Executive Summary
Automatic candidate rejection rules in PyjamaHR allow you to instantly filter out applicants who do not meet your must-have criteria, saving your team hours of manual review and ensuring only qualified candidates move forward. By leveraging screening questions with auto-reject flows, you can enforce hard requirements (such as experience, work eligibility, or skills) and streamline your hiring process for better quality and efficiency.
Detailed Overview
What Are Automatic Candidate Rejection Rules?
Automatic candidate rejection rules in PyjamaHR are logic-based filters applied to candidate applications, typically via screening questions. When a candidate answers a mandatory question in a way that does not meet your requirements, PyjamaHR automatically moves them to the Rejected stage—no manual action required.
Key Use Cases:
- Filtering out candidates who lack required experience, certifications, or work permits.
- Ensuring only candidates who meet location or salary requirements proceed.
- Reducing recruiter workload by eliminating unqualified applications upfront.
How It Works:
- You set up screening questions (Yes/No, Multiple Choice, Numeric) during job creation.
- Mark questions as mandatory and configure them to disqualify candidates based on specific responses.
- Candidates who fail these criteria are automatically moved to the Rejected pipeline, and you can optionally send them a rejection email.
Integration with Other Features:
- Works alongside Resume Match Score and AI Recruiter (for advanced screening, but does not auto-move candidates between stages).
- Can be combined with One-Click Rejection for manual bulk actions.
Business Impact:
- Saves significant recruiter time, especially for high-volume roles.
- Improves candidate experience by providing timely feedback.
- Ensures compliance with hiring policies by enforcing non-negotiable criteria.
Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up Automatic Candidate Rejection Rules
Prerequisites
You must have permission to create or edit jobs in PyjamaHR.
Decide on your must-have criteria (experience, skills, etc.).
1. Add Screening Questions During Job Creation
Navigate to Job Creation:
- Go to Jobs > Create Job or edit an existing job.Go to the Screening Questions Section:
- Look for the Screening Questions or Application Questions tab.Add Your Questions:
- Click Add Question.
- Choose the question type:Yes/No (most commonly used for auto-reject)
Multiple Choice
Numeric
Example: “Do you have at least 3 years of sales experience?” (Yes/No)
Set as Mandatory and Configure Auto-Reject:
- Mark the question as Mandatory.
- Enable the Disqualify Candidate if option (may appear as a toggle or checkbox).
- Specify which answer(s) should trigger automatic rejection (e.g., “No”).Repeat for All Must-Have Criteria:
- Add all critical knockout questions.Publish the Job:
- Click Publish or Update to save your changes.
Screenshot Callouts:
- Where to find the Screening Questions section
- The Mandatory and Disqualify Candidate if toggles
- Example of a configured knockout question
2. Managing Auto-Rejected Candidates
Rejected candidates will appear in the Rejected pipeline/stage for the job.
You can view the reason for rejection in each candidate’s timeline (e.g., “Disqualified due to screening question: Work Permit = No”).
3. Optional: Configure Rejection Emails
When setting up rejection rules, you can choose to automatically send a rejection email.
Customize the email template or disable auto-email if you prefer to notify manually.
To change or disable auto-rejection or emails:
- Go to the job’s Screening Questions section and edit the relevant question.
- Or, when rejecting manually, use the dropdown next to the Reject (thumbs down) icon to customize the rejection flow and email.
Advanced Usage & Best Practices
Power User Tips
Use Multiple Knockout Questions: Combine several Yes/No or Multiple Choice questions for stricter filtering (e.g., experience, location, work permit).
Be Precise: Wording matters—make sure questions are unambiguous and directly tied to must-have requirements.
Test Your Flow: Apply as a test candidate to verify that the auto-reject logic works as intended.
Optimization Strategies
Review Rejection Reasons: Regularly check the candidate timeline to ensure candidates are being rejected for the correct reasons.
Customize Rejection Emails: Use the ##{{Candidate Name}} placeholder to personalize emails and avoid mistakes (e.g., don’t hardcode names).
Disable Auto-Reject When Needed: If you want to review all candidates, turn off the “Disqualify Candidate if” option.
Integration with Other Workflows
Combine with Resume Match Score: Use auto-reject for hard requirements, then filter remaining candidates by resume score.
AI Recruiter: Use for deeper screening, but note that AI Recruiter does not auto-move candidates between stages.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Use auto-reject for non-negotiable criteria only.
