passing submission before the shortlist leaves the building

   One-way video platforms score on completion and keyword signals, not judgment. Pull the candidate who cleared the threshold by the narrowest margin and confirm a human would still advance them.

2. 02

   Confirm every shortlisted candidate was scored against the same question set

   If a role-specific question was swapped mid-campaign, the scores are not comparable. Either re-screen the affected candidates or flag the variance in the client-facing summary.

3. 03

   Check that no candidate was auto-rejected on a single weak answer

   Volume screens often fail candidates for one poor response. Review auto-rejections for the client's must-have criteria and reinstate anyone who only missed on a secondary question.

4. 04

   Verify the shortlist length matches the retainer scope, not the platform maximum

   A tool that returns 40 ranked candidates is not the same as a client who budgeted for 8 interviews. Trim to the agreed number and hold the rest in a reserve list.

5. 05

   Run a brand check on the candidate-facing assets the client will see

   Confirm the portal, email templates, and video player carry the client's logo and tone, not the agency's. A mismatched brand on a hiring touchpoint reads as outsourced.

6. 06

   Log the screening rationale for each candidate in the shared tracker

   One line per candidate on why they advanced or did not. This is the record that protects the agency when a client disputes a rejection three weeks later.

7. 07

   Send the shortlist with a stated confidence level and known gaps

   Note where the pool was thin, which roles had fewer than five qualified applicants, and whether the client should expect a second sourcing round.