A clear path from setup to results.

Company, Account, and User Relationships

Understanding the hierarchy of your organization on SmartInterviews.AI ensures efficient data management and user role assignment:

Structure & Roles

• The Company: Your organization sits at the top level and has exactly one Company Admin with full oversight.
• Accounts: Your company can contain multiple Accounts (e.g., HR-Tech, HR-Sales, UK-Branch) to segregate hiring pipelines and billing.
• Users: Each secondary user (Recruiter/Interviewer) must be assigned to exactly one Account.

Candidate Assignment and Sharing Across Accounts

Every candidate has a home account for tracking and evaluation. Authorized users can also share the candidate with other accounts under the same client:

• Account Users: When a standard user creates a candidate, that candidate is automatically assigned to the user's specific account.
• Company Admins: Since the Company Admin has global visibility, they must manually select the Account during candidate setup to ensure the record is filed correctly.
• Shared Accounts: An authorized administrator can open an existing candidate for editing and select additional accounts in Shared Accounts. Sharing can be added or removed without changing the fixed home account.
• Same Client: Only other active accounts under the same client can receive the shared candidate. Sharing does not transfer the candidate to another client.
• Discipline Compatibility: Sharing does not change the candidate's discipline. A shared candidate can be selected for a pipeline only when its discipline matches the JD or JR.

How To Register Your Company

Registering your company on SmartInterviews.AI is the first step toward setting up structured hiring across supported disciplines.

1. Navigate to the Companies page from the main menu.
2. Click Create company account.
3. Fill in the registration form with your company details, business category, and Point of Contact (POC) information.
4. Submit the form. Your application will be sent to our administration team for validation.
5. Once approved, you will receive an automated email with your login credentials and a link to the Admin Panel.
6. Before adding candidates or creating pipelines, confirm that your client's active billing plans enable the required disciplines. Available disciplines are controlled by those plans.

How To Register As Student

Students and fresh graduates can register for practice interviews in their selected discipline.

1. Go to the Students page and click Start interview practice.
2. Enter your first name, last name, email address, and phone number with its country code.
3. Choose the Student category and select your Discipline: IT or Accounting, Audit & Corporate Finance. University details are not required.
4. Choose whether to share your profile with potential recruiters, then click Complete Registration.
5. Check your email for login credentials and sign in to the Candidate Portal.

Your discipline determines the entry-level roles, skills, questions, and practical tasks available for practice.

How To Register as Professional

Professionals can register to assess their skills and prepare for interviews in their selected discipline.

1. Visit the Professionals page and click Start Interview Practice.
2. Enter your first name, last name, email address, and phone number with its country code.
3. Choose the Professional category and select your Discipline: IT or Accounting, Audit & Corporate Finance.
4. Choose your recruiter-sharing preference and click Complete Registration.
5. Use the login credentials emailed to you to access the Candidate Portal and configure a practice interview.

Roles, skills, domains, subdomains, and interview emphasis available during setup follow your registered discipline.

How To Add Candidates

Open Candidates in the Admin Portal. You can create one candidate manually or import multiple candidates from Excel.

Part 1: Manually Add a Candidate

1. Click Add Candidate.
2. Enter the candidate's first name, last name, email address, ISD code, and 10-digit phone number.
3. Select the candidate's Client, Discipline, and home Account, where applicable. Only disciplines enabled by the client's active billing plans can be selected. You can also share the candidate with other accounts under the same client.
4. Optionally enter a role/title, comma-separated skills or tags, source/agency, and an initial note.
5. Optionally attach a PDF resume of up to 10 MB, then click Save Candidate.

The candidate's discipline determines which roles, skills, JDs, JRs, and interviews are available. The role and skills saved here are profile metadata; the selected JD or JR pipeline controls matching and interview configuration. A candidate can only be added to a pipeline with the same discipline.

Part 2: Bulk Upload Candidates

1. Click Download Template and complete the Candidates sheet without changing its header row.
2. Provide the required first name, last name, email, ISD code, 10-digit phone number, and Discipline. Enter either the configured discipline name or code; role/title, skills/tags, source/agency, initial note, and resume filename are optional.
3. Return to the Candidates page, click Upload Candidates, and select the client and account.
4. Choose the completed Excel file (.xlsx or .xls). The preview identifies valid, skipped, duplicate, and invalid rows before import.
5. If required, use Upload Resume beside a valid row to attach its PDF. The PDF name should match the Resume File Name entered in the sheet.
6. Click Import Candidates and review the imported, skipped, and error results.

You can import up to 1,000 candidates at a time. Every row must use a discipline enabled for the selected client. Duplicate names or email addresses within the selected account are rejected.

How To Add Candidates

Before scheduling interviews for candidates, you must first register them in the system with their roles and skills configured. This registration process creates a candidate profile that can be used for multiple interviews over time. The roles and skills you configure here determine the AI's question generation for all future interviews with this candidate.

Prerequisites

• You must be logged in as an Administrator or Manager.
• You should have identified the candidate's target role and required skills before registration.
• Have the candidate's basic contact information ready (name, email, phone).

Step 1: Access Candidate Management

1. Login to the Admin Portal with your administrator or manager credentials.
2. Navigate to Candidates in the sidebar menu.
3. You'll see a list of all registered candidates with their current status and interview history.
4. Click the Add Candidate button (usually located at the top-right of the page).

Step 2: Enter Candidate Personal Information

Fill in the candidate's basic details. This information is used for identification, communication, and record-keeping:

• First Name: Candidate's first name (e.g., "John").
• Last Name: Candidate's last name (e.g., "Smith").
• Email Address: The candidate's primary email address. This is critical for communication and interview notifications. Ensure it's correct and active.
• Phone Number: Contact phone number for additional communication or verification purposes.

