Why pre-screen voiceover artists before booking a session
A demo reel is edited, processed and often recorded somewhere better than where the work will happen. What decides whether you use somebody again is the room they record in, whether they can change a read when asked, and whether the file arrives when they said it would. A short screen answered in their own booth tells you all three at once.
What actually matters when screening Voiceover Artist candidates
- 01
Body of work
Ask for a demo reel plus named credits: broadcast spots, e-learning modules, audiobook titles, IVR systems, game characters. Check whether they hold union or non-union work and repeat clients.
- 02
Craft and technique
Probe range and vocal control: cold reads, character work, accent authenticity, breath and plosive management, matching a director's adjustment on the second take.
- 03
Reliability and process
Test their home setup and turnaround: microphone and interface models, treated booth, DAW used for editing, delivery specs (WAV 48k, -3dB peak, mouth-click removal), retake policy.
- 04
Presence with an audience
Judge how they work with a live director on Source-Connect or Zoom sessions, take notes, and hold performance stamina across long audiobook or dubbing days.
Pre-screening questions to ask Voiceover Artist candidates
12 questions grouped by what they test. Ask the same set in every screen and score answers on a consistent scale, or send them as an async video screen and compare answers side by side.
Work they can play
3 questions01Can you provide samples of your previous voiceover work?
Listen forRecent work that reached an audience, with the brief for each piece described alongside it.
Reels made only of self-directed practice, or samples they cannot say where were used.
02What specific types of voiceover projects have you worked on?
Listen forA clear specialism such as commercial, narration or character work, matched by the samples.
Every genre claimed equally, or a reel that does not support the range described.
03Do you have experience with commercial, narration or explainer work?
Listen forAwareness that each format needs a different pace and energy, with examples of adapting between them.
The same delivery applied to every format, or no sense of the difference between them.
Clean audio
3 questions04Do you have a professional recording setup?
Listen forA treated space described honestly, with noise sources in the environment identified and managed.
Recording in an untreated room, or noise described as removable in post-production.
05What equipment and software do you use for recording?
Listen forA consistent chain they know well, with levels and processing handled the same way each time.
Heavy processing applied before delivery, or equipment changing between jobs.
06How do you ensure audio quality and consistency across recordings?
Listen forConsistent setup and levels so pickups match earlier sessions weeks later, with files checked before sending.
Pickups that do not match the original session, or files delivered without listening back.
Takes direction
3 questions07Can you perform multiple accents or character voices?
Listen forAn honest range with the accents they can hold reliably, and those they would decline.
Every accent claimed, or approximations offered for accents they cannot sustain.
08Are you able to follow direction and feedback closely?
Listen forWillingness to change a read on request, with an example of a note that reshaped their delivery.
Direction described as interference, or reads that stay the same regardless of notes.
09Do you have experience with live sessions or direct client direction?
Listen forDirected sessions handled calmly, with the technical setup for remote direction already working.
Only self-directed work, or no capability to be directed remotely during a session.
Reliable turnaround
3 questions10What is your typical turnaround time for a project?
Listen forRealistic timings including a busy week, with commitments they can meet rather than best cases.
Same day promised for everything, or turnaround quoted without knowing script length.
11Do you offer revisions or retakes if they are needed?
Listen forA clear revision policy stated upfront, distinguishing script changes from performance retakes.
Revision terms left vague, or every change treated as a chargeable new session.
12How do you handle confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements?
Listen forUnreleased material kept private, with an understanding that scripts do not go on a reel.
Unreleased work shared as samples, or confidentiality treated as an unnecessary formality.
How to score responses
Score every candidate on the same four criteria immediately after the screen. At this stage you are shortlisting for panel interviews, not making the final call.
Body of work
35%5Presents a varied reel with identifiable brands, series or ACX titles, and names clients who booked them repeatedly.
Craft and technique
25%5Demonstrates distinct reads (conversational, narration, hard sell) and adjusts pace, pitch or energy instantly on direction.
Reliability and process
25%5Names their signal chain and room treatment, delivers files to spec within stated turnaround, and handles pickups without charge disputes.
Presence with an audience
15%5Stays responsive and unflappable in directed sessions, absorbs script changes calmly, and sustains consistent tone across multi-hour recordings.
A reel is edited and processed; the room they record in is not. A one-way video screen captures both.
Try it on HirevireScreening FAQ
Process basics
How long should a pre-screening round for this role take?
Ten minutes across eight questions, answered async in their own recording space. That doubles as an audio sample from the room the work will actually be recorded in.
Why does an async video screen fit this role so well?
Because the recording is the audition. You hear the voice, the room, the noise floor and their delivery under a simple brief without booking any studio time.
Evaluating answers
What is the strongest signal when screening this role?
The audio itself. Listen for room reflection, background noise and consistency between takes. A polished reel with a noisy screen recording tells you exactly what you will receive.
How do I test whether they take direction?
Ask for one answer delivered two ways, warm and then straight. Artists who work commercially switch easily. Anyone who gives the same read twice will be difficult in session.
Go deeper on this role
Sanat has been hiring since 2012 and watching the recruitment industry change up close ever since, and turned that screening process into Hirevire's video screening platform. LinkedIn
