How Scoring Works
Application arrives
When a candidate applies, Nova collects their resume, application responses, cover letter, and any other documents from your ATS.
Criteria evaluation
Nova evaluates the candidate against each of your configured criteria, citing specific evidence from the resume. Each criterion receives a Pass, Partial, or Fail assessment.
The first few candidates on a new job may take slightly longer to score. Nova generates a scoring plan for the role, which establishes consistent evaluation guidance across all candidates for that job. Subsequent candidates are scored faster.
Score Scale
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 9-10 | Exceptional fit across all criteria |
| 7-8 | Strong match, meets most requirements |
| 5-6 | Partial fit, gaps in some areas |
| 3-4 | Poor match, significant gaps |
| 0-2 | Very poor fit, minimal qualifications |
What Nova Uses for Scoring
Nova evaluates candidates using data from the application and your configuration:- Resume/CV (primary input)
- Job description and your configured criteria
- Cover letters, portfolios, and other application documents
- Application question responses (can be excluded in Company Settings)
- LinkedIn profile as a fallback when no resume is attached (if enabled)
What the Assessment Includes
Each scored candidate receives a written assessment with:- Verdict: Overall assessment summary
- Strengths: What the candidate does well, with resume citations
- Concerns: Gaps or missing qualifications, noting whether evidence is absent, contradicted, or unverified
- Interview focus areas: Suggested topics to explore during interviews
- (not evidenced): The capability was not mentioned in the resume
- (contradicted by: [evidence]): The resume shows the opposite
- (unverified: [what to check]): Needs confirmation during interview
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Nova prevent bias?
How does Nova prevent bias?
Nova uses criteria-driven assessment, not pattern matching against historical hiring decisions. Every score is traceable to specific criteria and resume evidence. The system undergoes regular bias audits.
Can I change criteria after scoring starts?
Can I change criteria after scoring starts?
Yes. Edit criteria anytime. Changes apply to all future scores. To update existing scores, use Reprocess Applications from the job’s actions menu.
Can I exclude application question answers from scoring?
Can I exclude application question answers from scoring?
Yes. In Company Settings, enable “Exclude application question answers from scoring” to score based on resume data only. This is useful if you’re concerned about AI-written application responses inflating scores.
Why Scoring Can Fail
Occasionally, Nova cannot score a candidate. Common reasons:| Reason | What happened |
|---|---|
| No resume | No resume or LinkedIn URL attached to the application |
| Encrypted PDF | Resume is password-protected and cannot be read |
| Corrupted file | Resume file is damaged or unreadable |
| Unsupported format | Resume is in a format Nova cannot process |
| File too large | Resume exceeds the maximum file size |
| Download failed | Nova could not retrieve the resume from your ATS |