Candidate Screening Questions: 15–20 Minute Script for Australia

The most effective candidate screen is short and standardised: a brief call using several questions tied to the role’s must-have criteria, scored on a simple rubric straight after the call. This approach covers four areas fast: role fit, motivation, competence signal, and logistics such as salary and availability. Below, we set out a ready-to-use question bank, a scoring method, and a script you can paste directly into your hiring workflow.

TL;DR:

• Ask every candidate the same four logistics questions, in order, about start date, other offers, salary, and location, shift, or travel limits.
• Choose three to five competencies tied to the role before the call, score each from 1 to 5, and record evidence immediately afterward.
• Frame questions around job requirements, never protected attributes; assess criminal records individually against role duties rather than applying blanket exclusions.
• Add a writing sample or technical walkthrough only after the initial screen and only when it meaningfully predicts performance for that role.

Table of Contents

• Grouped screening questions for qualification, competency, motivation, culture and logistics
• Running and scoring a screening call that’s repeatable and fair
• Keeping screening questions lawful and fair
• A copy-ready 15 to 20 minute screening script
• How we help with screening, shortlisting and flat-fee recruitment
• FAQ
• Sources

Grouped screening questions for qualification, competency, motivation, culture and logistics

A screening call works best when questions are sorted by what they’re actually testing. Mixing purposes inside one conversation makes answers hard to compare across candidates, which defeats the point of screening in the first place.

Qualification questions confirm must-have credentials and right to work.

1. Do you hold the licence, ticket or qualification listed as essential for this role?
2. Are you legally entitled to work in the country where this role is based, on an ongoing basis?
3. How many years have you spent doing the core task this role requires day to day?
4. Have you used the specific systems or tools named in the job ad, and for how long?
5. Is there anything in your work history that would stop you performing the physical or technical demands of this role?
6. What’s your highest completed qualification relevant to this position?

A strong answer is specific and verifiable: a licence number, a system name, a dated range of experience. The red flag is vagueness, a candidate who talks around a qualification without confirming they hold it.

Competency questions test how someone actually works, not how they describe themselves.

1. Walk me through a time you solved a problem similar to one this role involves.
2. Tell me about a project that didn’t go to plan. What did you do next?
3. How do you prioritise when you’ve got three urgent tasks and one deadline?
4. Describe a time you had to learn something new quickly on the job.
5. What’s a mistake you made in a previous role, and what changed afterwards?
6. How would a colleague describe your approach to a difficult client or customer?

Strong answers include a concrete situation, an action, and a result, not a general philosophy. Watch for answers that stay abstract or shift blame entirely onto others; that’s often a sign of limited self-awareness or an edited version of events.

Motivation questions reveal whether this role, not just any job, appeals to the candidate.

1. What made you apply for this particular role?
2. What are you hoping to be doing in this job that you aren’t doing now?
3. What do you know about what we do, and what drew you to it?
4. What would make this the wrong move for you?

A strong answer references something specific about the role or organisation. A generic “I need a change” with no detail is a red flag worth probing further.

Culture-fit questions check working style against the team’s actual environment, not personality.

1. Do you prefer working independently or closely with a team, and why?
2. How do you like feedback delivered, directly or more gradually?
3. What kind of manager gets the best out of you?

Strong answers are self-aware and specific rather than a list of buzzwords pulled from a job ad.

Logistics questions are mandatory and non-negotiable for every candidate.

• When could you realistically start, accounting for notice period?
• Are you currently progressing with other offers or interviews?
• What are your salary expectations for this role?
• Do you have any restrictions on location, shift pattern or travel?

These four should be asked of every candidate, in the same order, every time.

Running and scoring a screening call that’s repeatable and fair

Keep most screening calls brief with a limited number of questions. Extend only for senior or highly technical roles where practical checks add value; shorten for high-volume, lower-complexity roles.

Score on a simple 1 to 5 scale against 3 to 5 competencies chosen before the call starts, typically role experience, communication, motivation, and culture alignment. Victorian government guidance recommends tying every question directly to selection criteria and recording evidence from the call rather than relying on impressions after the fact.

