AI Candidate Scoring & Ranking
High-level overview of Nova's ranking pipeline.
🎯 How Nova Works
1. Ingest → Nova collects resume, cover letter, and application data
2. Evaluate → Criteria are assessed with resume citations
3. Rank → Scores and insights are pushed to your ATS
Nova's AI-powered scoring system objectively evaluates candidates against your specific criteria, providing transparent rankings you can trust.
The Nova Pipeline
Data Ingestion
Nova collects all candidate information the moment an application lands:
- Resume/CV and cover letters
- ATS form answers and responses
- Job description and requirements
- Your configured criteria
Criterion Evaluation
Each criterion is evaluated objectively with transparent methodology:
- Resume citations show evidence for scores
- Holistic assessment considers full candidate profile
- No hidden weightings or undisclosed factors
Ranking & Display
Results are immediately available in your workflow:
- Scores and tags written back to your ATS
- Auto-sort by "Nova Score" for best-fit-first review
- Detailed assessments for hiring team review
Objective by Design
No Hidden Signals:
- Only uses data you provided explicitly
- No undisclosed weightings or black-box factors
- Clear methodology for every score
- Human-readable reasoning for all assessments
Audit Trail:
- Every LLM call logged and versioned
- Complete audit trails for compliance
- Meets EU AI Act and NY 144 requirements
Resume Citations:
- Direct quotes from resumes supporting scores
- Specific evidence for each criterion evaluation
- Clear reasoning chain from data to score
- Verification path for hiring team review
Comprehensive Analysis:
- Considers entire candidate profile holistically
- Balances multiple criteria appropriately
- Accounts for context and nuance in experience
Built-in Safeguards:
- Regular bias auditing across demographic groups
- Criteria-driven assessment prevents pattern bias
- Human override capabilities maintained
- Transparent reasoning enables bias detection
Quality Assurance:
- Quarterly disparate impact analysis
- Continuous monitoring for fairness
- External auditing and validation
Behind the Scenes
Key Features
Consistent Evaluation:
- Same criteria applied to every candidate
- No fatigue, mood, or bias affecting scores
- Standardized assessment methodology
- Repeatable and reliable results
Evidence-Based Scoring:
- Every score backed by resume citations
- Clear reasoning for hiring team review
- Transparent methodology for all assessments
Hiring Team Control:
- Scores inform but don't replace human judgment
- Easy override and annotation capabilities
- Team can adjust rankings based on context
- Final decisions always remain with humans
Contextual Flexibility:
- Consider factors beyond resume data
- Account for interview performance
- Integrate cultural fit assessments
- Balance multiple stakeholder perspectives
Seamless Workflow:
- Scores appear directly in your ATS
- Auto-sorting by Nova Score available
- No additional tools or interfaces required
- Works with existing hiring processes
Real-Time Updates:
- Scores available within minutes of application
- Immediate ranking updates as candidates apply
- Live analytics and reporting dashboards
Getting Started
Next Steps: Ready to start scoring candidates? Check out these essential guides to get the most out of Nova's ranking system.
Essential Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to get started? Begin with Configuring Criteria to set up your first Nova-powered role.