15-Minute BCBA Screening Interview: Questions, Script, and Scoring Rubric

Hiring a Board Certified Behavior Analyst starts with a strong screening strategy. The challenge most clinic owners and hiring managers face is simple: you have fifteen minutes to decide whether a candidate deserves a full interview. That’s not much time to assess clinical competence, supervision experience, ethical reasoning, and likelihood of staying with your organization.

This guide gives you everything you need to run a fair, fast, and repeatable fifteen-minute screen. You’ll find ten to twelve must-ask questions grouped by domain, a minute-by-minute script you can copy into your calendar invite, a one-page scoring rubric, sample answers that show what “good” sounds like, questions candidates should ask you, and templates for next steps.

A quick note before we dive in: a BCBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, a credential earned through graduate training, supervised experience, and a national exam. Screening interviews help you quickly assess fit and safety. They’re not meant to replace a full clinical interview or your own professional judgment.

Top Screening Questions by Domain

Running an effective fifteen-minute screen requires focus. You can’t ask everything, so you need questions that reveal the most about clinical competence, supervision ability, ethical grounding, and operational fit.

The questions below are grouped by domain so you can mix and match based on your role’s priorities. Each includes a suggested time allotment and a brief follow-up prompt to probe deeper without eating into your limited minutes.

Clinical Questions

Clinical competence is the foundation. You want to know whether a candidate can conduct functional assessments, select interventions based on data, and adjust plans when progress stalls.

Question one asks candidates to describe their experience running functional behavior assessments and how they select function-based interventions. Allow about ninety seconds for the initial answer. A good follow-up: ask for one recent example where data changed the treatment plan. This takes about thirty additional seconds and reveals whether the candidate actually uses data or just talks about it.

Question two probes how candidates decide between a full functional analysis and indirect or direct observation methods. Give this about one minute. Follow up by asking which data sources they prioritize. This shows how they think under real clinical constraints.

Question three addresses what happens when a client plateaus. Ask what data-first steps the candidate takes before changing treatment. Allow about one minute, then follow up by asking which measurement they check first. Strong candidates will reference treatment integrity, procedural fidelity, or environmental changes before jumping to protocol revisions.

Supervision Questions

If your role involves supervising Registered Behavior Technicians or BCBA trainees, you need to know whether this candidate can actually develop others. Supervision is where clinical skill meets leadership.

Question four asks candidates to describe their supervision style with RBTs and early-career BCBAs. Give this one minute. Follow up by asking how often they hold one-on-ones and what they typically cover. This reveals structure and consistency.

Question five probes remote supervision. Ask how they ensure treatment integrity when they can’t be physically present. Allow about one minute, then ask for an example of coaching a struggling RBT remotely. Strong candidates mention Behavior Skills Training, video review, or structured feedback protocols.

Question six focuses on documentation. Ask what metrics or documentation they expect supervisees to keep. This takes about one minute. Follow up by asking how they audit or quality-check those metrics. The answer tells you whether they have a system or just hope things go well.

Ethics Questions

Ethics can’t be an afterthought. Include at least one direct ethics question early in your screen. This signals to candidates that your organization takes professional standards seriously.

Question seven asks whether the candidate has faced an ethical dilemma recently and how they resolved it. Allow about one minute. Follow up by asking which BACB principles guided them. Strong candidates name specific code elements rather than speaking in vague generalities.

Question eight addresses confidentiality. Ask how they handle protected health information in phone or video sessions. Give this about one minute. Follow up by asking what they would avoid sharing on a non-secure call. This question also serves as a natural reminder that you won’t be discussing identifiable client information during this screening call.

Systems-Fit and Retention Questions

Skills matter, but so does fit. These questions surface whether someone can work within your operational reality and whether they’re likely to stay.

Question nine asks about typical caseload and billable expectations at prior roles. Allow one minute. Follow up by asking how they balance direct client time with planning and documentation. Unrealistic expectations in either direction are worth exploring further.

Question ten probes technology. Ask which data systems and platforms they use. Give about one minute. Follow up by asking whether they’re comfortable generating reports for payors or schools. This is especially important if your organization uses specific software.

Question eleven is a quick fit check. Ask why they’re interested in this role and your organization. Keep this to thirty to sixty seconds. You’re listening for alignment with your mission and realistic expectations about the position.

For more detailed guidance on structuring your hiring process, see our full hiring playbook on recruiting BCBAs and RBTs. If you’re hiring for school-based positions, review our school BCBA interview questions for role-specific variations.

