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Quick answer
List only job-related must-haves and the instructions in your post, such as a code word or answering one question. Have the AI check each application against those, quote the evidence, and sort into meets, missing info and does not meet. You read every shortlisted application and make every decision.
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At a glance
All outcome figures are estimates from cited sources, not independent verification by us.
- What it is allowed to do
- Read-only
Only reads, researches, or summarizes. It never drafts outbound content or changes anything.
- Time saved (estimate)
- About 1 to 2 hours per hiring round.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Tools needed
- Claude, ChatGPT
- Typical cost
- File uploads may need a paid plan. Prices: Not stated in sources.
Reviewed Nov 2, 2026
Basis (estimate): Estimate only: based on the steps above, not timed.
What does this setup do?
Check a pile of job applications against the instructions and must-haves in your post, with quoted evidence, so you read a shortlist instead of every application.
Who is it for?
Small business owners hiring for one role who get dozens of applications at once.
How do you set it up?
Tools
- Claude or ChatGPT with file upload
- Your job post
- The applications, with contact details removed if you can
Steps
- Write 3 to 5 must-haves that are about the job only: a license, availability, a skill, and any instruction from the post.
- Leave out anything about age, family, health, nationality or other personal traits. The AI should never see or score those.
- Upload the applications and run the prompt below. Anthropic says you can upload files to Claude for analysis.
- Read every application in MEETS and MISSING INFO yourself. Spot-check a few in DOES NOT MEET.
- You decide who gets an interview. The AI only sorts and quotes evidence.
- Keep the must-haves list with your hiring records.
Example output
Illustrative. Your results will differ.
- J.R.: license YES ('Class C license'), weekends YES, question YES: MEETS
- A.T.: license NOT STATED, weekends YES, question YES: MISSING INFO
- M.K.: question NO: DOES NOT MEET
Where to paste this prompt
Claude → Project knowledge & custom instructions
Copy-paste prompt
Adapt bracketed fields to your situation.
Check these job applications against my must-haves only. Use only what each application says.
Job post: [PASTE]
Must-haves (job-related only): [LIST, e.g. valid driver's license; weekends available; answered the question in the post]
For each applicant (use their initials only):
- each must-have: YES (quote the evidence), NO, or NOT STATED
- overall: MEETS, MISSING INFO, or DOES NOT MEET
Do not rank, score or comment on anything outside my must-haves. Do not guess.Newsletter
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What usually goes wrong?
Where agents tend to stall on this job. More patterns in Where AI gets stuck.
- Letting the AI rank people on vague things like culture fit.
- Rejecting MISSING INFO applicants without asking.
- Pasting full personal details when initials would do.
Which chat tools work with this prompt?
Paste the prompt into any of these assistants (free or paid tiers).
- Claude
- ChatGPT
Common questions
- Can AI screen job applications?
- It can check applications against job-related must-haves and quote evidence. You read the shortlist and make every decision.
- What should it never consider?
- Anything about personal traits such as age, family, health or nationality. Give it job-related must-haves only.
- What about applicants with missing information?
- Ask them a short follow-up question instead of rejecting them.
What tips make it smoother?
- An instruction in the post, such as answering one question, quickly shows who read it.
- NOT STATED is not NO; a short follow-up question often settles it.
- Keep the must-haves the same for everyone in a round.
Where do the claims come from?
Summaries use public sources linked below, not independent verification. How setups are picked.
- Read Anthropic’s write-up (support.claude.com)
Anthropic: Create and edit files with Claude: Excel spreadsheets with working formulas; upload CSV and other files for analysis (read 2026-11-02 from a search result excerpt of the page)
- Read Anthropic’s write-up (support.claude.com)
Anthropic: What are projects: project knowledge and instructions; RAG mode when project knowledge approaches context limits (read 2026-11-02 from a search result excerpt of the page)
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