Configuring Scoring Criteria
How to create, review, and refine the criteria Nova uses to score candidates.
🎯 Key Principle
Nova's scores are only as good as the criteria you feed it.
Use the Criteria Builder to draft, edit, and fine-tune the rules Nova follows for maximum accuracy.
Master Nova's Criteria Builder to create precise scoring rules that reflect your team's specific requirements and hiring standards.
Adding Custom Requirements
Pro Tip: Add any requirements that live outside your job description—deal-breakers, cultural fit needs, or specific team requirements that aren't in the JD.
What Counts as Additional Requirements?
- Bullet-point notes from kickoff meetings
- Stakeholder feedback from hiring discussions
- Last-minute requirements from leadership
- Technical specifications not in job description
- Hiring manager spreadsheets or criteria lists
- Must-have vs nice-to-have breakdowns
- Tool or technology requirements
- Industry experience specifics
- Team dynamics and working style preferences
- Communication style requirements
- Remote work experience needs
- Collaboration approach preferences
How to Use the Intake Form
Open Criteria Builder
Navigate to your job and start the Criteria Builder flow.
Add Requirements
Paste your additional requirements into the Additional Requirements box.
Specify Target Companies (Optional)
List companies whose talent pools align with your hiring goals in the Target Companies field. Nova will research these organizations to inform criteria generation.
Choose Your Path
Click Continue to proceed with your inputs, or Skip & Continue if no extra context needed.
Review Generated Criteria
Nova treats your input as the primary signal, guiding every criterion it writes.
How Nova Drafts Your Criteria
Nova uses three specialized AI agents working together:
Best-Practices Researcher
- Scans trusted HR sources for similar roles
- Reviews recent job ads in your industry
- Surfaces tried-and-tested requirements
Example output: "Hands-on 0-to-1 product launch experience"
Brand & Background Analyst
- Uses your specified target companies (if provided) to research talent pools
- Analyzes LinkedIn for talent at similar organizations
- Studies career paths and experience patterns from target companies
- Extracts common industry experience patterns
Example output: "Experience launching consumer-facing products in fast-growing tech environments..."
Persona Synthesiser
- Blends research + insights + job description + your intake form + target companies
- Drafts up to five consolidated, resume-verifiable criteria
- Heavily weighs your specific intake requirements and target company insights
Example output: "3+ years owning user-centric mobile features, including end-to-end analytics"
Editing Your Criteria
Making Changes
Open Criteria Builder
Access from job sidebar or the initial Nova setup wizard.
Edit Individual Criteria
Hover any criterion and click Edit to modify text or change Required ↔ Nice-to-have.
Review Recruiter Guidance
Click Show recruiter guidance to see verification tips, equivalents, and decision guidelines.
Save and Apply
Changes save instantly and apply to all future applicant scores.
Re-scoring Existing Candidates
If you've already processed candidates and have access to re-scoring, simply hit Re-score to refresh all existing scores with your updated criteria.
Optimization Best Practices
| Symptom | Probable Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too many 9-10 scores | Criteria too loose | Tighten experience ranges, add specific requirements |
| Great candidate scored 4-5 | Criteria too strict | Check if they actually meet criteria, then broaden if needed |
| Everyone gets 4-6 scores | Too many Required flags | Convert less-critical rules to Nice-to-have |
Regular Optimization Process:
- Review assessments for first 20-30 applicants
- Adjust criteria where mismatches appear
- Hit Re-score if available (Nova updates in seconds)
- Repeat weekly—most teams converge in ≤ 2 cycles
Rule of Thumb: Nova is faithful to criteria you set. If a great candidate scores low, check if their resume actually satisfies the criteria before assuming Nova made an error.
Avoiding Unintended Exclusion:
- Use Equivalents to include adjacent industries
- Consider open-source proof for technical roles
- Include alternative qualification paths
- Review for unconscious bias in language
Example: "5+ years TypeScript" → "3+ years GraphQL and TypeScript" to broaden the pool.
Scoring Input Sources
Nova reads everything in the ATS application:
Frequently Asked Questions
Remember: No hidden weighting—if a requirement isn't in your criteria, intake form, or job description, it won't influence the score. Keep criteria comprehensive but not overly restrictive.
Need help? Contact support for criteria optimization guidance or reach out to your account manager for advanced configuration options.