Note: When selecting roles for the candidate, it is assumed that the candidate has the requisite experience for those roles. The role selection should reflect their actual capabilities and target position level.

Step 3: Configure Interview Type

Select the type of interview you plan to conduct with this candidate. This sets the overall framework for question generation:

• Technical: For software engineers, developers, data scientists, QA engineers, etc. Focuses on coding, algorithms, system design, and technical problem-solving.
• Management: For engineering managers, project managers, team leads, etc. Emphasizes leadership, project management, team dynamics, and strategic thinking.
• Mixed: Combines both technical and management aspects. Suitable for senior engineers transitioning to leadership or technical managers.

Note: You can typically change this later if the candidate's interview focus changes.

Step 4: Select Target Roles

Choose one or more job roles this candidate is being evaluated for. The system supports multiple role selection, which is particularly useful for techno-functional positions where candidates need both technical and managerial competencies:

• Development Roles: Full Stack Developer, Frontend Developer, Backend Developer, Mobile Developer (iOS/Android), Game Developer, etc.
• Data & AI Roles: Data Scientist, Data Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer, AI Researcher, Data Analyst, etc.
• Infrastructure Roles: DevOps Engineer, Cloud Engineer, Site Reliability Engineer (SRE), System Administrator, Network Engineer, etc.
• Quality & Testing: QA Engineer, Test Automation Engineer, Performance Engineer, etc.
• Management Roles: Engineering Manager, Technical Lead, Product Manager, Project Manager, Scrum Master, etc.
• Specialized Roles: Security Engineer, Database Administrator, Solutions Architect, etc.

For Techno-Functional Roles: You can select roles from both technical and managerial categories. For example, select "Full Stack Developer" + "Technical Lead" for a senior position requiring both coding expertise and team leadership.

The selected roles ensure questions are relevant to all aspects of the candidate's target position. Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) to select multiple roles.

Step 5: Select Required Skills and Technologies

This is the most detailed and critical step. Select multiple skills - choose all the specific technologies, frameworks, and competencies the candidate should be evaluated on. The AI will generate questions covering these areas:

Technical Skills Selection Guidelines:

• Programming Languages: Select the languages relevant to the role (e.g., JavaScript, Python, Java, C++, C#, Ruby, Go, PHP, Swift, Kotlin, TypeScript, etc.).
• Frontend Technologies: React, Angular, Vue.js, Svelte, HTML5, CSS3, SASS, Bootstrap, Material-UI, Redux, etc.
• Backend Frameworks: Node.js, Express.js, Django, Flask, FastAPI, Spring Boot, .NET Core, Ruby on Rails, Laravel, etc.
• Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, Cassandra, DynamoDB, Oracle, SQL Server, etc.
• Cloud Platforms: AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS), Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), DigitalOcean, etc.
• DevOps Tools: Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, Terraform, Ansible, etc.
• Version Control: Git, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, SVN, etc.
• Testing: Jest, Mocha, Pytest, JUnit, Selenium, Cypress, Postman, etc.
• Other Tools: APIs (REST, GraphQL), Microservices, Message Queues (RabbitMQ, Kafka), Elasticsearch, etc.

Soft Skills and Domain Knowledge:

• Soft Skills: Communication, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Leadership, Critical Thinking, Time Management, etc.
• Methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall, DevOps practices, Test-Driven Development (TDD), etc.
• Architecture: System Design, Microservices Architecture, Event-Driven Architecture, Design Patterns, etc.
• Security: OWASP Top 10, Authentication/Authorization, Encryption, Secure Coding, etc.

Best Practices for Skill Selection:

• Be Specific: Select only skills that are genuinely required for the position. More skills don't mean better assessment.
• Prioritize Core Skills: Focus on 4-7 core skills rather than 15-20 superficial ones. The AI can only ask so many questions in a typical interview.
• Match Job Requirements: Align skills with the actual job description to ensure relevant assessment.
• Consider Experience Level: Select technologies the candidate claims expertise in, not just what's on the job description.
• Balance Breadth and Depth: For senior roles, include both technical skills and architectural/leadership topics.

Step 6: Set Difficulty Level

Choose the difficulty level that matches the candidate's experience and the complexity of questions you want the AI to ask:

• Easy:
  • Suitable for: Entry-level candidates, fresh graduates, or those with 0-2 years of experience
  • Question focus: Basic syntax, fundamental concepts, simple programming constructs
  • Expectations: Understanding of core principles, correct answers without deep optimization
  • Example topics: Variable declarations, loops, basic functions, simple data structures
• Medium:
  • Suitable for: Mid-level candidates with 2-5 years of experience
  • Question focus: Practical scenarios, moderate algorithms, integration challenges, real-world problem-solving
  • Expectations: Working solutions with edge case consideration, understanding of trade-offs
  • Example topics: API integration, database queries, error handling, performance considerations
• Hard:
  • Suitable for: Senior candidates with 5+ years of experience, architects, team leads
  • Question focus: Complex systems, optimization, architectural decisions, scalability, leadership scenarios
  • Expectations: Efficient solutions, system design thinking, production-grade considerations, strategic choices
  • Example topics: Microservices architecture, distributed systems, performance optimization, team management

Step 7: Review and Save

1. Review all entered information carefully:
   • Verify email address is correct (typos will prevent interview invitations)
   • Confirm roles and skills match the actual requirements
   • Ensure difficulty level aligns with candidate's experience
2. Click Save or Register Candidate.
3. The system creates the candidate profile and assigns a unique candidate ID.
4. The candidate now appears in your Candidates list with status "Registered".

