Triage and Screening Threshold
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The Screening Threshold is the minimum score a candidate must reach to be considered a match for a role. It controls where HireSalt draws the line between candidates worth reviewing and those who fall short — and that single setting ripples through almost every part of the screening workflow.
What Is the Screening Threshold?
The threshold is a number between 30 and 100 (default: 50). After a candidate is scored by the AI, their overall score is compared against your threshold. Every feature described below uses this comparison to make decisions automatically.
You can change the threshold in Preferences → Default Screening Threshold. The slider takes effect immediately for new scoring runs. Candidates already scored keep their triage tags — they are not automatically re-labelled when you change the threshold.
What Triage Means
When Auto-triage is enabled (Preferences → Auto-triage Candidates), HireSalt labels every candidate with one of three tags immediately after scoring:
| Tag | Score range | What happens automatically |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | score ≥ threshold | Candidate is automatically shortlisted |
| Maybe | threshold − 15 ≤ score < threshold | No automatic action — sits in review queue |
| Skip | score < threshold − 15 | No automatic action |
Everything Influenced by the Threshold
Changing your screening threshold affects these features — no code changes needed, just the slider in Preferences:
1. Auto-triage labels
The Strong / Maybe / Skip tags are stamped at scoring time using the threshold value active at that moment. Existing candidates are not re-labelled when you change the threshold later.
2. Automatic shortlisting
Every candidate tagged Strong is immediately added to your shortlist. Lowering the threshold adds more candidates to the shortlist automatically; raising it reduces it.
3. Auto-rejection eligibility
Auto-rejection is not available yet. Candidates tagged Skip stay on the job until you act on them.
4. Heatmap colour banding
The criteria heatmap on the Analytics tab uses the threshold as its centre band. Scores at or above the threshold appear green; scores within 20 points below appear amber; further below appear red. Changing the threshold changes how the heatmap is coloured without any other action.
5. Verdict sentence on the Candidates tab
The sentence at the top of the Candidates tab ("X of Y candidates cleared your threshold") counts candidates whose score is at or above your threshold. This count updates live as you change your threshold in Preferences — it does not require re-scoring.
6. Filter chips and score-range deep links
When you click View candidates below threshold links on the Recommendations tab, the URL pre-sets the score filter using your current threshold value. If you have changed the threshold since scoring, the filter reflects the new value, not the value used when triage tags were assigned.
7. Grade bands (A / B / C / D)
Grade letters on candidate rows are derived from the score independently of the threshold (A = 80+, B = 65-79, C = 50-64, D = below 50). Grades are fixed; they do not shift when you move the threshold.
Low Threshold: When and Why
Setting your threshold below 65 casts a wider net. Use this approach when:
- The talent pool is thin. Niche or highly specialised roles often produce few applicants who score above 50. A lower threshold lets you review borderline candidates rather than ending up with an empty shortlist.
- You are in early-stage discovery. If you are not yet certain what a strong candidate looks like, a broad pool gives you comparative data to calibrate your criteria.
- The job description is broad or exploratory. Roles like "generalist engineer" or "founding operations hire" attract diverse profiles; a lower threshold prevents over-filtering on any single dimension.
- You are hiring for potential, not experience. Junior or graduate roles where growth trajectory matters more than current skill depth benefit from a lower threshold combined with reviewing Career Story.
High Threshold: When and Why
Setting your threshold above 80 creates a strict filter. Use this when:
- You have a large applicant pool. If 200+ resumes arrive for a senior role, a high threshold protects your time by surfacing only the top tier automatically.
- The criteria are precise and well-defined. When your job description is detailed and the skill requirements are specific, the AI scoring is accurate enough to support aggressive filtering.
- Speed matters more than coverage. Under time pressure, a high threshold gives you a small, high-confidence shortlist quickly. You can always lower it later if the pool is too thin.
- The role is mission-critical or senior. VP, technical lead, or specialist roles where a marginal hire has high cost — erring on the side of exclusivity reduces interview time wasted on weak fits.
Strategies to Try
Strategy 1 — Start at 50, calibrate after first batch
Leave the threshold at the default 50 for your first scoring run. Review the Maybe band (scores 35–49) manually. If you find good candidates there, lower to 45. If the shortlist feels too crowded, raise to 55. One calibration step is usually enough.
Strategy 2 — Sweep low then tighten
Set the threshold to 35 initially and score all resumes. This captures your full candidate set with triage tags assigned. Then raise the threshold in Preferences and use the score filter on the Candidates tab to view only the portion you want — without re-scoring. This approach is especially useful for large applicant volumes because you score once and explore multiple cut-points.
Strategy 3 — Use a high threshold + manual Maybe review
Set the threshold to 60 so only your strongest candidates auto-shortlist. Then manually review the Maybe band (scores 45–59) in the Candidates tab using the Triage filter. This combines automation for the obvious cases with human judgment for the grey area.
Strategy 4 — Role-type presets
Consider maintaining different thresholds per role type:
- Senior / specialist roles:
60 - Mid-level / generalist:
50 - Junior / graduate:
40
Strategy 5 — Disable auto-triage for exploratory pools
Turn off Auto-triage entirely in Preferences when you want to review candidates without any automatic labelling or shortlisting. This is useful for research roles, culture-fit positions, or any job where the job description is still evolving. Score first, explore the full distribution, then decide where to draw the line.
Strategy 6 — Use the Shortlist check tab before you commit
The Shortlist check tab shows who goes forward at the line you pick and who just missed it by 5 points or less. Before committing to a cut-point, move the line there and see whether a few points either way changes your shortlist or barely affects it.
Re-triaging Without Re-scoring
After scoring a batch of candidates you may decide the threshold you used was too strict or too lenient. HireSalt lets you re-classify all scored candidates under a new threshold instantly — without re-scoring any resume and without disturbing the shortlist decisions you have already made.
Where the threshold slider lives on the Candidates tab
The threshold control appears in two places in the product:
- Preferences → Default Screening Threshold — sets the global default for future scoring runs.
- Candidates tab → threshold slider — lets you change the threshold for the current job and immediately re-band candidates. This is the control used for re-triage.
How Re-triage works
Adjust the slider on the Candidates tab to the new threshold value, then click Re-triage. HireSalt reads every candidate's existing AI score and reclassifies each one into Strong, Maybe, or Skip using the new threshold bands. No AI call is made — the numeric scores are unchanged; only the triage labels are updated.
After re-triage completes, the page redirects to the Candidates tab with the new threshold applied so you see the updated band immediately.
Shortlist status is never touched by Re-triage
Re-triage updates triage labels only. The is_shortlisted flag on every candidate is preserved exactly as you set it. A candidate you manually shortlisted before re-triage remains shortlisted after it — even if their score would now place them in the Maybe or Skip band under the new threshold.
Example use case
You scored 40 candidates at threshold 50, and Auto-triage shortlisted 8 of them. After reviewing the Maybe band you realise the bar should be 45 — there are strong candidates in the 45–49 range that Auto-triage missed. Click Re-triage with the slider at 45: HireSalt re-bands all 40 candidates instantly. Your 8 manually-curated shortlist entries are untouched. You can now see which candidates fall into the expanded Strong band and shortlist them manually or run Re-triage with Auto-triage enabled for the next batch.
See also: How AI Scoring Works — Shortlisting Candidates — Reading the Analytics Dashboard