Your startup has no HR manager. But it does have you, and you have twenty more important things to do than spend an hour on a call with a candidate who isn't the right fit.
The problem is that a bad hire into a small team is a disaster. One person with poor soft skills can destroy an atmosphere you spent months building. So screening is necessary — but it shouldn't cost you time.
The solution is simple: ask the right questions before the call, not during it.
Why Standard Questions Don't Work
"Tell me about yourself", "Why do you want to work here", "Where do you see yourself in five years?" — candidates prepare for these questions in advance. You get rehearsed answers, not a real picture of the person.
You need questions that are harder to prepare for. Questions that reveal values, not presentation skills.
5 Questions That Show You the Real Person
Question 1 — The Priorities Test (comparative)
"What's worse for you in a team: missing deadlines but delivering a perfect product — or delivering on time but with minor bugs?"
There's no right answer. But there's an answer compatible with how your team works. If your culture is "ship fast, fix later" — a toxic perfectionist will destroy the rhythm. If your product depends on reputation — "just get it out the door" will be a catastrophe.
Question 2 — The Objectivity Test (bipolar)
"Give me 3 pros and 3 cons of remote work"
If someone can't find any cons — they're either inexperienced or telling you what they think you want to hear. If they can't find any pros — they'll likely suffer on a remote team and drag others down with them. You need someone who sees reality without filters.
Question 3 — The Values Test (projective)
"What holds people back from taking on more responsibility at work?"
The question sounds like it's about "other people", but the person unconsciously answers about themselves. Those who cite fear of failure, bureaucracy, or lack of authority will show exactly that behavior. Those who say "people just aren't interested" are likely passive themselves. Those who answer "nothing, if there's trust" usually actually take initiative.
Question 4 — The Action Test (situational)
"A new employee has joined your department. How do you introduce yourself to them?"
A simple question, but it instantly separates people who act proactively from those who wait to be invited. In a small team, that difference is critical.
Question 5 — The Experience Test (behavioral, STAR)
"Tell me about a conflict with a colleague. How did you resolve it?"
Listen not just to the outcome — listen to how the person describes the situation. Do they take any responsibility? Or do they tell a story where they're always right, and everyone else is wrong? In a startup with no HR to mediate conflicts, people need to handle that themselves.
Automation: Let the Bot Do the First Round for You
The five questions above are your filter. Now you need candidates to answer them before you spend a single minute of your time.
The tool for this is the Telegram bot @moreformbot. It lets you create a screening form inside the messenger: the candidate answers questions in a conversational chat, and you receive structured responses plus their contact — no call needed.
No registrations, no complicated interface — just a Telegram form the candidate completes in 5 minutes.
How to set it up in 15 minutes:
- Launch @moreformbot and create a new form
Click on “Create form” button to create a new form
- Add a welcome screen — one or two sentences about the role and what comes next
Click on “Add welcome page” or select welcome page by clicking plus button and selecting the “Welcome block” type
Configure it
- Create a separate page for each of the five questions
Select “Text” type
Configure it (Write questions from the post)
- Add a page requesting the Telegram contact (the candidate shares it with one tap)
Click on plus button and select “Contact” type
Select “Telegram” subtype
Configure it
- Close with a thank-you screen and a note on when they can expect to hear back
Select “Ending block” in plus select
Configure it
- Publish and share the form
Click on “Publish” button on top right corner of the form page, and confirm it by clicking it again in dialog
Copy the link and share it with interviewee
What you get: instead of ten one-hour calls, ten completed forms with answers to the key questions. You read them at your convenience and only call the three people who already passed the first filter.
Hiring isn't about talking to everyone. It's about finding the right person quickly. The right questions upfront save you weeks.
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