Sample shortlist · candidates written by us, real screener output
Customer Support VA
This is what the screening delivers: every candidate scored against the brief, with screening notes, their answers and a graded work sample. These sample candidates were written by us and run through the real screener — the scores and notes are its unedited output.
At a glance
Highest score first. Scores within 2 points are level: when we had the screener read the same two applications again, the gap between them moved by up to 2. A must-have in the brief (below the list) costs 5 points when the application does not show it and 2 when it only partly does.
- Karla D.Goes on to the interviewLevel with Maria S. at 84, with no part more than 2 points apart.84/100
- Maria S.Goes on to the interviewAhead of Joselito R. mainly on the brief: Joselito R. only partly showed "Shopify + Zendesk".84/100
- Joselito R.Goes on to the interview80/100
3 of 3 clear 70, the score an applicant needs to go on to the written interview.
The brief they were screened against
Role: Customer Support VA · Band: $800–1,200/mo
Must-haves: Shopify + Zendesk, strong written English, e-commerce support experience
Scored on 2026-09-23 by the AI screener that grades real applicants: the support-va rubric, run on claude-sonnet-4-6. Nothing below was edited afterwards — including where it went against a candidate. The rubric and weights are published.
Karla D. · 1 of 3
SCREEN 84/100How the 84 adds up · Top ~10%
A bar is as long as its part's weight; the filled share is the score out of 100.
- Graded work sample 35%82
FAQ entries are specific, actionable, and product-grounded; saved replies are warm, concrete, and client-ready with real placeholders.
- Scenario judgment 25%84
Leads with immediate refund and specific ETA, reframes the public-post threat correctly, and escalates the pattern to fulfillment — all sound triage.
- Experience specificity 20%86
Names Zendesk, Recharge, Shopify, Stripe; cites 18% refund-abuse reduction and a specific photo-evidence process they built themselves.
- Written & spoken English 15%83
Phrase 'customers who feel heard rarely post' is precise and register-appropriate; prose throughout is clean, direct, and US-business-ready.
- Salary-band fit 5%100
Asks $1,050 a month, inside the $800–1,200 band.
Must-haves in the brief: 3 of 3 shown
- Shopify + Zendesk — shown
Zendesk + Recharge subscriptions
- strong written English — shown
customers who feel heard rarely post
- e-commerce support experience — shown
2 years team lead for a 6-person support pod at a US skincare DTC brand
The parts, weighted as above, come to 84.
Screening notes
Strongest: Quantified process ownership — the 18% refund-abuse reduction and escalation matrix authorship are specific, decision-level evidence.
Concern: No direct Shopify storefront support example; Shopify is listed as a tool but no ticket or workflow tied to it is described.
Worth asking: What Shopify workflows did they own day-to-day, and how did they handle Recharge subscription churn disputes specifically?
Verdict: A well-evidenced, senior-leaning support candidate whose ask sits comfortably inside the brief's band and whose work product is client-ready.
Experience
5 years total: 2 years team lead for a 6-person support pod at a US skincare DTC brand (Zendesk + Recharge subscriptions), before that 3 years at Sitel on a telecom account. Wrote the escalation matrix and cut refund-abuse losses 18% by tightening the photo-evidence flow.
Tools
Zendesk, Recharge, Shopify, Stripe disputes, Notion, Asana
Scenario answer
Asked: A customer emails: 'This is the second time my order arrived broken. I want a refund AND I'm posting about this everywhere unless someone actually helps me.' Write your reply exactly as you would send it.
Two broken orders means the apology has to come with proof of change, not just a refund. I would refund immediately and say exactly when it lands, offer a replacement shipped with a different packing method, and tell them specifically what we changed so the third box does not break. I would not argue about the public-post threat - customers who feel heard rarely post. Then I would open a ticket with fulfillment with photos from both incidents, because the pattern is the real problem.
Work sample
Asked: Pick any product you know well. Write (1) a 5-entry FAQ for it and (2) two saved-reply templates — one for a shipping delay, one for a refund request. Keep the tone warm and specific.
