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Custom Questions

Custom Question and Expected Answers Custom Questions are direct, scripted prompts delivered exactly as you’ve written them — without transitions, translation, elaboration, or conversational flow. Zara reads each question verbatim, and the candidate has one single opportunity to respond. Once an answer is received, Zara immediately proceeds to the next question or interview segment. Unlike skill-based questions, Custom Questions do not adapt based on the candidate’s responses.

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When to use Custom Questions

This format is ideal when consistency and standardization are critical, such as:
  • Integrity checks
  • Eligibility or screening validations
  • Compliance or policy confirmations
  • Standardized questions across all candidates
Because every candidate receives the exact same question, Custom Questions are especially useful for fair, repeatable screening at scale.

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Time Limit Per Question

When configuring a Custom Question, you can define a maximum response time for each question.
  • You can set the time limit between 1 and 4 minutes per question.
  • The selected time represents the maximum allowed response time.
  • If the candidate reaches the defined time limit, Zara will automatically stop the response and move to the next question.
Use shorter time limits (1–2 minutes) for direct or binary questions, and longer limits (3–4 minutes) when evaluating reasoning or explanations.

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Ideal Answer (Optional)

When creating a Custom Question, you can optionally define an Ideal Answer. The Ideal Answer helps Zara understand what a strong response looks like and improves the accuracy of the evaluation. It is not shown to the candidate, and it does not need to be a perfect or exhaustive response — a short description of what you expect is sufficient. Use an Ideal Answer when you want to:
  • Guide how responses are evaluated
  • Reduce subjectivity in scoring
  • Improve consistency across candidates

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How Custom Questions Are Scored

Candidate responses are evaluated using a simple scoring rubric:
  • Not Impressive
  • Average
  • Good
The scoring is applied independently for each custom question.
Use Custom Questions when you need precise control over phrasing and uniformity across interviews.