For employers: fair screening with video CVs

A video CV lets you get to know candidates beyond their résumés, but it can also open the door to bias based on impressions. The way to make screening fair and explainable is to base evaluations on criteria set in advance. In this article, you'll find steps you can put into practice with your team right away.

Write down your criteria before watching the first video

The first step toward fair evaluation is deciding what you'll look for before you open the first video. If criteria are set after watching, it becomes easy to pick standards that justify the candidate you already liked.

Write down three to five competencies that are truly necessary for the position, such as verbal communication, customer focus, problem solving or domain knowledge.
Define each criterion as an observable behavior. For example, instead of “good communication”, use “Describes their experience clearly with a concrete example.”
Don't use undefined criteria such as “first impression”, “energy” or “team fit” on their own; they easily turn into personal preference.

Ask everyone the same questions under the same conditions

To be able to compare candidates, give them all the same opportunity. On PlayCV, you can add short video questions to your job posting; after applying, the candidate answers each question with a short video. The same questions, the same time limit and the same criteria make comparisons meaningful.

Keep questions directly related to the job. For example: “Tell us how you resolved a customer's justified complaint.”
Don't ask questions about private life. Marital status, plans to have children, religion or health are not topics for screening.
Finalize your questions before you start receiving applications, so everyone answers the same questions.

Define your rating scale

On PlayCV, you can add up to six evaluation criteria to your job posting. For each application, your team rates every criterion from 1 to 5, chooses a decision of Suitable, Not suitable or Undecided, and writes a comment. Only your team sees the criteria; candidates don't. A criterion that has already been rated can't be deleted or renamed, so finalize your criteria before the first application arrives. Define the scale in advance as well, so that ratings mean the same thing to everyone. For example, for each criterion:

1 point: no sign that the criterion is met.
3 points: meets the criterion; there is at least one concrete example.
5 points: clearly exceeds the criterion; there are several strong, relevant examples.

Tie comments to the criteria as well. Instead of “Likable person”, a comment like “The example of resolving a customer complaint matches the day-to-day work of the position” makes the decision explainable to everyone on the team.

You can compare shortlisted candidates side by side. When you select two to four applications, their videos, completion rate, experience, screening and video question answers, average rating, rating for each criterion and team decisions appear on a single screen. Compare after rating them one by one; evaluate each candidate on their own first.

Evaluate independently first, then discuss

If more than one person will evaluate the same application, everyone should first write their own rating and comment; only then should the team discuss. The opinion of whoever speaks first can influence the others without them realizing it.

If you need the department manager's opinion, you can share the application through a single link. The manager watches only that application without signing in and adds their own rating; the link closes automatically when it expires. When you send the link, share the criteria and the rating scale as well.

Common bias traps

Video also shows things that don't appear on a written résumé. Most of them have nothing to do with the job and can influence the decision without you realizing it:

Recording quality: the camera, lighting or room reflects the candidate's means, not their competence. Rate the content, not the image.
Appearance and clothing: unless the job clearly requires it, physical appearance is not a subject of evaluation.
Accent and dialect: unless the position requires specific diction, being understandable is enough.
Similarity: it's natural to feel closer to a candidate who resembles you or comes from the same school or city; be aware of this.
Halo effect: don't let a single strong trait, such as speaking comfortably, overshadow shortcomings in other criteria. Rate each criterion separately.
Order effect: an average video watched right after a very good one can look weaker than it is. Take breaks when evaluating long lists.

İpucu: Candidates with disabilities may express themselves in different ways, for example in sign language or with on-screen text. Still base your evaluation on the competencies the job requires.

Legal framework and KVKK

The ban on discrimination applies not only after the employment relationship begins, but also at the job posting, application and selection stages (Law No. 6701 on the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye). Screening out candidates for reasons such as gender, religion, marital status, health, disability or age may also violate this ban at the screening stage.

Video CVs are personal data. Under KVKK (Law No. 6698), you may process this data only for recruitment purposes, in a way that is limited and proportionate to that purpose:

Do not download or share videos and contact details outside the dashboard; if needed for review, use the time-limited sharing link.
Keep your notes about candidates job-related; do not write personal comments or assumptions.
If you export the applicant list, share the file only with the hiring team and delete it once the process is complete.
If a candidate withdraws their application, you will no longer see the application or your team's reviews; if they withdraw their explicit consent for the video, their videos are deleted.

PlayCV does not screen out candidates automatically; your team gives the rating, the comment and the decision. Recording the reasoning for decisions based on criteria helps you be fair to candidates and explain your decision when needed.

Summary: checklist for fair screening

Add criteria to the job posting and write the rating scale before publishing the job posting.
Ask everyone the same video questions and give everyone the same amount of time.
Rate independently first, then discuss as a team.
Rate the content, not the recording quality, appearance or accent.
Do not ask for or take notes on information unrelated to the job.
Do not move videos outside the dashboard; use the time-limited link for sharing.

PlayCV is also free for companies during the launch period. You can see how the dashboard works on the Employers page.

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