The Cognitive

Your First AI Interview

Start your free 7-day trial 200 interview credits free · or book a demo
Live interviewreplies in under a second
AI interviewerCandidate
01 · Before you invite anyone

Three things that decide if the screen is worth reading

1 · Criteria the manager will defend
Write each criterion as something a person has DONE,
not a word that describes them.

Weak:   Strong closer
Strong: Has closed a deal over [$100K] on their own,
        start to finish

Weak:   Good communicator
Strong: Has presented a forecast or plan to a
        [VP or C-level] buyer

Weak:   Startup mindset
Strong: Has built a process where none existed,
        with no playbook to copy

Mark each one:
  Must       they are out without it (3 at most)
  Important  you would trade it for a strong Must
  Nice       a tie-breaker, nothing more

Send the list to the hiring manager before the first
interview: "Reply with changes by [day]."
2 · The invite candidates actually open
Subject: next step for [role]

Hi [first name],

Thanks for your interest in [role] at [company].

The first step is a [20]-minute video interview. Pick a
time that suits you in the next [5] days, from your laptop
or phone. The interviewer is AI, and it has read your CV,
so expect questions about your own work, not generic ones.

The interview is recorded. The AI scores your answers
against the criteria for this role, and a person reviews
every result before any decision. If you'd prefer a call
with me instead, or need an adjustment, reply to this
email and that won't count against you. You can ask us to
delete your recording at any time.

Take a moment to think before you answer. You can mute,
turn your camera off, or move the time with the link in
your invite.

A person on our team reviews every result, and I'll get
back to you by [day].

[your name]
3 · Read a scorecard in 2 minutes
1. Look at the Musts first. One Must scored low?
   Watch that answer before you decide. If the clip
   backs the score, it's a no.

2. Read what came back Refuted. A claim on the CV the
   interview did not hold up. Ask about it in the next
   round. Never reject on a Refuted you haven't watched.

3. Read what came back Unclear. These are your first
   3 questions for the human round. Copy them across.

4. Watch one answer, not the whole recording: the one
   behind the lowest Must score.

5. Decide the same day. Move, reject, or one question
   back to the candidate. If you're unsure, send one
   follow-up question; don't park them.
02 · Evaluation criteria

Evaluation criteria for 12 roles you hire for, ready to paste


    

  

  

    Screening basics, every role
    
    
      
  • "Are you authorised to work in [country] without sponsorship, now or in the future?"
    • 
      
  • "What salary range are you looking for?"
    • 
      
  • "What is your notice period?"
    • 
      
  • "This role is [on-site / hybrid, X days / remote] in [city]. Does that work for you?"
    • 
    

  

  
Start free trial






  
03 · Run your first one today
In the app: five steps, and you sit it first

  

    
1
Roles, then New role

    
2
Candidates, then add yourself

    
3
Invite selected

    
4
Book and sit it

    
5
Interviews, then your scorecard

  

  
Start your free 7-day trial






  
04 · Or do it all from Claude
Four prompts, from role to scorecard

  

    

      

      

    

    

      

      

    

  






  

    

      
05 · Set it up in Claude

      
Role, questions and your own invite, in one chat

      
    
        
  1. Start your free trial at The Cognitive.
    2. 
        
  2. In Claude, open Settings, then Connectors, and add a custom connector with this address:
    https://app.thecognitive.io/mcp
    3. 
        
  3. Sign in when Claude asks. Then paste the first prompt with your role.
    4. 
      

    

    

      

        
        

          
AE interviews, Austin Example

          

            
Set up AI interviews for a Senior Account Executive in Austin. Must have closed enterprise deals. I want to sit the first interview myself, here is my CV link.

            
Set up Senior Account Executivedone in about 40 s
Role created · job description written
Criteria: Enterprise deal experience (Must) · Discovery (Must) · Forecasting (Important) · Handling objections (Important) · Clear communication (Nice)

            
Added you to the roleadded · invite not sent yet
CV from your link, read and scored against the role

            
Ready to invite you. Send it to you@yourcompany.com?

            
Yes, send it.

            
Invited yousent
Booking link emailed · slots open for the next 5 days

            
Check your inbox and book a slot.

          

          
Reply to Claude…

        

      

      
Example · people and companies are made up

    

  






  
06 · What lands on your desk
One scorecard, built from the criteria you signed off

  

    

      RM
      
R. M.Senior Account Executive · AI interview · 20 min

      
RecommendationProceed to next round

    

    

      

        
Criteria

        
    
        
    Weighted by how much each one matters
    
      
    
      
    
        
    What it set out to check
    
        
      
          
    • Verified
      Closed enterprise deals on their ownWalked through one deal: who signed, the 7-month cycle, and why procurement stalled it twice.
      • 
          
    • Unclear
      Built their own pipelineSaid "mostly inbound" and moved on. Worth asking in the next round.
      • 
          
    • Refuted
      Ran forecasting for the teamDescribed updating their own numbers in the CRM, not the team forecast.
      • 
        
    
      
    
    
    
  
    
  
    Mock example · people and companies are made up
    

    


    
  
    
    
    Run your first AI interview today.
    
  
    
  
    
    Start your free 7-day trial
    200 interview credits free · or book a 30-min walkthrough