Chose a coffee-gear brand. FAQ: 1) Grinder arrived with a loose hopper - 2-min fix video linked, or we swap it free within 30 days. 2) How long is shipping? 2-4 business days US, free over $50. 3) Which grind for French press? Coarse, setting 28-32 on our dial - full chart linked. 4) Can I return an opened grinder? Yes, 30 days, no restocking fee if cleaned. 5) Warranty? 2 years, keep your order number handy. DELAY TEMPLATE: Hi {name}, your grinder is 2 days behind at the carrier - new ETA {date}. Coffee on us: code FRESH10. REFUND TEMPLATE: Hi {name}, {amount} is on its way back to your card today, 3-5 business days to post. If the grinder grows on you, keep it and the refund stands - just tell me.
Availability
Full-time, flexible to 9am-1pm EST overlap, can start in 2 weeks
Maria S. · 2 of 3
SCREEN 84/100How the 84 adds up · Top ~10%
A bar is as long as its part's weight; the filled share is the score out of 100.
- Graded work sample 35%82
FAQ entries are specific, actionable, and client-ready; saved-reply templates use merge fields correctly and add a proactive credit gesture.
- Scenario judgment 25%84
Leads with ownership over policy, resolves in one message with confirmation number, flags SKU to ops, and pre-briefs social team — layered judgment.
- Experience specificity 20%85
Four years at TaskUs on a named e-commerce account, 60-80 tickets/day, 96% CSAT across two quarters, SME promotion handling chargebacks — specific and numbered.
- Written & spoken English 15%83
Consistently clean register throughout; phrase 'two breakages suggest a packaging issue, not bad luck' is precise and professional with no errors.
- Salary-band fit 5%100
Asks $950 a month, inside the $800–1,200 band.
Must-haves in the brief: 3 of 3 shown
- Shopify + Zendesk — shown
4 years at TaskUs supporting a US e-commerce account (Shopify + Zendesk)
- strong written English — shown
two breakages suggest a packaging issue, not bad luck
- e-commerce support experience — shown
4 years at TaskUs supporting a US e-commerce account
The parts, weighted as above, come to 84.
Screening notes
Strongest: Experience section is unusually specific — named employer, ticket volume, CSAT figures, SME promotion, and chargeback work all in one answer.
Concern: Scenario answer describes a plan rather than writing the actual reply, so the live drafting skill is inferred, not directly demonstrated.
Worth asking: What was the most complex chargeback dispute they personally resolved, and what was the outcome?
Verdict: A well-evidenced, tool-matched candidate whose ask sits comfortably inside the brief's band and whose work product is close to client-ready.
Experience
4 years at TaskUs supporting a US e-commerce account (Shopify + Zendesk), handled 60-80 tickets/day, top CSAT (96%) two quarters, promoted to SME handling escalations and chargeback disputes. Before that 1 year chat support at Concentrix.
Tools
Zendesk, Shopify, Gorgias, Slack, Notion, Google Sheets
Scenario answer
Asked: A customer emails: 'This is the second time my order arrived broken. I want a refund AND I'm posting about this everywhere unless someone actually helps me.' Write your reply exactly as you would send it.
First, I would respond within the hour and lead with ownership, not policy: apologize specifically for a second broken order, confirm the refund is processed today, and give them the confirmation number in the same message. Then I would offer a replacement at no cost shipped with extra padding plus a small credit, and flag the SKU to the ops team since two breakages suggest a packaging issue, not bad luck. I would also leave an internal note so if they post publicly, the social team has full context and the resolution is already done.
Work sample
Asked: Pick any product you know well. Write (1) a 5-entry FAQ for it and (2) two saved-reply templates — one for a shipping delay, one for a refund request. Keep the tone warm and specific.
FAQ for a ceramic mug brand: 1) How long does shipping take? 3-5 business days US, tracked. 2) My mug arrived broken - we replace free within 48h, photo optional. 3) Is it dishwasher safe? Yes, top rack; handwash extends the glaze. 4) Can I change my address after ordering? Within 2 hours via the link in your confirmation email. 5) Do you ship internationally? Yes, 25 countries, duties shown at checkout. TEMPLATE shipping delay: Hi {name}, your order {id} left our warehouse but the carrier is running 2 days behind. New ETA {date}. We have added a $5 credit for the wait - no action needed. TEMPLATE refund: Hi {name}, your refund of {amount} was issued today to your original payment method; banks post it in 3-5 days. Anything else I can fix, just reply.
