Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is Pier?

Pier is an AI-powered interviewing platform that conducts natural voice conversations with candidates. Our AI interviewers (like Malia) screen applicants, ask relevant questions based on job requirements, and provide detailed structured-interview analysis reports to help you make better hiring decisions faster.

How does Pier conduct interviews?

Pier’s AI interviewers use advanced conversational AI to have natural, phone-like discussions with candidates. The AI adapts questions based on responses, follows up on interesting points, and maintains a professional yet friendly tone throughout the conversation. Each interview is recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using validated Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychology methods.

How long does a typical interview take?

Most Pier interviews last between 10-20 minutes, depending on the role complexity and conversation flow. The AI adapts to each candidate, spending more time on qualified individuals while efficiently screening out poor fits.

Integration & Setup

Can Pier integrate with our existing ATS?

Yes! Pier integrates seamlessly with popular Applicant Tracking Systems including Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, and more. We can automatically pull candidate information and push interview results back to your ATS.

How quickly can we get started?

Most teams are up and running within 24-48 hours. The setup process involves:

Connecting your ATS
Defining role requirements and screening questions
Testing with sample candidates

Our team guides you through every step.

What types of roles work best with Pier?

Pier excels at screening for most professional roles including sales, customer success, engineering, marketing, and operations positions. Our platform is particularly effective for high-volume hiring and roles with clear qualification criteria. We can customize the interview approach for specialized positions.

Accuracy & Performance

How accurate is Pier’s candidate assessment?

Pier identifies qualified candidates with 90%+ accuracy. The platform uses structured I/O psychology methods with role-specific competencies and behavioral anchors to evaluate responses consistently. You always have full control over final hiring decisions with access to complete interview transcripts, recordings, and detailed analysis reports.

What assessment methodology does Pier use?

Pier follows established Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychology practices for structured employment interviews. See our Interview Analysis Guide for a complete explanation of our methodology, scoring framework, and how to interpret reports.

Does Pier anonymize names? Are names used as an input into the scoring and ranking of candidates?

No—candidate names play no role in how Pier evaluates or ranks applicants. Our analysis is based entirely on the content of the conversation, using structured interview methods that look only at what a candidate says, not who they are. Names are not used in the evaluation process or scoring logic. To understand exactly how our scoring and analysis work, see our Interview Analysis Guide.

What languages does Pier support?

Pier currently supports English interviews with natural conversation capabilities. We’re actively developing support for additional languages. Contact us if you have specific language requirements.

How robust is the system for understanding regional English accents?

Pier is built to reliably understand a wide range of regional and international English accents. Our speech-to-text technology and data pipelines are designed to provide accurate transcription across diverse English dialects. While no system is perfect, customers can expect consistently strong performance and a smooth interview experience.

What happens if a candidate has technical difficulties?

Pier is designed to handle common technical issues gracefully. If a candidate experiences problems, they can restart the interview or contact your team directly. We also provide backup contact methods and support to ensure no candidate is lost due to technical issues.

Customization

Can we customize interview questions and assessment criteria?

Absolutely! You have full control over the questions asked, the competencies assessed, and the scoring anchors used. For highest validity, you can provide your own job-analysis-derived competencies and interview guides. Our team works with you to tailor the platform’s approach to your specific needs and company culture.

What kind of reporting and analytics does Pier provide?

Pier provides comprehensive interview analysis reports including competency assessments, per-question scores with rationales, interview quality analysis, and actionable next steps. See our Interview Analysis Guide for details on what reports contain and how to interpret them.

Privacy & Compliance

Yes, Pier implements GDPR-inspired data protection principles and follows SOC 2-aligned security controls. We take data privacy seriously and ensure all candidate information is encrypted, securely stored, and processed according to enterprise compliance standards. See our Data & Security Guide for complete details on our security practices.

How does Pier handle sensitive candidate information?

Pier focuses on job-relevant qualifications only. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest with strict access controls. For complete details on data protection, encryption, access control, and compliance, see our Data & Security Guide.

Can candidates tell they’re speaking with an AI?

Yes, we believe in transparency. Candidates are informed upfront that they’ll be speaking with an AI interviewer. Our research shows that candidates appreciate the immediate availability, consistency, and efficiency of AI screening when it’s clearly communicated.

Pricing

How much does Pier cost?

Pricing is customized based on your hiring volume and needs. Our analysis reports typically save 4-6 hours of manual evaluation time per interview, delivering ROI quickly. Schedule a demo to discuss pricing that works for your organization.

Still have questions?

We’re here to help! Schedule a demo with our team to get personalized answers to your questions.