Step 8: What Happens After Registration

• The candidate profile is saved in the system with all configured roles and skills.
• The candidate is now available in the dropdown when scheduling interviews (see Setting Up Interviews).
• No interview is automatically scheduled - you must explicitly schedule one using the interview scheduling interface.
• You can edit the candidate's profile anytime to update skills, difficulty level, or contact information.
• The same candidate can be used for multiple interviews over time without re-entering their information.

Managing Existing Candidates

After registration, you can manage candidates through the Candidates page:

• View Details: Click the candidate name or View icon to see their full profile, interview history, and results.
• Edit Profile: Update contact information, roles, skills, or difficulty level. Changes apply to future interviews only.
• Deactivate: Temporarily disable a candidate without deleting their history (e.g., if they withdraw from the process).
• Delete: Permanently remove a candidate and all associated data. Use cautiously as this cannot be undone.
• Schedule Interview: Quick action to schedule a new interview for this candidate.
• View Interview History: See all past and scheduled interviews for this candidate.

Best Practices for Candidate Registration

• Register Before Scheduling: Always register candidates first with their complete profile before attempting to schedule interviews.
• Batch Registration: If you have multiple candidates for the same role, register them together with consistent skill configurations for fair comparison.
• Keep Profiles Updated: If a candidate's target roles or skills change, update their profile before scheduling additional interviews.
• Use Descriptive Notes: Add internal notes to help your team understand the context (recruiting round, referral source, special requirements).
• Verify Email Early: Double-check email addresses during registration to avoid issues when sending interview invitations.
• Standardize Difficulty Levels: Use consistent difficulty criteria across similar positions for fair evaluation.
• Document Skill Requirements: Maintain a standard skill set for each role type to ensure consistency across candidates.

Troubleshooting

• Cannot Save Candidate: Ensure all required fields (name, email, roles, skills) are filled. Email must be in valid format.
• Duplicate Email Error: A candidate with this email already exists. Search for them in the candidates list or use a different email.
• Skills Not Appearing: Some skills are role-specific. Change the selected roles to see different skill options.
• Cannot Select Multiple Skills or Roles: Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) to select multiple items in the roles and skills dropdowns.
• Candidate Not Appearing in Interview Dropdown: Ensure the candidate is saved and in "Active" status. Deactivated candidates don't appear in interview scheduling.
• Wrong Roles Selected: Edit the candidate profile before scheduling interviews. You cannot change roles during interview scheduling.

How To Set Up An Interview

Our platform supports two types of users with different interview setup flows: Companies & Recruiters who schedule interviews for registered candidates, and Students & Professionals who schedule their own practice interviews. In both flows, the selected discipline controls the available candidates, roles, skills, and assessment format.

For Companies & Recruiters

Administrators and Managers can schedule customized interviews for specific candidates through the admin portal. The system will automatically send invitation emails and track the interview lifecycle.

Prerequisites

Important: Register the candidate with the correct discipline first. For pipeline interviews, the selected JD or JR controls the assessment configuration; candidate role/title and skill tags are profile information.

• Candidate must be registered in the system (see Adding Candidates section).
• The candidate must have the correct discipline, and that discipline must be enabled by the client's active billing plan.
• The selected JD or JR must have the relevant role requirements and assessment configuration.
• Candidate must be in "Active" status and belong to, or be shared with, the account running the interview.

Step 1: Access the Interview Scheduling Interface

1. Login to the Admin Portal with your administrator or manager credentials.
2. Navigate to Interviews in the sidebar menu.
3. Click the Schedule Interview button (usually located at the top-right of the page).

Step 2: Select Discipline and Candidate

Choose the interview discipline first, then select the candidate:

• Discipline: Select an available discipline such as IT or Accounting, Audit & Corporate Finance. Disciplines not included in the client's billing plan are shown as unavailable.
• Candidate Dropdown: Open the candidate selection dropdown. It shows only registered candidates whose discipline matches the interview discipline.
• Search Functionality: If you have many candidates, use the search box to filter by name or email.
• Candidate Preview: After selecting a candidate, the system displays their configured:
  • Target roles (e.g., "Full Stack Developer, Technical Lead")
  • Selected skills (e.g., "JavaScript, React, Node.js, PostgreSQL")
  • Difficulty level (e.g., "Medium")
  • Interview type (e.g., "Technical")
• Edit Profile Link: If the displayed information is incorrect, click "Edit Candidate Profile" to update their roles and skills before proceeding.

Note: The interview and candidate disciplines must match. The roles and skills shown here come from the selected discipline and candidate configuration; to correct the candidate's discipline, update the profile before assigning the candidate to a pipeline.

Step 3: Choose Interview Mode

The system supports two interview modes. Select the one that best matches your assessment needs:

Mode 1: Role/Skills Based Interview (Default)

Questions are generated based on the candidate's configured roles and skills from their profile:

• The AI uses the roles and skills you selected during candidate registration.
• Questions cover all the technologies and competencies configured in the candidate profile.
• Best for: General skill assessment, technical screening, competency validation.
• No additional configuration needed - simply proceed to the next step.

Mode 2: Job Description Based Interview

Questions are generated based on a specific job description, providing more targeted and role-specific assessment:

• Prerequisites:
  • You must have a Job Description created with an AI-generated summary.
  • The Job Description must be linked to your account (only JDs associated with your account will appear).
  • The Job Description and candidate must use the same discipline.
  • The Job Description must be in "Active" status.
• How to use:
  • Select the "Job Description Based" interview mode option.
  • A dropdown will appear showing all active job descriptions linked to your account.
  • Search and select the relevant job description from the dropdown.
  • The AI will generate questions based on:
    • The JD summary (role requirements, responsibilities, technical skills)
    • Combined with the candidate's configured skills (for additional depth)
• Benefits:
  • Questions are highly specific to the actual job posting.
  • Assesses candidate fit for the exact role requirements.
  • More relevant evaluation for position-specific hiring.
• Note: If no job descriptions appear in the dropdown, verify that they are linked to your account and have Active status. See the Job Description Based Interview section for detailed setup.

