Quality vs. Quantity

Before you get started: be aware that it's often a balancing act between a high volume of applications and high-quality, complete ones. A very simple questionnaire will bring you many contacts – but also many unsuitable ones. A well-thought-out questionnaire filters suitable applicants more effectively – though too many questions may cause some to drop off early. Your goal: find the right balance to recruit efficiently and successfully.

Improving the Quality of Applicant Data

If you're unable to effectively pre-qualify applicants, the issue often lies with the questionnaire. Many people believe they need to keep the WhatsApp questionnaire especially short to prevent applicants from dropping off. But our experience shows: Asking the right questions in the right places filters better – without risking drop-offs.

How many questions should I ask?

Up to 13 questions is absolutely fine! Unlike traditional forms, applicants don't see all the questions at once. This lowers the barrier and makes the process easier – and yes, even enjoyable!

Which questions should I ask?

Find out – for example through conversations with the relevant departments – which qualities candidates must have in the first step in order to be invited for an interview at your company. 

This isn't necessarily just about information from a CV. Ask questions in the interview about practical and operational topics, which give recruiters an at-a-glance view of how well candidates fit the day-to-day requirements of the role.

The following topics work great to cover in the interview:

Education and Professional Experience

1) Education: Ask about qualifications in the interview and allow candidates to upload their certificates.

Examples:

- What qualifications do you have that make you particularly suited for this position?
- What training or degree have you completed?
- Do you have any additional qualifications (e.g. specialisations, further training or continuing education)?
- Do you have your current CV to hand and would you be willing to upload it here? (Yes/No)
    --> If Yes is selected: Great, please upload your CV as a PDF or image now.

2) Professional experience: Specifically determine the number of years of experience in the interview, or ask candidates to describe their most recent role.

Examples:

- How many years of professional experience do you have?
- Where did you last work and what were your responsibilities?

Working Hours and Compensation

1) Working time models: Use a dropdown to ask about the preferred working time model (full-time, part-time, mini-job, etc.) or about shift availability – avoid free-text fields if you offer specific time options.

Example:

- What working time model would you like to work in?  (Options: Full-time, Part-time, Mini-job)

2) Salary information: Ask openly about salary expectations or provide a specific range to choose from.

Example:

- What monthly salary / hourly rate (gross) are you looking for?

Mobility and Willingness to Travel

1) Driving licence: Ask in the interview whether the applicant holds a driving licence.

Example:

- Do you have a car driving licence and access to a vehicle? (Options: - Yes, both - Licence only - No, neither)

2) Willingness to travel: Clarify whether the candidate is willing to travel for work – e.g. for installation or field service roles.

Examples:

- Are you willing to travel for work?
- How far from your place of residence would you be able to work? (in km)

Applicants aren't uploading their CV – what can I do?

According to our customers' experience, 60% of all applicants voluntarily upload their CV. Documents are often accessible via the cloud, or applicants simply take a photo of their CV.

If too many applications are missing a CV, you can use the following measures:

• Option 1: Have our support team enable the mandatory CV upload. Candidates can only complete their application after uploading the document. Please note that this can increase the drop-off rate by up to 10%.
  
  

• Option 2: Use the optional CV upload and additionally ask about relevant skills and experience directly in the interview. This way you can immediately tell whether candidates meet the requirements – even if the document is missing.