Availability
Full-time, 9am-6pm US Eastern (9pm-6am PHT while the US is on daylight time, 10pm-7am in winter), can start in two weeks
Joselito R. · 3 of 3
SCREEN 80/100How the 80 adds up · Top ~10%
A bar is as long as its part's weight; the filled share is the score out of 100.
- Graded work sample 35%82
FAQ entries are specific, actionable, and warm; saved replies include variables, a concrete gesture, and a keep-the-item line a client could send today.
- Scenario judgment 25%84
Leads with refund plus reference number, adds unrequested credit, then flags packaging thread and routes future replies to self — layered, operational thinking.
- Experience specificity 20%78
Names Gorgias, Shopify Payments disputes, ~50 tickets/day, and a macro library the team still uses — real specifics, though no outcome metrics beyond volume.
- Written & spoken English 15%81
Consistently clean register throughout; the refund template phrase 'The item is yours to keep or gift' is polished, client-ready copy with no errors.
- Salary-band fit 5%100
Asks $900 a month, inside the $800–1,200 band.
Must-haves in the brief: 2 of 3 shown, 1 partly
- Shopify + Zendesk — partly shown (−2)
Gorgias, Shopify, PayPal disputes
- strong written English — shown
Hi {name}, done - {amount} refunded today, your bank will post it in 3-5 days. The item is yours to keep or gift.
- e-commerce support experience — shown
3 years with a US home-goods Shopify brand via an agency: owned the shared inbox (Gorgias), ~50 tickets/day
The parts, weighted as above, come to 82; must-haves not fully shown cost 2, so 80.
Screening notes
Strongest: Scenario answer shows layered operational thinking — immediate resolution, proactive credit, internal tagging, and VIP routing in one answer.
Concern: Zendesk is absent from the tools list; the brief requires Shopify + Zendesk, and Gorgias, while comparable, is not Zendesk.
Worth asking: Has the candidate used Zendesk at all, even briefly, or only Gorgias? What did the macro library cover and how many macros?
Verdict: A well-evidenced, operationally sharp candidate whose only meaningful gap against the brief is the absence of Zendesk experience; ask is comfortably inside the band.
Experience
3 years with a US home-goods Shopify brand via an agency: owned the shared inbox (Gorgias), ~50 tickets/day, wrote the macro library the team still uses, handled PayPal and Shopify Payments disputes end to end. Started in chat support at Alorica.
Tools
Gorgias, Shopify, PayPal disputes, Slack, Loom
Scenario answer
Asked: A customer emails: 'This is the second time my order arrived broken. I want a refund AND I'm posting about this everywhere unless someone actually helps me.' Write your reply exactly as you would send it.
I would reply fast and specific: apologize for the repeat breakage, process the refund immediately and say so with the reference number, then offer a free replacement with reinforced packaging if they are open to it. I would add a $10 store credit without being asked. Internally I would tag the order photos to the packaging issue thread because two breakages on one address usually means carrier or box, and flag the account VIP so any reply from them routes to me first.
Work sample
Asked: Pick any product you know well. Write (1) a 5-entry FAQ for it and (2) two saved-reply templates — one for a shipping delay, one for a refund request. Keep the tone warm and specific.
FAQ for a candle brand: 1) When will my order ship? Within 2 business days, tracking by email. 2) My candle arrived cracked - send a photo, replacement ships in 48h, no return needed. 3) How do I remove wax from the jar? Freeze 2 hours, pop with a butter knife, wash warm. 4) Do you offer wholesale? Yes, 24+ units, reply WHOLESALE for the sheet. 5) Are your candles pet safe? Soy wax and phthalate-free oils, but keep burning candles away from pets. DELAY TEMPLATE: Hi {name}, quick heads up - your order {id} is running about 2 days late at the carrier. New ETA {date}. Here is 10% off your next order for the trouble. REFUND TEMPLATE: Hi {name}, done - {amount} refunded today, your bank will post it in 3-5 days. The item is yours to keep or gift. Anything else, just reply to me directly.
Availability
Full-time, 8pm-5am PHT for EST overlap, two weeks notice
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