Step 4: Configure Interview Duration and Language

• Duration Per Question: Set the time limit for each question (default: 3 minutes per question).
  • According to research, 3-5 minutes is more than sufficient to answer most interview questions.
  • Technical questions typically require no more than 3 minutes for a complete answer.
  • Managerial questions may require up to 5 minutes based on the complexity of scenarios.
  • The total interview duration = Question Count × Duration Per Question (e.g., 10 questions × 3 minutes = 30 minutes total).
• Language: Choose the interview language (English, Spanish, French, etc., depending on your system configuration).
• Question Count: Set the total number of questions for the interview (default: 10).
  • The default of 10 questions is based on research showing that candidates typically lose interest and engagement when interviews exceed 10-12 questions.
  • You can adjust this based on your requirements, but consider that more questions may lead to candidate fatigue and reduced response quality.
  • Recommended range: 8-12 questions for optimal candidate experience.
• Coding Task Count: (Optional) Specify how many questions should be coding tasks.
  • Coding tasks require candidates to write actual code to solve programming problems.
  • The coding task count is included in the total question count, not additional to it.
  • For example: If you set 10 total questions with 3 coding tasks, the interview will have 7 regular questions + 3 coding questions.
  • Use coding tasks for technical roles where hands-on programming assessment is important.
  • Typical mix: 20-30% coding tasks (e.g., 2-3 coding tasks out of 10 questions).

Step 5: Review and Schedule

1. Review all entered information in the confirmation dialog:
   • Candidate name and email
   • Configured roles and skills (from candidate profile)
   • Interview duration and language
   • Linked job description (if applicable)
2. Set the Interview Window - Define the 24-hour availability window for the interview:
   • Once scheduled, the candidate has a 24-hour window to complete the interview from when they start.
   • You can optionally set a specific start date/time if you want to control when the interview becomes available.
   • The system automatically sets the expiry as 24 hours after the interview is started by the candidate.
   • This ensures candidates have adequate time to complete without leaving interviews open indefinitely.
3. Click Schedule Interview or Save.

Step 6: What Happens Next

• The system generates a unique, secure interview link for the candidate.
• The AI prepares questions based on:
  • The candidate's configured roles and skills (from their profile)
  • The selected difficulty level (from their profile)
  • The linked job description summary (if applicable)
  • The interview duration you specified
• An email is sent to you (the administrator/manager) who scheduled the interview with:
  • The interview access link for the candidate
  • Interview details (roles, skills, duration, 24-hour window)
  • Candidate information
• You must communicate the interview link to the candidate through your preferred channel (email, messaging platform, etc.).
• The interview appears in your Interviews Dashboard with status "Scheduled".
• You'll receive notifications when the candidate starts and completes the interview.
• After completion, detailed feedback and recordings become available for review.

Understanding the Workflow

The complete interview workflow for companies follows this sequence:

1. Register Candidate: Add candidate with roles, skills, and difficulty level configured (see Adding Candidates).
2. Schedule Interview: Select the candidate from dropdown, optionally link a job description, set duration.
3. Adaptive Question Generation: The system generates questions adaptively during the interview based on the candidate's answers. Questions are not pre-generated but selected in real-time based on response quality, ensuring appropriate difficulty progression.
4. Receive Interview Link: The account user (administrator/manager) who scheduled the interview receives an email with the interview link. The user must then communicate this link to the candidate through their preferred channel.
5. Candidate Takes Interview: Candidate completes the AI-led interview at their convenience (within expiry window).
6. AI Evaluates Responses: System analyzes answers in real-time and provides detailed feedback after completion.
7. Review Results: You review scores, feedback, and recordings to make hiring decisions.

For Students & Professionals

Self-registered users can schedule their own practice interviews to prepare for real job interviews, assess their skills, and identify areas for improvement. This is ideal for students, job seekers, and professionals looking to upskill.

Step 1: Create an Account or Login

1. Visit the platform's Candidate Portal or main landing page.
2. If you don't have an account:
   • Click Sign Up or Register.
   • Enter your name, email, and phone number, choose Student or Professional, and select your recruiter-sharing preference.
   • Select your primary discipline. This controls the roles and skills available for practice interviews.
   • Complete registration and use the login credentials sent to your email.
3. If you already have an account, simply Login with your credentials.

Step 2: Navigate to Interview Scheduling

• After logging in, look for Schedule Interview, New Interview, or Practice Interview in the navigation menu.
• This typically appears on your dashboard or in the sidebar.

Step 3: Confirm Your Discipline and Select a Target Role

Confirm the discipline associated with your profile, then choose the job role you're preparing for or want to be assessed on:

• IT: Software Engineer, Data Scientist, QA Engineer, DevOps Engineer, Project Manager, and other technology roles.
• Accounting, Audit & Corporate Finance: Accountant, Audit Associate, Financial Analyst, FP&A Analyst, Treasury Analyst, and other finance roles available for your account type.
• The selected role determines the type of questions you'll receive.

Step 4: Choose Technologies and Skills

Select the discipline-specific technologies, systems, or professional skills you want to be tested on:

• Programming Languages: JavaScript, Python, Java, C++, Ruby, Go, etc.
• Frameworks: React, Angular, Vue.js, Django, Spring Boot, Express.js, etc.
• Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, etc.
• Cloud & DevOps: AWS, Azure, Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, etc.
• Other Skills: System Design, Algorithms, Data Structures, APIs, Testing, etc.
• Accounting & Finance Skills: Financial Reporting, Audit, Internal Controls, FP&A, Treasury, Valuation, Tax, ERP systems, and analytical tools.
• You can typically select 3-5 skills per interview for focused assessment.