15-Minute Screening Script Minute by Minute

Having great questions isn’t enough if your screens feel chaotic or run long. A time-boxed script keeps you consistent across candidates, reduces bias, and respects everyone’s time. Below is a word-for-word script you can copy into a calendar invite or use during a phone call.

Sample Timeline

0:00–0:30 | Greeting and purpose statement. Say something like: “Hi, this is [your name] from [your organization]. Thanks for taking this fifteen-minute screen. I’ll ask a few short questions to confirm fit and answer any questions you have. Is now still a good time?”

0:30–0:50 | Consent and privacy housekeeping. For phone screens: “I may take notes. Is it okay if I record for accuracy? I’ll only use it for hiring purposes and won’t record any client-identifying info. You can say no and we’ll proceed.” For video, add a reminder that you won’t discuss identifiable client information on this call.

0:50–1:30 | Quick resume elevator. Say: “Give me a sixty-second elevator summary of your BCBA experience and what you’re looking for next.”

1:30–7:30 | Clinical block. Work through questions one through three from the clinical domain above. Keep prompts tight and use the follow-ups to dig deeper without losing time.

7:30–11:30 | Supervision and ethics. Cover questions four through eight. Score as you go using the rubric below.

11:30–13:30 | Systems-fit and logistics. Handle questions nine through eleven.

13:30–14:30 | Flip the conversation. Ask: “What questions do you have for me? I’ll answer one or two now.”

14:30–15:00 | Close and set next steps. Say: “Thanks. I’ll send a follow-up with next steps within [X] business days. If moving forward, we’ll invite you to a forty-five to sixty minute interview with our panel. Before we finish, do you have any scheduling constraints we should know about?”

Throughout the call, score each domain block immediately after you finish it. Use the rubric below to mark quick scores so decision-making is fast and consistent.

For more on building a complete screening toolkit, see our full screening toolkit resource. You can also review our candidate experience checklist to ensure your process leaves a positive impression.

Scoring Rubric and Red Flags

A scoring rubric removes guesswork and makes it easier to compare candidates fairly. Use a simple one-to-three scale for each domain. Require a short one-sentence justification so you remember why you scored the way you did.

Score of 3 | Exceeds expectations. The candidate gave concise, specific examples showing function-based clinical reasoning, documented supervision structure, ethical decision-making aligned with BACB principles, and practical systems experience.

Score of 2 | Meets expectations. The answer was solid and relevant with some examples. The candidate demonstrates workable baseline competence.

Score of 1 | Below expectations. The answer was incomplete, vague, or incorrect. The candidate lacked concrete examples or raised concerns.

Get quick tips

One practical ABA tip per week.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Score each domain separately: clinical, supervision, ethics, and systems-fit. You can optionally weight clinical and ethics higher if those are priorities for your role.

Decision rules:

• Move forward if the total score is eight or higher out of twelve and there are no must-decline red flags.
• Consider further interview if the score is six to seven or one domain scored a one but no red-flag behaviors appeared.
• Decline if the total score is five or below or any must-decline red flag is present.

Red Flag Examples

Must-decline triggers:

• Evidence of unethical behavior or rationalizing rule-bending, such as suggesting non-supervisory tasks count as supervision hours
• Willingness to share protected health information in unsecured channels
• Repeated inability to describe function-based decision-making
• Clear misrepresentation of credentials or refusal to allow credential verification

Follow-up triggers:

• Caseload expectations that seem unrealistically high without safeguards
• Ambiguous supervision cadence such as “as needed” without a real schedule
• Frequent job changes without reasonable explanations

For more templates and guidance on scoring, see our one-page templates collection and our supervision best practices resource.

What Good Sounds Like: Short Sample Answers

Interviewers often ask how to calibrate expectations. Here are brief examples of strong answers for each domain. These aren’t the only right answers, but they represent the kind of thinking you want to hear.

Examples by Domain

Clinical (selecting function-based interventions): “I start with archival and indirect data, confirm hypotheses with ABC observations, and match replacement behaviors and antecedent strategies to the function. Then I monitor fidelity and outcomes weekly and adjust based on data.”

Supervision (style): “I use weekly structured one-on-ones, observation plus Behavior Skills Training, and a simple quality assurance spreadsheet for treatment integrity so issues are caught early.”

Ethics (dilemma): “A parent asked for private messaging. I explained confidentiality limits, offered secure alternatives, and documented the boundary and rationale per the BACB code.”