- Clearly communicate rejection reasons to candidates.
- Regularly review your screening questions for accuracy.
Don’t:
- Don’t rely on open-ended questions for auto-reject (only Yes/No, Multiple Choice, Numeric work).
- Don’t forget to update or disable rules if your requirements change.
- Don’t hardcode candidate names in rejection emails—use placeholders.
Troubleshooting & Common Issues
Common Problems and Solutions
1. Candidates Not Being Auto-Rejected
- Check if questions are set as Mandatory and have “Disqualify Candidate if” enabled.
- Only Yes/No, Multiple Choice, and Numeric questions support auto-reject.
- If using Single Choice or open-ended questions, auto-reject will not work.
2. All Candidates Are Being Rejected
- Review your screening questions—ensure the logic is correct (e.g., “Yes” triggers rejection instead of “No”).
- Check for conflicting or overly strict criteria.
3. Want to Disable Auto-Rejection
- Edit the screening question and turn off the “Disqualify Candidate if” toggle.
- You can also remove the mandatory setting if you want to allow all candidates through.
4. Rejection Emails Sending Incorrectly
- Check your email template for hardcoded names—replace with ##{{Candidate Name}}.
- To stop auto-emails, disable the email option in the rejection settings.
5. Candidates Skipping Screening Questions
- Ensure all critical questions are marked as Mandatory.
- If candidates are still able to skip, contact support with the Job ID and example candidate.
6. “Job candidate not found” Error
- This was a temporary issue—if it recurs, contact support.
Comprehensive FAQ
1. How do I set up automatic rejection for candidates who answer “No” to a required question?
Add a Yes/No screening question, mark it as Mandatory, and enable “Disqualify Candidate if” for the “No” answer.
2. Can I use open-ended questions for auto-rejection?
No. Only Yes/No, Multiple Choice, and Numeric questions support auto-reject logic.
3. How do I stop all candidates from being rejected automatically?
Edit your screening questions and disable the “Disqualify Candidate if” option.
4. Can I customize or disable the rejection email sent to auto-rejected candidates?
Yes. In the rejection settings, choose your email template or turn off the auto-email option.
5. Why are some candidates able to apply without answering screening questions?
Ensure all critical questions are marked as Mandatory.
6. Can I undo or change the auto-reject rule after publishing the job?
Yes. Edit the job, go to Screening Questions, and adjust the settings.
7. Can I filter candidates by their answers after they apply?
Yes, but only for questions that support filtering (Yes/No, Multiple Choice, Numeric).
8. Does PyjamaHR automatically move candidates to the next stage if they pass all criteria?
No. Auto-reject only moves candidates to the Rejected stage. Advancing candidates to further stages is manual.
9. Can I use Resume Match Score as an auto-reject rule?
Not directly. Use screening questions for auto-reject, then filter remaining candidates by Resume Match Score.
10. What if I want to review all candidates, regardless of their answers?
Do not enable the “Disqualify Candidate if” option, or remove the mandatory setting.
11. Why are rejection emails addressed with the wrong name?
Check your email template for hardcoded names. Use the ##{{Candidate Name}} placeholder.
12. How do I check why a candidate was rejected?
View the candidate’s timeline for the rejection reason.
13. Can I bulk reject candidates manually?
Yes. Use the dropdown next to the Reject icon for bulk actions.
14. What if the auto-reject flow is not working as expected?
Double-check your question types, mandatory settings, and disqualify logic. If issues persist, contact support with examples.
Related Features & Next Steps
Related PyjamaHR Features:
- Resume Match Score: Further filter qualified candidates after auto-reject.
- AI Recruiter: Advanced screening and interview automation (does not auto-move candidates).
- One-Click Rejection: For manual bulk rejection with custom email templates.
- Candidate Timeline: View detailed rejection reasons and history.
Recommended Next Steps:
- Review and update your screening questions for all active jobs.
- Test your auto-reject flow with a sample application.
- Explore customizing rejection emails for a better candidate experience.
- Read related articles:
- How to Create Effective Screening Questions in PyjamaHR
- Customizing Rejection Emails and Templates
- Using Resume Match Score for Candidate Shortlisting
Still have questions?
If you’ve followed the steps above and are still experiencing issues, please contact PyjamaHR Support with your Job ID and specific candidate examples for priority assistance.
By following this guide, you’ll ensure your hiring process is efficient, compliant, and focused on the best-fit candidates—without the manual busywork.