Step 5: Set Difficulty Level

Choose a difficulty level that matches your current experience:

• Beginner: If you're new to the technology or have less than 1 year of experience.
• Intermediate: If you have 1-3 years of experience and can handle practical problems.
• Advanced: If you have 3+ years and can tackle complex architectural questions.
• Expert: If you're preparing for senior/principal roles requiring deep expertise.

Step 6: Apply Promo Code (If Available)

• If you have a Promo Code or Discount Coupon, enter it in the designated field.
• Promo codes may provide:
  • Free interview credits
  • Discounts on interview packages
  • Extended interview duration
  • Access to premium features
• Click Apply to validate the code.

Step 7: Review Pricing and Confirm

• Review the interview cost (if applicable). Some platforms offer:
  • Free tier: 1-2 interviews per month
  • Pay-per-interview: Single interview purchase
  • Subscription plans: Unlimited interviews for a monthly fee
• Review interview parameters: role, skills, difficulty, duration.
• Click Confirm or Proceed to Payment (if applicable).

Step 8: Complete Payment (If Required)

• If the interview requires payment, you'll be redirected to a secure payment gateway.
• Supported payment methods typically include:
  • Credit/Debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
  • UPI (for Indian users)
  • Net Banking
  • Digital wallets (PayPal, Razorpay, Stripe, etc.)
• Complete the payment and wait for confirmation.

Step 9: Start Your Interview

• After confirmation, you'll see an Start Interview button or receive an email with the interview link.
• You can start immediately or schedule for later (within the validity period, usually 30 days).
• Before starting, ensure:
  • Your webcam and microphone are working
  • You have a stable internet connection
  • You're in a quiet, well-lit environment
  • You have the required interview duration available without interruptions
• Click Start Interview when ready.
• Grant camera and microphone permissions when prompted by your browser.

Step 10: After the Interview

• Once completed, the AI analyzes your responses and generates detailed feedback.
• You'll receive an email notification when the results are ready (usually within a few minutes).
• Access your Interview Dashboard or My Interviews to:
  • View your overall score and performance breakdown
  • Read detailed feedback on each question
  • Watch video recordings of your responses
  • Download a PDF report for your records
  • Identify strengths and areas for improvement

Understanding Interview Configuration Options

Both user types benefit from understanding how configuration affects the interview experience:

Role Selection Impact

• Technical Roles: Expect coding questions, algorithm challenges, system design scenarios, debugging tasks, and technical problem-solving.
• Management Roles: Expect situational questions, leadership scenarios, conflict resolution, project planning, team management, and strategic thinking.
• Mixed Roles: Combination of both technical depth and management breadth.

Skill Selection Strategy

• Focused Approach: Select 2-3 skills for in-depth assessment (recommended for preparation).
• Broad Approach: Select 5-7 skills for comprehensive coverage (recommended for general readiness check).
• The AI generates questions proportionally across selected skills.
• More skills = broader but less deep coverage per skill.

Difficulty Level Effects

• Easy:
  • Questions: Basic syntax, simple algorithms, fundamental concepts, straightforward problem-solving
  • Expectations: Correct understanding of basics, no deep optimization required
  • Suitable for: Entry-level candidates or those new to the technology (0-2 years experience)
  • Typical duration: 30 minutes (10 questions × 3 minutes)
• Medium:
  • Questions: Practical scenarios, moderate algorithms, integration tasks, real-world problem-solving
  • Expectations: Working solutions with consideration for edge cases and trade-offs
  • Suitable for: Mid-level candidates with practical experience (2-5 years experience)
  • Typical duration: 30-40 minutes (10 questions × 3-4 minutes)
• Hard:
  • Questions: Complex systems, optimization, architectural decisions, scalability, leadership scenarios
  • Expectations: Efficient solutions, trade-off analysis, system design thinking, strategic considerations
  • Suitable for: Senior candidates, architects, team leads (5+ years experience)
  • Typical duration: 40-50 minutes (10 questions × 4-5 minutes)

Best Practices for Successful Interviews

For Companies Scheduling Interviews:

• Match Difficulty to Position: Accurately set the difficulty level based on the actual job requirements, not aspirational levels.
• Be Specific with Skills: Select skills that are genuinely required for the role, not just "nice to have".
• Set Realistic Duration Per Question: Use 3-4 minutes per question for most roles. Technical questions need ~3 minutes; managerial questions may need up to 5 minutes.
• Use Job Descriptions: Link a well-written JD for more targeted, role-specific questions.
• Clear Communication: When sending the interview link to candidates, inform them about the interview format, total duration, number of questions, and technical requirements (camera, microphone, stable internet).
• Provide Adequate Notice: Give candidates at least 24-48 hours after sharing the interview link to prepare and test their setup.
• Explain the 24-Hour Window: Clearly communicate that once the candidate starts the interview, they have 24 hours to complete it.