Systems-fit (caseload): “I’ve managed eight to ten comprehensive clients with twenty to twenty-five billable hours while keeping time for planning via protected admin blocks.”

Context matters. Use these as calibration tools, not rigid checklists. Verify claims during your full interview and reference checks.

For more on hiring best practices, explore our full recruiting BCBAs and RBTs resource.

Questions Candidates Should Ask Employers

Strong candidates will have questions for you. Prepare for this and use their questions as another signal of fit and professional maturity.

Questions you should be ready to answer honestly:

• What is the typical BCBA caseload and billable expectation? (This determines workload and burnout risk.)
• How many RBTs will I supervise, and what does the supervision structure look like? (This reveals whether supervision is feasible and supported.)
• Is there mentorship or formal onboarding? (This matters especially for newer BCBAs.)
• How does your organization measure treatment quality and outcomes? (This shows clinical priorities.)
• Which data platforms do you use? (This reveals daily workflow realities.)
• What is the RBT turnover rate and typical BCBA tenure? (These are proxies for culture and systems stability.)
• How are ethical concerns reported and resolved? (This signals whether your organization has real transparency.)

Candidate-Facing Quick Tips

Candidates preparing for a short screen should have their resume handy and prepare one concise case example using the STAR format. Avoid sharing protected health information—describe cases in de-identified terms instead. Asking one or two questions at the end shows engagement and professionalism.

For school BCBA roles, candidates should also ask what percentage of the role is direct versus consultative and whether they attend all IEP meetings for students on their caseload. These questions reveal whether the job matches their expectations.

For more employer questions to consider, see our questions to ask employers resource and our school BCBA interview questions guide.

Next Steps and Scheduling Templates

The fifteen-minute screen ends, but your work continues. How you communicate next steps affects candidate experience and your ability to close strong hires.

Move-to-interview template:

Subject: [Organization Name]: Interview Invite for [Job Title]

Body: Thank them for speaking with you. Invite them to a forty-five to sixty minute interview with [named interviewers]. Offer two or three time options with timezone. Specify the format. Attach the job description and panel names.

Decline template:

Subject: Update on your application for [Job Title]

Body: Thank them for their time. Explain you’re moving forward with other candidates whose experience better fits this role. Wish them well.

Scheduling Tips

When offering interview slots, give two options to protect interviewer time while offering flexibility. Include technology check instructions for video interviews so candidates can troubleshoot beforehand. Specify expected duration and attach relevant documents.

For your calendar invite, include the meeting subject, panel names and titles, agenda breakdown, meeting link, attachments, and estimated duration.

Sample ATS-ready block: “Hi [Candidate Name], we’d like to invite you to a forty-five to sixty minute interview for [Job Title]. Please choose a time here: [scheduling link]. You’ll meet [panel names], and we’ll send the meeting link and attachments after you confirm.”

For more on creating a great candidate experience, see our candidate experience guide. Additional ATS templates are available in our downloadable templates collection.

Compliance and Ethics Callouts

Screening calls require extra care around privacy and professional boundaries.

Don’t ask for protected health information or identifiable client details on unsecured calls. If a candidate begins sharing case specifics, redirect: “I can’t discuss identifiable client information on an unsecured call. Please summarize the clinical challenge in de-identified terms—age range, primary behavior, and function hypothesis. Or we can schedule a secure meeting if needed.”

Always ask permission before recording. If a candidate declines, proceed without recording and take notes instead.

Safe Phrasing Examples

When a candidate asks for case specifics you can’t discuss: “Let’s keep this screen focused on your general approach. We can discuss cases in more detail during a secure interview.”

When asking about ethical scenarios: “Tell me about an ethical dilemma you faced. You don’t need to share identifying details—I’m interested in your decision-making process.”

Credential Verification Steps

Follow these steps after the screen:

1. Check the BACB Certificant Registry for active BCBA or BCBA-D status.
2. Verify any claimed state licensure on the relevant state licensing board website.
3. Confirm completion of supervision training if the role involves supervising staff.
4. Conduct background checks and exclusion-list checks as standard post-offer steps.
5. Request copies of documentation only after a conditional offer and through secure channels.

For more on ethics and compliance, see our full ethics and compliance guidance and our supervision standards resource.

Quick Variants and Extras

Not every screen is identical. Here are brief adaptations for common variations.

