RBT Phone Screen Questions for ABA Clinics: A 10-Minute Template

Start with the opening

Use the first RBT phone screen to confirm the job the applicant applied for, the schedule and location, their stated credential or training stage, and what they want to know about the role. A ten-minute script can keep that first conversation focused. Clinical skills assessment and credential verification need separate steps.

Adapt the script below to a specific opening. Keep the clinical interview and hiring decision with your team.

When a first screen helps

An application can tell you that someone has worked as a behavior technician. It may not tell you which clinic location they can reach, whether the posted hours fit, or when they could start. A short call gives both sides a chance to clear up those points before scheduling a longer interview.

The person making that call may also be covering a front desk, caseload, or several open roles. For broader staffing context, see what the BACB exit survey says about why RBTs leave. A repeatable script gives the next interviewer a record of what the applicant said. The useful output is factual notes for the next interviewer, not a verdict from the first caller.

Set the role details before you call

Write down the opening's location, setting, schedule, pay range, start window, credential requirement, training offered, and next interview step. If the role spans several locations or schedules, name the options rather than asking whether the applicant is “flexible.”

Decide whether this opening requires a current RBT credential or accepts someone pursuing certification. Those are different paths. The BACB describes training, an Initial Competency Assessment, an application, and an exam in its current RBT Handbook^[1]. The caller can record where the applicant says they are in that path. Self-report is not credential verification.

Use the same core questions for applicants to the same opening. The EEOC's pre-employment guidance^[3] says employers generally cannot ask disability-related questions or require a medical exam before a conditional offer. Have your HR or legal reviewer check the script for the locations where you hire.

Copyable 10-minute RBT phone screen script

The times are a planning aid. Let the applicant finish an answer rather than cutting them off to meet a timer.

0:00 to 1:00 | Introduce the call and check timing

“Hi, this is [name] calling for [clinic] about the [RBT or behavior technician] position at [location]. Is now a good time for a brief call, about ten minutes? If not, what time would work better?”

“I will ask about the role, schedule, and your experience. You can ask me questions too.”

If your clinic records or transcribes calls, use its approved disclosure and consent process before doing so. Do not assume this sample introduction covers it.

1:00 to 2:00 | State the actual opening

“This opening is [setting] in [location], usually [days and hours], with a posted pay range of [range]. The expected start window is [window]. Is this the role you applied for, and is there anything about those details you would like me to clarify?”

2:00 to 3:30 | Record credential or training stage

“Does this opening's stated RBT requirement match where you are now? Are you currently an RBT, working toward certification, or looking for a role with training?”

“If you are working toward certification, which steps have you completed so far?”

Record the answer in the applicant's words. Do not mark a credential “verified” on the basis of the call. The BACB RBT Handbook^[1] directs employers to the BACB Certificant Registry for certification status. The registry also identifies an inactive status, including when no supervisor or requirements coordinator is on record. Assign that check to your normal credential review step.

3:30 to 5:30 | Confirm the logistics

“Which of these posted schedules could you work: [specific options]?”

“Which listed location or service setting are you interested in?”

“If we both decide to move forward, when could you start?”

Clarify vague answers. “Afternoons” may mean 12 to 6 p.m. or 3 to 7 p.m. Put the hours in the notes.

5:30 to 7:00 | Ask for job-related experience

“What work or training have you done that you think is relevant to this opening?”

“What setting did you work in, and what were your day-to-day responsibilities?”

Someone new to the field can answer from other work or training. Record examples without grading clinical judgment.

7:00 to 9:00 | Make room for applicant questions

“What would you like to know about the schedule, training, supervision, location, or next step?”

Answer from the clinic's current role details. If you do not know, write down the question and the person who will answer it. Do not guess about supervision or training arrangements.

9:00 to 10:00 | Close with a concrete next step

“Thank you. I will send these notes to [hiring manager or interviewer]. Our next step is [specific step], and you should hear from us by [date or timeframe]. Is [preferred contact method] the best way to reach you?”

Use a timeframe your team can meet.

A notes template the next interviewer can use

Field	Record
Opening	Role, location, setting, and date of call
Role details shared	Posted schedule, pay range, start window, training details shared
Credential or training stage	Applicant's exact statement; not verified
Availability	Specific days and hours, location preference, stated start date
Relevant experience	Applicant's examples and settings, without a score
Applicant questions	Question, answer given, or named follow-up owner
Next step	Human owner, action, and promised contact date

Keep the applicant's wording for certification stage and available hours. Label gaps “needs follow-up.”

Leave clinical judgment to the clinical interview

The first caller can ask what an applicant has done. They should not use a clinical scenario with an answer key as a shortcut to assessing practice. The BACB describes the RBT Initial Competency Assessment^[1] as a distinct certification step after the required training, and its supervision resources^[2] identify qualified certificants responsible for RBT assessment and supervision. A phone screen does not stand in for either process.

Give the clinical interviewer the applicant's account and questions. Give the credential reviewer the verification task. Your clinic decides who receives an interview invitation.

Keep the questions consistent as applications come in

When one person can call every applicant promptly, a manual screen may be all the process you need. At higher volume, the work is making each first call, capturing what was said, and handing it to the right person. Automating the call does not automate the hiring decision.

Virida offers a hiring assistant for that first-call step. It calls RBT and BCBA applicants usually within five minutes of applying, during the clinic's configured calling hours. It asks the clinic's screening questions, answers applicant questions only from the clinic's approved Q&A, and sends a transcript and summary to the hiring team. Applicants agree to a call when they apply and can tell it to stop. Virida does not score, rank, or recommend applicants. A person decides whom to invite to an interview, and Virida works next to the clinic's ATS. These are Virida's product descriptions; they do not establish a hiring outcome.

You can call the screener yourself from the homepage. To discuss your clinic's open roles, talk with Virida.