Using HireQ as a candidate.

Audience: Job seekers using HireQ
Portal: after you sign in you land on /candidate
Last updated: 2026-10-01 (beta)
Online: www.hireq.ca/guides/candidate.html · Version française

This guide describes what the product does today in the unified portal (portal/). It is not a wish list. New to HireQ? Read the Quick Guide first for how HireQ differs from a job board. Recruiter steps: Recruiter guide. Admin configuration: Super admin guide.

Beta notice. HireQ is in a public beta. Payments run in Stripe test mode: no real money is charged, and any purchase you make is for testing only. Features may change, and we may ask for feedback.

Contents

1. How HireQ works for you
2. Create your account
3. Signing in, passwords, and two-factor authentication
4. What you see after login
5. Recommended first session
6. Profile
7. Profile assistant and skill validation
8. Text, audio, or video — and recordings
9. Resumes
10. Jobs, saved jobs, and applying
11. Dashboard: two different match lists
12. My Applications and offers
13. Interviews (two different things)
14. Resume Services
15. Settings, privacy, and policy updates
16. What HireQ will not do
17. If something fails

1. How HireQ works for you

On a typical job board you upload a resume, apply, and hope a recruiter reads it. HireQ works differently:

• You show evidence, not just keywords. A short AI conversation (the Profile assistant) fills in your profile, and optional skill validation asks a few questions per skill and scores your answers from 1 to 10.
• Jobs can come to you. When a recruiter's confirmed requirements match your validated skills, HireQ can present an opportunity to you. You decide whether to go further.
• You consent first. A job-specific AI assessment only starts after you agree, and you choose text, audio, or video.
• People decide. The AI asks questions, scores answers, and explains matches. It never hires or rejects anyone. Recruiters move your application.

2. Create your account

1. Open the portal and choose Create account.
2. Select Candidate (job seeker).
3. Enter your full name and email.
4. Tick I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy (links open the current versions). HireQ records the versions you accepted. You cannot register without accepting.
5. Submit. You cannot sign in yet.
6. Open the HireQ email and use the link to set your password (see the rules in §3).
7. Return to the sign-in page and log in.

Mail comes from HireQ (the address your deployment uses, for example hello@hireq.ca). Hiring messages (applications, interviews, matches) may also show the company logo next to HireQ.

3. Signing in, passwords, and two-factor authentication

3.1 Password rules

Every password you set (from the setup email, a reset link, or Settings) must:

• be at least 10 characters,
• not be only numbers, and
• not be your email address (or the part before the @).

The portal shows this hint under password fields and tells you if a password is rejected.

3.2 Signing in

1. Enter email and password, then Sign in.
2. If you turned on two-factor authentication, HireQ shows Enter the code from your authenticator app and an Authenticator code field. Type the 6-digit code from your app and sign in again.

Too many attempts in a minute show Rate limit exceeded. Wait a minute and try again.

3.3 Forgot password

Use Forgot password? on the sign-in page. HireQ emails a reset link. Each link works once and expires after a set time; request a new one if it has expired.

3.4 Two-factor authentication (optional, recommended)

2FA adds a 6-digit code from an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, 1Password, or similar) to every sign-in.

Turn it on: Settings → Security → Authenticator app (2FA)

1. Click Set up 2FA. HireQ shows a secret key (and an Open in authenticator app link on phones).
2. Add the key to your authenticator app.
3. Type the 6-digit code the app shows and click Turn on 2FA. Status changes to On.

Turn it off: in the same card, enter your current password and a current code, then click Turn off 2FA.

Lost your phone? There are no recovery codes yet. Contact HireQ support; after confirming your identity, support can reset 2FA on your account.

4. What you see after login

URL pattern: /candidate or /candidate?section=<id>.

Also in the shell:

• Profile Strength % in the sidebar (from the completion checklist)
• Improve profile → Profile
• Top search → jumps to Jobs with that keyword
• Bell → notification inbox (mark read / mark all)
• English / French toggle in the top bar

There is no light/dark theme control. You do not need to buy anything to apply to jobs.

5. Recommended first session (about 20–30 minutes)

Do this in order. Matching and applications work better after it.

