Use this guide to decide where an instruction belongs and write it so Aria can apply it consistently.
Choose the right place for the instruction
Use the narrowest scope that matches the rule:
Scope | Use it for |
Organization settings | Defaults that should apply across nearly every job |
Job-stage settings | Requirements for a particular job and interview stage |
Aria chat | A one-time instruction or candidate-specific exception |
Examples:
Organization: “Avoid scheduling final-round interviews on Fridays.”
Job stage: “For the Backend Engineer system design interview, use Jamie before Taylor when both are available.”
Chat: “For this candidate, Tuesday afternoon is more important than keeping the panel contiguous.”
If you repeat the same correction across candidates, it probably belongs in Aria settings. If it applies only to the current candidate, keep it in the conversation.
How organization and job-stage settings work together
Organization settings provide the default. In a job’s Aria settings, you can expand each interview stage and override individual fields.
A linked field is inheriting the organization setting. Once you enter a stage-specific value, that value replaces the organization value for that field—it is not added to the organization text.
If an organization rule should continue to apply, include it in the stage override too:
Avoid final-round interviews on Fridays. For this stage, also schedule Morgan and Casey together. If no compliant time is available, ask the coordinator before proceeding.
Reset the field to restore organization-level inheritance.
Use this instruction framework
Strong instructions usually contain five parts:
Situation: When does the instruction apply?
Direction: What should Aria do?
Priority: Is this required or preferred?
Fallback: What should Aria try next?
Escalation: When should Aria ask a person to decide?
A useful default shape is:
When [situation], [required or preferred action]. If that is not possible, [fallback]. Ask the coordinator before [boundary that requires a decision].
For example:
For onsite panels, prefer a contiguous schedule between 9am and 4pm in the candidate’s timezone. If a contiguous schedule is not available, allow one break of up to 60 minutes. Ask the coordinator before scheduling outside those hours.
Distinguish requirements from preferences
Use deliberate language so Aria knows how much flexibility it has.
Requirements: “must,” “never,” “only,” or “do not”
Preferences: “prefer,” “when possible,” or “use as a fallback”
Compare:
Schedule onsite interviews in the morning.
With:
Prefer onsite interviews before noon in the candidate’s timezone. Afternoon interviews are acceptable when no conflict-free morning schedule is available.
The second version tells Aria both the preference and what to do when it cannot be satisfied.
Be concrete
Name the specific condition, person, role, location, or limit that matters.
Too vague
Choose a good backup interviewer.
Better
For the Technical Screen, use Jamie as the first backup interviewer and Taylor as the second. Do not use interviewers who are still in training.
Too vague
Use an appropriate conference room.
Better
For New York onsite panels, use rooms on floors 3 or 4. Never book the Wellness Room. If no compliant room is available, ask the coordinator before releasing the schedule.
Avoid instructions such as “schedule efficiently” or “use the best option.” Aria already tries to optimize the schedule; it needs the organization-specific definition of what “best” means.
Keep instructions easy to evaluate
Write one rule per line when several rules apply, and put the most important rule first.
For example:
The candidate’s submitted availability is a requirement.
Prefer a contiguous panel.
Keep the panel between 9am and 4pm in the candidate’s timezone.
Allow one break of up to 60 minutes if a contiguous panel is not available.
Ask the coordinator before scheduling outside these boundaries.
This makes conflicts between requirements easier to identify and resolve.
Organization-level instruction examples
Organization settings work best for stable operating standards.
Scheduling requirements
Prefer interviews between 9am and 4pm in the candidate’s timezone. Avoid final-round interviews on Fridays. Ask the coordinator if candidate availability only permits a Friday.
Conference room selection
For onsite panels, use rooms in the same building as the interviewers whenever possible. Never book the Wellness Room. If no room satisfying the video-conferencing requirements is available, ask the coordinator.
Candidate communication
Keep availability requests concise and warm. State the candidate’s next step in the first paragraph. Do not mention interviewer conflicts or internal scheduling constraints.
Job-stage instruction examples
Use job-stage settings when a rule applies only to a role or part of its interview process.
Technical screen
Priya is the required interviewer for this stage. If Priya cannot meet within five business days, use Morgan. Ask the coordinator before using anyone else.
Onsite panel
Schedule System Design before Cross-functional Collaboration. Prefer a contiguous panel, but allow a lunch break between 11:30am and 1:30pm.
Executive interview
Do not replace the assigned executive automatically. If the executive is unavailable during the candidate’s submitted availability, ask the coordinator for direction.
What not to save as an instruction
Keep these in the Aria conversation instead:
Candidate-specific preferences or accommodations
A temporary exception to an organization rule
A constraint that applies to only one scheduling request
A decision that depends on information not yet available
Do not duplicate information already captured in structured Guide settings, such as interview duration or interviewer requirements, unless the instruction explains an additional decision Aria must make.
Review instructions before rollout
Before saving an instruction, check:
Is it true for every candidate in this scope?
Does it distinguish a requirement from a preference?
Does it explain what to do when the preferred outcome is unavailable?
Are people, locations, stages, and timezones unambiguous?
Does it say when Aria should ask for a decision?
For a stage override, does it include any organization rules that must still apply?
Start with a small number of high-impact instructions. Review Aria’s proposed schedules, turn repeated corrections into settings, and remove instructions that no longer match the team’s process.