For Candidates Taking Interviews:

• Test Your Setup: Check camera, microphone, and internet speed before starting. Most platforms offer a system check.
• Choose Appropriate Difficulty: Start one level below your perceived skill to build confidence, then progress upward.
• Focus Your Practice: Select 3-4 skills you're actively using or preparing for, rather than spreading too thin.
• Find a Quiet Space: Background noise and interruptions can affect both your performance and the AI's assessment.
• Think Out Loud: Verbally explain your thought process. The AI evaluates communication and reasoning, not just final answers.
• Take Your Time: It's better to give one well-explained answer than rush through multiple shallow responses.
• Review Feedback Thoroughly: After completion, study the detailed feedback to identify improvement areas.
• Practice Regularly: Schedule practice interviews weekly or bi-weekly to track improvement over time.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Cannot Select Required Skills: Ensure you've selected a primary role first. Skills are filtered based on role relevance.
• Email Not Received (Companies): If you didn't receive the interview link email after scheduling, check your spam folder. You can also manually copy the interview link from the Interviews Dashboard by clicking on the scheduled interview.
• Payment Failed (Candidates): Try a different payment method, clear browser cache, or contact support. Your interview slot is held for 10 minutes.
• Interview Link Expired: The 24-hour window starts when the candidate begins the interview. If they don't complete within 24 hours, contact support to reset or reschedule the interview.
• Too Many Skills Selected: Most systems limit to 5-7 skills per interview. Reduce your selection or schedule multiple focused interviews.
• Wrong Difficulty Level: For scheduled interviews (companies), edit the candidate profile before scheduling the interview. The difficulty level cannot be changed once the interview is scheduled.
• Cannot Start Interview: Ensure you're using a supported browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), have granted camera/microphone permissions, and have a stable internet connection (minimum 2 Mbps upload speed).
• Promo Code Invalid: Verify the code is correctly entered (case-sensitive), check expiry date, and ensure it applies to your account type (some codes are organization-specific).

How To Use a JD Hiring Pipeline

A JD pipeline keeps the job description, candidates, matching, interviews, and hiring decisions together in one workflow.

1. Create the Pipeline

1. Open Job Descriptions and click Create JD Pipeline.
2. Choose the Client and Account responsible for the pipeline.
3. Select the Discipline: IT or Accounting, Audit & Corporate Finance. Only disciplines enabled by the client's active billing plans are available.
4. Enter the job details, paste the complete job description, and save. The system uses the selected discipline's extraction rules when generating the AI summary.
5. The pipeline retains that discipline for candidate filtering, JD matching, and position-specific interview questions. Once a candidate is added, the pipeline discipline is locked.

2. Add and Screen Candidates

1. Open the pipeline and use Add Candidate to attach existing candidates. Select candidates belonging to, or shared with, the pipeline account whose discipline matches the pipeline.
2. In the Pipeline tab, move a candidate from Candidate Added to Initial Screening.
3. Run Match to compare the resume with the JD. Once a match score is available, move the candidate to Candidate Assessment.

3. Run the Hiring Workflow

Use the action beside each candidate to move them through the relevant stages:

Profile Submitted to Client → Interview Assigned → Interview Completed → Result Submitted to Client → Client Interview → Manager Review → HR Interview → Offered → Accepted → Joined → Closed

• Schedule the AI interview from the pipeline; its completion and score are reflected on the board.
• Record client and HR interview schedules before advancing those stages.
• Add notes at any stage, or place a candidate on Hold, mark them Rejected, or mark them Withdrawn.

4. Monitor the Pipeline

The board shows each candidate's current stage, JD match score, AI interview score, and next action. Use Notes, Activity, Status Report, and Interview Schedule Report to track and share progress.

How To Use a JR Hiring Pipeline

A JR pipeline turns a structured job requirement into a complete candidate and interview workflow without requiring a full job description.

1. Create the Pipeline

1. Open Job Requirements and click Add Job Requirement Pipeline.
2. Choose the Client and Account responsible for the pipeline.
3. Select the Discipline: IT or Accounting, Audit & Corporate Finance. Only disciplines enabled by the client's active billing plans are available.
4. Enter the job title and optional employment details. The available roles, skills, domains, subdomains, and interview emphases are loaded for the selected discipline.
5. Select the relevant role and assessment configuration, then save the requirement. Once a candidate is added, the requirement's discipline is locked.

2. Add and Assess Candidates

1. Open the pipeline and use Add Candidate to attach existing candidates. Select candidates belonging to, or shared with, the pipeline account whose discipline matches the pipeline.
2. In the Pipeline tab, move candidates through Candidate Added, Initial Screening, and Candidate Assessment.
3. Submit suitable profiles to the client and schedule the AI interview from the candidate's pipeline action.

3. Complete the Hiring Workflow

After the AI interview, continue through the applicable client, manager, HR, offer, acceptance, joining, and closure stages. Record client and HR interview schedules before advancing those stages.

You can add notes throughout the process, or place a candidate on Hold, mark them Rejected, or mark them Withdrawn.

4. Monitor the Pipeline

The board shows each candidate's stage, AI interview score, status, and next action. Use Notes, Activity Log, Status Report, and Interview Schedule Report to monitor and share progress.

How To Set Up Job Description Based Interview

Create targeted interviews based on specific job descriptions for more accurate candidate assessment. The AI will generate questions tailored to the exact requirements of your job posting.

Prerequisites

• You must have at least one Job Description created and saved in the system.
• The job description must have an AI-generated summary (created automatically when you save a new JD).
• The job description must be in Active status.

Step 1: Create or Manage Job Descriptions

Before scheduling a job description-based interview, you need to create and manage job descriptions:

1. Login to the Admin Portal.
2. Navigate to Job Descriptions in the sidebar menu.
3. Click Add Job Description button.
4. Fill in the job details:
   • Job Title: The position name (e.g., "Senior Full Stack Developer").
   • Company Name: (Optional) The hiring company name.
   • Department: Select from predefined departments or leave blank.
   • Experience Level: Entry, Mid-level, Senior, Lead, or Principal.
   • Employment Type: Full-time, Part-time, Contract, etc.
   • Location: Job location or "Remote".
   • Job Description: Paste the complete job description (minimum 100 characters).
   • Tags: (Optional) Add searchable tags for easy filtering.
5. Select the appropriate Account (for admins managing multiple accounts).
6. Click Save Job Description.
7. Important: The AI will automatically generate a structured summary in 10-15 seconds. This summary includes:
   • Role summary and core responsibilities
   • Required technical skills and programming languages
   • Tools & frameworks needed
   • Core competencies and domain knowledge
   • Experience requirements and preferred skills
8. Wait for the summary to be generated before using the JD for interviews. You can verify this by checking the "Summary" column in the Job Descriptions list.

