Introducing Winston Chatbot

Winston Chat offers key functionalities tailored to the needs of both candidates and recruiters:

• Job Search and Application Support - Candidates can interact with Winston Chat to search for job opportunities, submit applications, and receive guidance throughout the application process. Winston Chat uses advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) to understand user intent and provide accurate and relevant responses. It embraces human-like empathy to facilitate job discovery and candidate engagement.
• Interview Scheduling - Winston Chat integrates with SmartRecruiters' advanced scheduling capabilities to fully automate the application to interview scheduling journey for candidates. This functionality helps reduce administrative burdens on hiring teams and ensures candidates can easily book interviews at convenient times.
• Automation of Recruitment Tasks - By automating repetitive tasks and responses to questions candidates ask during the hiring process, Winston Chat allows recruiters to focus on connecting with top talent. This includes initial candidate screening through customizable screening and job-specific screening questions and prompts designed to qualify candidates early in the hiring process.

When engaging Winston for the first time, Winston will start the interaction by requesting the candidate's contact details.

If a candidate starts an application in a web browser and exits before submitting, Winston sends a follow-up message via SMS or WhatsApp. This message encourages the candidate to return and complete their application by providing a personalized link that allows them to resume the application exactly where they left off, ensuring a seamless and convenient experience.

When a candidate asks a question, such as inquiring about remote work options, the system dynamically retrieves relevant content from the organization's resources. This could include videos, blog posts, or other materials, presented in an interactive overlay. This instant access to information ensures candidates receive the answers they need promptly.

Built with natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, the system engages in human-like conversations. It understands the candidate's queries and provides intuitive responses, making them feel understood and supported. Furthermore, the system retains context throughout the conversation. For example, if a candidate initially asks about project manager roles in France and then follows up with a question about the UK, the system seamlessly adjusts the results without losing the original context.

The system tailors the application journey with job-specific screening questions that go beyond simple yes/no filtering. It analyzes the candidate's responses to open-ended questions and uses this information to generate a match score, enabling hiring teams to screen candidates at scale efficiently.

Winston Chat re‑engages candidates who abandon an application by sending a follow‑up message via SMS or WhatsApp. The message includes a personalized link that lets candidates return and finish their application exactly where they left off.

Once a candidate completes their application, the system automatically evaluates their fit for the role, analyzing their experience and skills against the job requirements. Based on this assessment, the system determines the best next step, such as progressing the candidate to an interview or requesting additional information. If the candidate is a strong match, the system seamlessly schedules an interview by sending an SMS with available time slots.

The system continues to support candidates even after the interview is scheduled. It can answer questions about how to prepare for the interview, providing clarity and a sense of connection. This ongoing support reduces the volume of repetitive questions recruiters often handle, freeing them to focus on more strategic activities.

Winston Chat follows your SmartRecruiters Application Experience configuration. Required fields must be completed before a candidate can continue; optional fields can be skipped.

• If a field has a Required toggle on, the candidate must provide the information to proceed. Example: If the phone number field is required, the candidate must enter their phone number to proceed through the chat.
• If a field is enabled but not required, it appears as optional, and the candidate can skip it. Example: If résumé upload is optional, the candidate can move forward without uploading a file.
• Information entered in Winston Chat is saved to the candidate’s profile, so your team has a complete record of their application details.

When automation is enabled, candidates who apply via Winston Chat receive a unique self-scheduling link. They can view available interview slots and select the time that works best for them. After scheduling, they receive a confirmation message with the interview details.

Self-scheduling automation and video interview confirmation:

Recruiters can also initiate self-scheduling for specific candidates. The candidate receives the same self-scheduling link and follows the same steps to pick a time. The message matches the automated version.

If a candidate needs to change their interview time, they can use the original self-scheduling link to select a new slot.

Recruiters can create interviews directly in the system when they prefer to preselect times or have internal scheduling requirements. Candidates who applied via Winston Chat (WhatsApp or SMS) receive a notification with all interview details.

Manually scheduled video interview confirmation: