AI-Powered Candidate Screening and Evaluation Workflow Using OpenAI and Airtable

This n8n workflow automates the process of screening and evaluating job candidates using AI. It integrates with Airtable to manage candidate data, leverages OpenAI for resume analysis and question generation, and allows for human review and final decision-making.

What it does

This workflow streamlines the candidate evaluation process through the following steps:

1. Triggers on Airtable Record: The workflow starts when a new record is added or updated in a specified Airtable base, indicating a new candidate application.
2. Extracts Resume Text: It fetches the candidate's resume (presumably stored as a file in Google Drive, though the connection is not fully defined in the JSON, it's a common pattern) and extracts the text content.
3. Generates AI Analysis: The extracted resume text is sent to an OpenAI Chat Model to perform a comprehensive analysis. This analysis likely includes:
   • Summarizing the candidate's qualifications.
   • Identifying key skills and experiences.
   • Assessing suitability for a given role.
   • Generating tailored interview questions.
4. Parses AI Output: A Structured Output Parser processes the AI's response, extracting the relevant data (e.g., summary, skills, questions) into a structured format.
5. Updates Airtable: The AI-generated analysis and interview questions are then written back to the corresponding candidate record in Airtable.
6. Conditional Human Review:
   • If AI Score is High: If the AI evaluation indicates a strong candidate, the workflow sends an email via Gmail to a recruiter or hiring manager, notifying them of the promising candidate and providing the AI analysis for review.
   • If AI Score is Low: If the AI evaluation suggests the candidate is not a good fit, the workflow might send a different notification or mark the candidate for rejection, potentially with an option for manual override.
7. Merges Paths: Both conditional paths eventually merge, allowing for further unified processing if needed (though the current JSON doesn't show subsequent nodes after the merge).

Prerequisites/Requirements

To use this workflow, you will need:

• n8n Instance: A running instance of n8n.
• Airtable Account: With a base and table set up for candidate management (including fields for resume files, AI analysis, and interview questions).
• OpenAI API Key: For the OpenAI Chat Model to perform AI analysis.
• Google Drive Account: (Likely) To store and retrieve candidate resumes.
• Gmail Account: For sending email notifications.

Setup/Usage

1. Import the Workflow: Download the JSON provided and import it into your n8n instance.
2. Configure Credentials:
   • Airtable: Set up your Airtable credential, linking it to your candidate management base.
   • OpenAI: Configure your OpenAI API key credential.
   • Google Drive: Set up your Google Drive credential (if used for resume storage).
   • Gmail: Configure your Gmail credential for sending emails.
3. Customize Nodes:
   • Airtable (Trigger): Select your Airtable Base and Table, and configure it to trigger on new record creation or updates.
   • Google Drive (Read File): Configure this node to read the resume file from Google Drive, referencing the file ID or URL from your Airtable record.
   • Extract from File: Ensure this node is correctly configured to extract text from the resume file format (e.g., PDF, DOCX).
   • OpenAI Chat Model: Adjust the prompt to guide the AI on how to analyze resumes and what information to extract (e.g., "Analyze this resume for a [Job Title] role. Provide a summary, key skills, and 3 relevant interview questions.").
   • Structured Output Parser: Define the schema for the expected JSON output from the OpenAI model to correctly parse the summary, skills, and questions.
   • Edit Fields (Set): Map the parsed AI output to the appropriate fields in your Airtable record.
   • If Node: Configure the conditions based on the AI's evaluation (e.g., an "AI Score" field in Airtable, or a keyword in the AI summary).
   • Gmail: Customize the email content, recipient, and subject for both the "high score" and "low score" branches, including relevant candidate data and AI analysis.
4. Activate the Workflow: Once configured, activate the workflow in n8n.

Now, whenever a new candidate record is added or updated in your Airtable, the workflow will automatically process their resume, generate AI insights, update Airtable, and notify the relevant team members.