Step 2: Schedule Interview with Job Description

Once your job description is ready with an AI summary, you can schedule interviews:

1. Navigate to Interviews in the sidebar menu.
2. Click Add Interview button.
3. Fill in the candidate details:
   • Search and select the Candidate from existing candidates.
   • Set the Interview Start Date & Time.
   • The End Date & Time is automatically set to 24 hours after start time.
   • Configure Portal Access hours before the interview.
   • Select the Language for the interview.
4. In the Interview Configuration section:
   • Select Job Description Based Interview radio button.
   • Click on the Job Description field to open the search modal.
5. In the Job Description Search Modal:
   • Use the search box to find your job description by title, company, or keywords.
   • Filter by Account, Experience Level, or Active status.
   • Review the summary preview to ensure it matches your requirements.
   • Only job descriptions with "Active" status and generated summaries can be selected.
   • Double-click on a job description row or click the Select button.
6. The selected job description will display in the field with a blue checkmark.
7. Configure interview settings:
   • Total Questions: Number of questions (5-20).
   • Code Writing Questions: How many should be coding problems.
   • Time Per Question: Minutes allocated per question (1-10).
   • Difficulty Level: Easy, Medium, or Hard.
   • Voice: Select AI interviewer voice.
8. Review the payment section if applicable (promo codes or payment required).
9. Click Schedule Interview.
10. The candidate will receive an invitation email with a secure magic link to access the interview portal.

Step 3: Understanding How Job Description Interviews Work

Job description-based interviews offer targeted assessment:

• AI-Generated Questions: Questions are dynamically created based on the structured job description summary, ensuring relevance to the actual role requirements.
• Comprehensive Coverage: The AI considers all aspects of the job description including technical skills, responsibilities, tools, frameworks, and competencies.
• Contextual Evaluation: Candidate responses are evaluated against the specific job requirements rather than generic role/skill combinations.
• Snapshot Protection: A snapshot of the job description summary is saved with each interview, ensuring consistency even if the original JD is modified later.
• Better Candidate Matching: More accurate assessment of candidate fit for the specific position.

Step 4: Managing and Regenerating Job Description Summaries

You can manage your job descriptions and their AI summaries:

• View Summary: Click the view (👁️) icon on any job description to see the full AI-generated summary with all sections.
• Regenerate Summary: If the job description is updated, click Regenerate in the view modal to create a new AI summary.
• Edit Job Description: Click the edit (✏️) icon to modify job details. The summary will be regenerated automatically if the job description text changes.
• Archive/Activate: Toggle between active and archived status. Only active JDs with summaries can be used for new interviews.
• Search & Filter: Use the search and filter options to quickly find job descriptions by title, company, department, or experience level.

Best Practices

• Complete Job Descriptions: Provide detailed job descriptions (at least 200 words) for better AI summary quality.
• Clear Requirements: List specific technologies, tools, and frameworks rather than generic terms.
• Include Responsibilities: Describe actual day-to-day responsibilities to help AI generate scenario-based questions.
• Specify Experience Level: Clearly indicate seniority level to ensure appropriate question difficulty.
• Regular Updates: Keep job descriptions current and regenerate summaries when requirements change.
• Review Summaries: Always review the AI-generated summary before scheduling interviews to ensure accuracy.
• Use Descriptive Titles: Choose clear, searchable job titles for easy identification when scheduling interviews.

Troubleshooting

• Summary Not Generated: Wait 15-20 seconds after saving. Refresh the page if needed.
• Job Description Not Selectable: Ensure the JD is Active and has a generated summary.
• Empty Summary Sections: The AI only extracts information explicitly mentioned in the job description. Add more details and regenerate.
• Wrong Summary Content: If the summary doesn't match the job description, try regenerating it or contact support.

How To Modify An Interview

Keep the candidate, interview, and selected JD or JR in the same discipline. Discipline-specific roles and skills must remain compatible with that configuration.

If you need to change the parameters of a scheduled interview:

1. Locate the interview in the Interview Dashboard.
2. Click the Edit (pencil) icon next to the record.
3. You can update the role, required skills, or difficulty level before the candidate starts.
4. Note: Once an interview has reached "In Progress" or "Completed" status, parameters cannot be modified.

How To Create A New Account

For large organizations, you may want to create separate "Accounts" for different departments (e.g., HR-Tech, HR-Sales).

1. Ensure your company has a Signed Contract status in our system.
2. Navigate to Account Management in the sidebar.
3. Click Add Account.
4. Enter a unique name for the department/sub-entity.
5. This allows you to segregate candidate data and interview billing per department.

How To Create Users

Assign secondary users (Recruiters or Interviewers) to specific accounts.

1. Go to User Management.
2. Click Add User.
3. Enter the user's name and email.
4. Assign them a Role (User or Manager) and link them to a specific Account.
5. The new user will receive an email to set up their own password.

How To Change Password

Self-Service

Individual users can change their own passwords at any time:

1. While logged in, look for the Sidebar Footer.
2. Click on Change Password (🔐).
3. Enter your current password followed by your desired new password.
4. Passwords must be at least 8 characters long and include a mix of letters and numbers.
5. Click Update to apply the change immediately.

For Managers/Admins

Managers can reset passwords for users within their associated company accounts:

1. Navigate to User Management in the Admin Panel.
2. Locate the specific user in the list and click the Edit icon.
3. Enter a new password in the password field.
4. Click Update User to save the changes.

