Estimated read time: 3–4 minutes

Whether you're a seasoned recruiter or new to CLARA, this guide walks you through the full candidate screening process — from reviewing match scores to sharing your top picks with your hiring manager. Let's get you set up for a smooth, efficient workflow.

Use this guide while working directly in CLARA, or bookmark it as a quick reference for your day-to-day process.

What you'll need before getting started

Before you begin, make sure you have the following ready:

Access to CLARA with Recruiter or Partner Admin credentials
At least one active job with candidates already uploaded and processed
A hiring manager assigned to the job — required before you can share candidates with them

⚠️ Note: If any of the above are missing, contact your admin or our Partner Success team at success@getclara.io before proceeding.

How to screen candidates in CLARA

Log in to CLARA using your Recruiter or Partner Admin credentials.
Navigate to the Jobs section using the left navigation menu and click into the job you're reviewing. You'll be taken directly to the candidate pipeline for that role.

You'll notice CLARA has already pre-sorted candidates into Not Qualified and Pre-Qualified categories based on their CLARA scores — which reflect the specific requirements set for the role. Your admin can adjust these requirements at the organizational or job level at any time.
Click into a candidate card to open their profile. You'll find a wealth of information here — including their CLARA Score, Requirements Match, candidate summary, education, experience, skills, assessment answers, and an internal comments section for team communication.

A full Candidate Profile walkthrough is available here.
As you review candidates, drag and drop their cards between columns to organize and prioritize your pipeline. This makes it easy to quickly sort candidates into the right buckets for further consideration or next steps.
Once you've identified your qualified candidates, click Share with Hiring Manager from the dropdown menu on the candidate card. A pop-up window will open where you can include a personalized message before sending — the hiring manager will be notified once you submit.
To share all qualified candidates at once, select the checkbox next to Qualified, click the navigation icon, and choose Share with Hiring Manager.

If a hiring manager hasn't been assigned yet, you can do so from the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
Once the hiring manager has reviewed your shortlist, they'll have the opportunity to make comments or advance their selections. You'll receive a notification in the Notifications section on your home dashboard when they've completed this. On your next visit to the job page, candidates they've chosen to advance will appear at the top.

⚠️ Note: Candidates cannot see any comments made about them, their hiring stage, rejection status, or hiring manager reactions. This information is visible to your team only.

Best Practices

💡 Use both the Match Score and the candidate's written responses together — the score helps you prioritize, and their answers give you a deeper sense of how they think and communicate.
💡 Use the internal comments section to leave notes for your team as you review — it keeps everyone aligned without needing to go outside CLARA.
💡 If you're using CLARA as a standalone tool, remember that CLARA does not send disposition emails — you'll need to notify rejected candidates outside of the platform.

Next steps

For a deeper look at reviewing and advancing candidates, visit our How to Use CLARA to Review and Advance Candidates guide
To learn how to filter your candidate pipeline, visit our Filtering Candidates in CLARA guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Can candidates see their scores, stage, or internal comments?

No — candidates cannot see their CLARA score, hiring stage, rejection status, or any internal comments or reactions from your team. All of that is visible to your team only.

What if a hiring manager hasn't been assigned yet?

You can assign a hiring manager from the upper right-hand corner of the Job Details screen. They must be assigned before you can share candidates with them.

Can I adjust the scoring thresholds for my candidates?

Yes — your admin can adjust the requirements and scoring thresholds at the organizational or job level at any time. Visit our Modify AI Settings for a Job in CLARA guide for more details.

Does CLARA notify candidates when they've been rejected?

No — CLARA does not send disposition emails. If you're using CLARA as a standalone tool, you'll need to notify candidates of their status outside of the platform.

Where can I find a full walkthrough of the candidate profile?

A full Candidate Profile walkthrough is available here.