1. Profile — save Full name, Location, and Phone (required before the Profile assistant starts).
2. Resumes — upload a PDF or Word resume. HireQ extracts skills and profile fields when it can.
3. Click Continue in Profile assistant (or open Profile assistant in the sidebar).
4. Pick Text, Audio, or Video, then start. Answer the assistant. You can pause and come back.
5. Add or confirm skills, then use Skill validation on the Profile assistant page for the skills that matter most.
6. On Dashboard, clear Finish setting up your profile items.
7. Browse Jobs, or check Matching report / Recommended jobs on the Dashboard.
8. Optional: Settings → Security → turn on 2FA.

6. Profile

Profile is what recruiters see when you apply, when you accept an opportunity, or when they use paid Candidate Search.

6.1 Photo and basics

• Photo: JPG, PNG, GIF, or WEBP, max 5 MB
• Full name, headline, location, phone, summary
• Save on that card

Only full name, location, and phone are required before the Profile assistant can start. Headline and photo are optional.

6.2 Career goals

• Jobs you are looking for
• Related work experience
• Work location and availability
• Certificates, licences, training, or work samples

6.3 Languages, education, certifications

Add or remove rows. Education dates use month/year (YYYY or MM/YYYY). Certifications use a date picker where shown.

6.4 Work history

Company, title, start/end dates, current role checkbox, description. Add role, edit, or remove.

6.5 Skills

• Search the shared skill dictionary or type a new skill name
• Proficiency: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Expert (stored as levels 3 / 6 / 8 / 10)
• Optional years used and a short description
• Recruiters see the skill name and description, not a raw score on the profile card

Skills become claims used in matching. Skill validation can raise or lower the scored level used in evidence matching.

6.6 Completion checklist (Dashboard)

"Finish setting up your profile" follows the rules HireQ's admins set. Typical items:

Headline is not on this checklist. Skill validation is not required to complete the checklist, but it strongly improves matching.

7. Profile assistant and skill validation

Sidebar label: Profile assistant. This is an AI conversation about your profile, not a job interview.

7.1 Before you start

If full name, location, or phone is missing, you see Finish your basic details first with a link back to Profile.

7.2 Session flow

1. The completeness card shows how many required sections are done.
2. Start interview or Continue interview.
3. Choose Text, Audio, or Video (see §8).
4. Answer prompts (summary, career goals, work history, skills, languages, education, certifications). Say you have none when a section does not apply.
5. Close the session dialog to pause; use Continue later.
6. When finished: Review interview and/or View Profile.

The assistant does not collect name, phone, or location from chat — those stay on Profile.

If the first reply is slow, wait; the AI can take longer on the first turn. If the AI is unavailable or busy (HireQ caps daily AI use during the beta), the assistant switches to simpler built-in questions so you can keep going.

7.3 Skill validation (same page)

Appears only after you have at least one skill.

1. Open a skill row → Validate or Continue interview.
2. Choose Text, Audio, or Video.
3. Answer a few short questions about that skill (typically up to five).
4. HireQ scores your answers and sets a proficiency level from 1 to 10 used in matching.

Status badges: Not started / In progress / Validated. You can re-run validation.

A HireQ admin, or a recruiter with trust insights, can override a skill score, but only with a written reason that is recorded in an audit log.

8. Text, audio, or video — and recordings

Every AI conversation (Profile assistant, skill validation, job assessment) starts with a choice:

While audio or video is recording, the room shows a Recording badge.

About recordings:

• Recordings are stored privately and played only through short-lived links. Who can play them: you; the hiring team for the job (job assessments); recruiters who have paid Candidate Search access (Profile assistant and skill-validation sessions); and HireQ admins.
• Recordings are deleted automatically 180 days after the assessment ends. The transcript and scores stay with your profile.
• Audio/video needs microphone (and camera) permission in your browser and works best on a stable connection. If it fails, choose Text; you lose nothing by doing so.
• During the beta, audio/video may be switched off. If starting one shows an error, use Text.

See the Privacy Policy for details.

9. Resumes

• Upload .pdf, .doc, or .docx.
• After upload: a message offers Continue in Profile assistant / Review profile.
• Set primary on the file to send with applications. Apply always sends the primary resume.
• Download or delete as needed.

The AI resume draft under Resume Services (§14) becomes primary only when you approve it.