School BCBA roles: Include questions about IEP involvement, collaboration with teachers, and navigating school schedule constraints. A thirty-second school-focused summary might sound like: “I have [X] years supporting students in district settings. I conduct FBAs that become IEP goals, attend IEPs regularly, and consult with teachers using data-driven behavior goals.”

Telehealth-focused roles: Ask about remote assessment validation, caregiver coaching, and secure platform use. A strong telehealth summary: “I deliver remote ABA services by prioritizing caregiver coaching, validating remote assessment data, and using secure telehealth platforms. I document treatment integrity checks and coach RBTs remotely with screen-share and live feedback.”

Early-career BCBAs: Adjust expectations and probe for learning orientation. An early-career summary: “As a newly certified BCBA, I supervised RBTs during my practicum, conducted multiple FBAs, and am seeking mentorship-rich environments to grow my case conceptualization and supervision skills.”

For school-specific guidance, see our school BCBA interview questions resource.

Downloadable Checklist and ATS Copy-Paste Block

A printable checklist helps you stay consistent across every screen.

Before the call:

• Verify candidate certification status on the BACB registry
• Confirm interview timezone and contact details
• Prepare your job description and rubric copy
• Note any must-ask questions for role-specific needs

During the call:

• Get recording consent; do not collect protected health information
• Follow your minute-by-minute script
• Score each domain after completing it
• Note any red flags verbatim for later reference

After the call:

• Send your move-to-interview or polite-decline template within forty-eight hours
• If moving forward, attach a calendar invite with rubric and panelist names
• If declining, file notes and reason in your applicant tracking system
• Verify credentials and schedule reference checks if extending an offer

ATS copy-paste block: “Subject: Interview Invitation for [Job Title] at [Company]. Hi [Candidate Name], we’d like to invite you to a forty-five to sixty minute interview for [Job Title]. Please choose a time here: [scheduling link]. You’ll meet [panel names], and we’ll send the meeting link and attachments after you confirm.”

For all downloadable templates, visit our templates collection and explore our hiring resources for additional tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a BCBA and why does screening differ from a full interview?

A BCBA is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, a professional who designs and oversees behavioral interventions. Screening is a short conversation focused on fit, safety, and basic competence. It’s not meant to assess deep clinical skills—that happens in a longer, secure interview where you can discuss cases in more detail.

How do I run a fair fifteen-minute screen?

Use the same time-boxed script and rubric for every candidate. Ask the same core questions in the same order. Score during the call rather than afterward to reduce bias. Apply red-flag rules consistently rather than making exceptions based on gut feelings.

Which questions should I prioritize in a short screen?

Prioritize ethics, supervision experience, clinical decision-making, and systems-fit. If you only have time for five questions, cover one ethics question, two clinical questions, one supervision question, and one caseload or logistics question. These topics reveal the most about whether someone is safe, competent, and a realistic match for your role.

How do I verify BCBA credentials?

Verify credentials after the screen as part of your standard hiring workflow. Check the BACB Certificant Registry for active status. Verify state licensure on the relevant board website. Request documentation only after a conditional offer and through secure channels. Your HR or compliance team can guide specific steps based on your state’s requirements.

What are common red flags to watch for?

Watch for ethics boundary violations or flippant language about client safety. Inability to discuss supervision structure or frequency is concerning. Vague or evasive answers about caseload history suggest potential problems. Refusal to discuss or verify credentials is disqualifying. Unrealistic expectations about billable hours without acknowledgment of administrative needs warrant follow-up.

How should candidates prepare for this short screen?

Have your resume handy and prepare one short case example using de-identified terms. Have one or two questions ready for the employer. Avoid sharing protected health information. Ask about next steps before the call ends.

Putting It All Together

A well-run fifteen-minute screen protects your time, respects candidates, and improves your chances of hiring BCBAs who will stay and thrive. The questions, script, rubric, and templates in this guide work together as a system. Use them consistently and adjust based on what you learn about your specific roles and team needs.

Screening is just the first step. Human judgment matters more than any checklist. Use these tools to support your decision-making, not replace it. When in doubt, schedule a full interview or check references. The cost of a bad hire far exceeds the cost of taking a little extra time to verify fit.

If you found this guide useful, download the full fifteen-minute screening toolkit including the script, rubric, and checklist. Share it with your hiring team to ensure everyone uses the same approach. And if you have questions about building a hiring process that reduces turnover and improves clinical outcomes, explore our other resources on recruiting and retaining BCBAs and RBTs.