Autoscreen

If you’ve ever been in charge of hiring, you know the singular pain of ‘scheduling’. It’s a soul-sucking vortex of time zones, last-minute cancellations, and endless email chains that make you question your career choices. I've spent entire afternoons playing what I call “Calendar Tetris,” trying to fit blocks of interview time into a week that’s already bursting at the seams. You finally find a slot, and then... crickets. The candidate is a no-show. Ugh.

For years, we’ve just accepted this as the cost of doing business. But what if it didn't have to be? I've been keeping my eye on the rise of one-way video interview platforms, and a new player called Autoscreen recently landed on my radar. It’s still in beta, which always piques my interest—it’s like getting a sneak peek behind the curtain before the big show.

So, I took it for a spin. Is it just another piece of tech promising to solve all our problems, or does it actually deliver? Let's get into it.

So, What Exactly is Autoscreen?

Think of it this way: instead of a live, two-way conversation, Autoscreen lets you send a set of pre-defined interview questions to a candidate. They then record their answers on their own time, whenever they feel ready, and send it back to you. No scheduling required. It's less of an interview and more of a pre-recorded audition.

This asynchronous approach is the core of what Autoscreen is selling. It’s designed to cut through the noise, engage candidates who are genuinely interested (because they have to put in a little effort), and give you, the hiring manager, a much richer first impression than any resume could. You get to see their personality, their communication style, and how they think on their feet—all before you commit to a 30-minute live call. Pretty cool, right?

How It Works: A Four-Step Dance to Better Hiring

The biggest turn-off for any new tool is a complicated setup. If I need a PhD in computer science to get started, I'm out. Thankfully, Autoscreen seems to understand this. The process is refreshingly straightforward.

Step 1: Crafting Your Perfect Audition

First, you build your interview template. You give it a name, write a welcome message, and then add your questions. You can set time limits for each answer, which I think is a brilliant feature. It forces candidates to be concise and gives you a good sense of how they perform under a bit of pressure. No rambling for ten minutes on their 'greatest weakness'.

Step 2: Sending the Invite

Once your template is ready, Autoscreen generates a unique, shareable link. You can send this link directly to candidates you’ve sourced, or even pop it into your job posting for a truly open audition. It’s a simple copy-and-paste job. Easy.

Step 3: Waiting for the Magic

This is the best part. You just... wait. Candidates click the link, read your instructions, and record their answers when it’s convenient for them. Maybe that's at 10 PM on a Tuesday after their kids are in bed, or 7 AM on a Saturday with a cup of coffee. You get an email notification as soon as a new interview is submitted. No more watching your inbox for that “Yes, 3 PM works for me!” email.

Step 4: The Big Reveal

Now you have a queue of video responses waiting for you. You can watch them at your own pace, share them with your team for feedback, and quickly get a feel for who should move on to the next round. It turns the initial screening process from a logistical headache into a streamlined review session.

Visit Autoscreen

The Standout Features That Caught My Eye

Beyond the basic workflow, a few things really jumped out at me as being particularly thoughtful.

Finally, An End to Calendar Tetris

I know I keep harping on this, but the “Hassle-free Scheduling” is the main event. The amount of administrative time this saves is staggering. We’re talking hours, maybe even days, back in your week. That's more time for sourcing great talent, talking to your top candidates, or, you know, actually eating lunch away from your desk.

More Than Just a Gut Feeling

The platform touts its “Data-Driven Insights.” While this feels a little bit like a buzzword, the spirit behind it is solid. By standardizing the initial questions, you’re creating a more level playing field. You can compare candidates’ answers to the same questions, rather than trying to recall who said what in a series of slightly different phone screens. It moves hiring away from pure gut-feel and towards a more structured, equitable process.

Connecting the Dots

Autoscreen mentions API access and Zapier integration. For now, the website notes these are “coming soon” on the Professional plan, which is a bit of a tease. But the promise of it is huge. The ability to automatically pipe candidate videos into your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or get Slack notifications for new submissions? That’s the dream. I’m eager to see this roll out fully.

The All-Important Question: What's the Damage?

Alright, let’s talk pricing. For a tool in beta, the structure is surprisingly clear and, dare I say, quite reasonable. They have a transparent pricing model with a 30-day free trial on the paid plans, which is always a good sign.

Honestly, the Starter plan for less than ten bucks a month is a fantastic entry point for freelancers or small businesses dipping their toes in the water. The Professional plan feels like the sweet spot for most growing companies, especially once those integrations go live. And that Enterprise plan? The mention of AI-based assessments is tantalizing—that could be a real game-changer.

A Balanced Look: The Good, The Bad, and The "Coming Soon"

No tool is perfect, especially one that's still in beta. It's only fair to look at both sides of the coin.

What I Genuinely Like

The time and cost savings are obvious and massive. But beyond that, I love the improved candidate experience. It respects their time. It also gives you a much better sense of a person's presence and communication skills than a flat CV ever could. It allows you to screen more people, more effectively, leading to a stronger shortlist. And being able to easily share the videos with other decision-makers? A huge win for collaborative hiring.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

First, this kind of tool relies on the candidate being somewhat tech-savvy and having a device with a camera. For most professional roles today, thats a given, but it’s a consideration. It also requires JavaScript, a minor technical note but one to be aware of. The storage limits on the lower-tier plans mean you'll need to do some housekeeping. And of course, the big one is that some of the most powerful features—the integrations—are still on the horizon. You’d be buying into the promise as much as the current product.

Your Burning Questions Answered

I poked around their FAQ and came up with a few answers to questions you're probably asking right now.

Is Autoscreen meant to replace a regular interview?

No, and it shouldn't be. Think of it as a powerful replacement for the initial phone screen or resume review. It's a top-of-funnel tool to help you find the best people to invite for a proper, live conversation.

Does this replace my Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

Nope. It’s not an ATS. It’s a specialized tool that, ideally, will soon plug into your existing ATS or HR software to make your workflow even smoother.

Can I share a candidate's video with my team?

Yes! This is one of its best features. You can easily share the interviews to get feedback from other stakeholders, which helps reduce bias and makes for better team decisions.

What's the deal with the free trial?

Both the Starter and Professional plans come with a 30-day free trial. You can try out all the features and see if it works for your team before committing any cash.

How many interviews can I conduct?

All plans offer unlimited questionnaires and unlimited interviews. The main limitation is the amount of video storage you have, which varies by plan.

Is Autoscreen Worth It? My Final Take

So, what’s the verdict? In my opinion, yes, Autoscreen is absolutely worth a look.

For a platform still in beta, it’s remarkably polished and solves a very real, very frustrating problem for anyone involved in hiring. It's not trying to be an all-in-one HR suite; it does one thing—asynchronous video interviews—and it does it well.

If you're a small business owner, a busy recruiter, or an HR manager looking to claw back some time from the scheduling monster, the low cost of entry and the free trial make it a no-brainer to test out. It has the potential to seriously streamline your initial screening process, improve the quality of your shortlists, and just make your life a little bit easier. And in the world of CPC and traffic generation, finding the right talent quickly is half the battle. This could be a powerful new weapon in your arsenal.

Reference and Sources

• Autoscreen Official Website
• Autoscreen Pricing Page