10. Jobs, saved jobs, and applying

Jobs lists published openings. Filters: keywords, location, job type, work model (on-site / hybrid / remote).

On a card: Details, Save / Unsave, Apply (disabled if you already applied).

Apply

1. You must have a primary resume. If not, HireQ sends you to Resumes.
2. Write a cover message (required) in the Apply to Job window.
3. Submit Application. You cannot apply twice to the same job.

Withdraw from My Applications. Saved Jobs is your bookmark list (Unsave / Apply).

11. Dashboard: two different match lists

11.1 Matching report (evidence matches)

• Compares your validated skill claims with jobs whose recruiters confirmed hiring requirements.
• Summary badges: total / recommended / needs review / insufficient evidence.
• Each row shows the job, suitability %, fit %, evidence %, a plain-language explanation, a recommendation badge, and any opportunity/consent status.
• Refresh matches recalculates after you finish validation or a recruiter publishes a role.

What the numbers mean:

"Insufficient evidence" does not mean you are unsuitable; it means HireQ needs more evidence. Run skill validation for the job's key skills.

An empty report usually means you need more validated skills, and there must be published jobs with confirmed requirements.

11.2 Recommended jobs (skill fits)

• Based on overlap between your listed skills and skills on the job posting.
• Simpler than the Matching report and not the same thing.
• Cards show an approximate match %, then Details / Save / Apply.

12. My Applications and offers

Table: Job, Company, Status, Applied date → Details / Withdraw.

Statuses include: submitted, reviewed, shortlisted, offered, hired, withdrawn, rejected. Only the recruiter changes these; the AI never does.

Details — your cover message and interview history. Withdraw — stops the application; related scheduled interviews are cancelled.

Job offers

If a recruiter sends an offer, a card appears at the top of My Applications with any salary/compensation text. While pending: Accept or Decline. Accepting moves the application to hired; declining returns it to shortlisted.

13. Interviews (two different things)

A. Recruiter-scheduled interview (calendar)

A recruiter picked a time and may add a location or video link. You get a notification and usually an email with a calendar (.ics) file.

On Interviews: Accept or Decline, then attend using the location/link provided. HireQ does not create Zoom or Meet links; the link is whatever the recruiter entered.

B. Matched opportunity → AI job assessment

When your evidence strongly matches a job, HireQ may present an opportunity to you (sometimes automatically). You stay in control:

1. Review the opportunity card (title, location/work model, explanation, fit / evidence).
2. Continue to assessment → give consent and pick Text / Audio / Video, or Decline.
3. Complete the job-specific assessment (you can pause and resume).
4. The recruiter reviews the transcript, scores, and any recording, then decides next steps by hand.

Presenting an opportunity is not an application or an offer. Declining has no penalty.

14. Resume Services

AI resume draft

1. Generate from my profile (uses your validated profile evidence).
2. Read the draft.
3. Approve as primary resume — only then does it become your primary file.

Paid catalog (test mode during beta)

If HireQ lists one-time services, you can Purchase through Stripe checkout. During the beta Stripe is in test mode: use the test card 4242 4242 4242 4242 with any future expiry date and any CVC. No money is charged. Monthly candidate plans are not offered.

Payment history lists amount, currency, and status. After checkout you return to /candidate and the purchase shows as active.

15. Settings, privacy, and policy updates

Tabs: Account | Security | Privacy.

• Account — the email you signed in with.
• Security — change password (current + new, following §3.1), Send password reset link, and the Authenticator app (2FA) card (§3.4).
• Privacy — Export my data downloads hireq-data-export.json. Delete account asks for confirmation, signs you out, and removes or de-identifies your profile. Some records (for example applications an employer already received, and audit entries) may be kept in de-identified form where the law allows.

Updated Terms or Privacy Policy

When HireQ publishes new versions, the next time you open your workspace a window titled We updated our Terms and Privacy Policy appears. Read the linked versions, tick I have read and accept…, and click Accept and continue. You cannot use the workspace until you accept. If you do not agree, contact support to close your account.

16. What HireQ will not do

• Auto-apply to jobs
• Guarantee interviews or hires
• Let AI reject or hire you without a person deciding
• Put a live recruiter in the AI interview room (they review recordings later)
• Provide in-app chat with recruiters
• Require a paid service before you can apply
• Charge real money during the beta

17. If something fails