What to Do When Screening Fails
Most failures are fixable. The important part is knowing whether the problem is the file, the applicant data, or the screening run itself.
Why Failures Happen
Screening can fail for broken files, unreadable formatting, missing job context, or a temporary backend or AI error.
What You'll Learn
- Reading the failure reason
- Checking the file
- Checking the applicant data
- Retrying the screening
- Spotting repeated failure patterns
Step 1: Read the Failure Reason
Open the failed applicant row and check the reason first. That usually tells you where the issue came from.
Step 2: Check the File
If the file is broken or unreadable, re-export it as a clean PDF, avoid password protection, and make sure the text is selectable.
Step 3: Check the Applicant Data
If the upload is fine, the problem may be the data attached to the applicant, such as empty resume text or an incorrect upload format.
Step 4: Retry the Screening
Once the issue is fixed, retry the applicant. That keeps the applicant in the same job while giving the backend another chance to process it.
Step 5: Watch for Patterns
If many applicants fail in the same way, the problem is probably not the individual file.