How To Check Interview Responses

Review the selected roles and skills within the interview's discipline. IT assessments may include coding tasks; accounting assessments may include practical accounting and finance tasks.

1. Navigate to Interviews or Responses in the Admin Panel.
2. Find the candidate in the list and click the View (👁️) icon.
3. You will see:
   • The AI's Overall Rating (1-10).
   • A summary of strengths and weaknesses.
   • Question-by-question transcriptions and evaluations.
   • Audio/Video recordings (if enabled).

How To Report An Issue

Encountered a technical glitch? Our support team is here to help.

1. Go to the Contact page.
2. Select Technical Support as the inquiry type.
3. Provide your Account ID and the specific Interview UUID if the issue occurred during an active session.
4. Attach a screenshot of the error if possible. We typically respond within 4 business hours.
5. Alternatively, email us at support@smartinterviews.ai.

How To Upload a Resume

Check the candidate's discipline before using the resume in a pipeline. Resume upload does not change the candidate's discipline.

SmartInterviews.AI supports two ways to upload and manage candidate resumes. Both methods make resumes available for Talent Match scoring and profile enrichment.

Method 1: Upload via Candidates Page

This method associates a resume directly with a specific candidate profile.

1. Login to the Admin Portal and navigate to Candidates in the sidebar.
2. Locate the candidate whose resume you want to upload. Use the search or filter options to find them quickly.
3. Click the candidate's name or the View icon to open their profile.
4. Look for the Resume section within the candidate profile and click Upload Resume.
5. Select the resume file from your computer. Supported format: PDF only.
6. The system uploads and parses the resume automatically, extracting skills, experience, and education details.
7. The uploaded resume is now linked to this candidate and will be used for Talent Match scoring when compared against job descriptions.

Note: If a candidate already has a resume on file, uploading a new one will replace it.

Method 2: Upload via Resumes Page

This method allows bulk or standalone resume uploads that can be linked to candidates later, or used independently for Talent Match scoring.

1. Login to the Admin Portal and navigate to Resumes in the sidebar.
2. Click the Upload Resume button at the top-right of the page.
3. Select one or more resume files from your computer. Supported format: PDF only.
4. Optionally link the resume to an existing candidate by selecting them from the Candidate dropdown during or after upload.
5. The system parses the resume and stores it. The resume appears in the Resumes list with a parsed status indicator.
6. Resumes uploaded here are available for Talent Match scoring independently of candidate profiles.

Tip: The Resumes page is ideal when you receive resumes from external sources (e.g., job boards) and want to score them against a job description before formally registering the candidate.

After Upload

• Once uploaded and parsed, the resume can be used in Talent Match to compare against any active job description.
• The parsing process extracts key information automatically — no manual tagging required.
• You can view, replace, or delete uploaded resumes at any time from either the Candidates or Resumes page.

How To Use Talent Match

Choose a JD in the intended discipline and, when matching registered candidates, use candidates with the same discipline. The JD's discipline controls the matching context; account sharing does not override discipline compatibility.

Talent Match is a powerful feature that scores uploaded resumes against a selected job description using AI. It helps you quickly identify the best-fit candidates from a pool of resumes — without conducting a full interview first.

Step 1: Access Talent Match

1. Login to the Admin Portal and navigate to Talent Match in the sidebar.
2. The page displays all previously run comparisons — including candidate name, job description matched against, score, and date.

Step 2: Run a New Match

1. Click the Compare Resumes with JD button at the top-right of the page.
2. In the modal that opens:
   • Select the Client and Account to scope the match.
   • Select one or more Resumes to compare. These are resumes already uploaded via the Candidates or Resumes pages.
   • Select the Job Description to match against. Only active JDs with AI-generated summaries are available.
3. Click Run Match or Compare.
4. The system processes each resume against the job description and generates a match score (0–100) along with a detailed breakdown.

Understanding the Match Score

• The score reflects how well the resume aligns with the job description based on skills, experience, and role requirements.
• A higher score indicates a stronger fit. Scores above 70 generally indicate a good candidate match.
• The score breakdown shows individual dimensions such as technical skills, experience level, and domain alignment.

Recalculate Function

The Recalculate function lets you re-score a resume–JD pair using custom category weightages.

• When to use it: The original score is calculated using a preset set of weightages for each evaluation category. If you want to adjust these weightages to reflect your priorities, you can assign new values and trigger a recalculation. Both the original score and the recalculated score are displayed on the page.
• How to use it: Click the Recalculate icon or button on any existing comparison row, adjust the category weightages, and submit. The recalculated score is shown alongside the original for comparison.
• Note: The recalculated score is not saved. Each time you revisit the comparison, only the original score will be shown.

Generating a PDF Report

You can generate a PDF report for any completed Talent Match comparison to share with stakeholders or for archiving purposes.

• Click the PDF icon or Download Report button on any comparison record.
• The report includes the match score, the recalculated score (if applicable), the full score breakdown by category, and a gap analysis highlighting areas where the candidate does not meet the job requirements.
• The PDF is generated in-browser and downloaded immediately — no server-side processing delay.
• Use this report when presenting shortlisted candidates to hiring managers or clients.

Best Practices

• Use detailed job descriptions: The richer the JD content, the more accurate the match score.
• Upload well-structured resumes: Resumes with clearly organised sections (skills, experience, education) produce more accurate scores. Only PDF format is supported.
• Compare multiple candidates: Select multiple resumes in one match run to quickly rank a pool of candidates against the same JD.
• Re-match after resume changes: If a candidate's resume has been updated, the previous match score is no longer valid. Delete or deactivate the old comparison record and run a fresh match to get an accurate score against the job description.