A repeatable workflow has six steps:

1. Prepare by listing the role’s three to five genuine must-haves before you pick up the phone.
2. Open with a brief, consistent overview of the role and the process ahead.
3. Ask the same questions, in the same order, for every candidate in that role.
4. Probe with one follow-up per answer to clarify or test depth.
5. Score immediately after the call, while the conversation is fresh.
6. Record notes against the rubric and make a clear progress or decline decision.

Pro tip: Rotate who runs screening calls across a hiring round, but keep the question order identical for every candidate. That combination catches individual reviewer bias without sacrificing comparability.

Add a short practical task, such as a writing sample or a technical walkthrough, only after this initial screen, and only for roles where it genuinely predicts performance.

Keeping screening questions lawful and fair

Candidate screening sits squarely inside anti-discrimination law, not just good practice. The Fair Work Ombudsman confirms that prospective employees are protected from adverse action based on attributes including age, sex, pregnancy, religion and disability, so questions must never touch these directly.

Rephrase anything that edges toward a protected attribute into a question about the inherent requirements of the job. “Do you have children?” becomes “Can you meet the rostered hours for this role?” On criminal records, the Australian Human Rights Commission is clear that any adverse decision must be assessed case-by-case against the specific duties of the role, never applied as a blanket exclusion.

Practical steps that reduce bias in screening:

• Use a standardised script and scorecard for every candidate in the same role.
• Score immediately after each call, before reviewing the next candidate’s CV.
• Bring in a second reviewer for any borderline or disputed result.
• Document the job-related reason behind any adverse decision, particularly around criminal record checks.

For the mechanics of running checks fairly, our background checks guide and police check and spent convictions guide cover the process in more depth.

— Josh Townsend

A copy-ready 15 to 20 minute screening script

Open with: “Thanks for making time. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes. I’ll ask a few questions about your background and this role, then cover logistics, and we’ll talk about next steps.”

1. Confirm the qualification or licence required. Strong: names it directly. Weak: hedges or changes subject.
2. Ask for a relevant example of core task experience. Strong: specific, recent. Weak: generic or outdated.
3. Ask about a time something went wrong and what happened next. Strong: owns the outcome. Weak: blames others entirely.
4. Ask what drew them to this specific role. Strong: references the role or organisation. Weak: generic “need a change”.
5. Ask about preferred working style. Strong: self-aware, specific. Weak: buzzword list.
6. Confirm notice period, salary expectations, and any location or shift constraints.

Close with: “That’s everything from me. Here’s what happens next and when you’ll hear back.” Read the logistics checklist verbatim: right to work, notice period, other offers in progress, salary expectations.

How we help with screening, shortlisting and flat-fee recruitment

Running a disciplined screen for every vacancy takes time most hiring managers don’t have spare. We handle structured screening, scorecards and shortlisting for employers who’d rather receive a ready-assessed shortlist than run the calls themselves.

Our Fixed Fee Recruitment service covers the full process under a transparent flat fee rather than a percentage of salary, with full details on our simple flat-fee pricing page. If a placement doesn’t work out in the first few months, our Replacement Campaign option reduces that risk.

FAQ

What are examples of screening questions?

Common examples cover must-have qualifications, a recent example of relevant experience, motivation for applying, working style preferences, and logistics such as notice period and salary expectations. Grouping questions this way keeps the call focused and comparable across candidates.

What questions are asked in a screening test?

A screening call typically asks about relevant experience, how the candidate handled a specific past challenge, why they’re applying for this role, and practical details like availability and right to work. The exact mix depends on the role, but logistics questions are asked of every candidate without exception.

What are the top 5 questions to ask a candidate?

A tight set covers: relevant experience with the core task, a specific example of solving a work problem, what drew them to this role, availability and notice period, and salary expectations. These five cover competence, motivation and logistics in under 20 minutes.

What questions will I be asked in a screening interview?

Expect questions confirming your qualifications and experience, one or two behavioural questions about past work situations, why you applied, and practical questions about start date, salary and right to work. Most screening calls run 15 to 20 minutes and follow the same structure for every candidate.

Sources

• Recruitment interviews and selection (Victorian government toolkit)
• Australian Human Rights Commission guidance on criminal records
• Protection from discrimination at work – Fair Work Ombudsman

Recommended

• Screening Candidate Resumes
• 15 Priority Reference Check Questions for Hiring Managers in Australia
• Background Checks Australia: Agency Rules and Recruiter Checklist
• Why Candidate Screening is The Most Important Step