FAQ
Questions we get asked
Short, straight answers for candidates and hiring teams. If something here isn't clear, ask us and we'll add it.
Getting started
What is Scouting and how does it work?
Scouting matches people looking for work in the UAE with companies hiring here. Candidates build one profile — by uploading a CV, exporting their LinkedIn profile, or typing it in. Companies post a role. Every candidate is then scored against every open role from 0 to 100, with a short written reason for the score. Companies see their ranked pool for free and pay only for the candidates they actually want to speak to.
Is Scouting free to use?
It is completely free for candidates — building a profile, being matched, and replying to a company that has unlocked you never costs anything. For companies, posting roles, seeing the ranked pool, and reading match scores and explanations are free. You pay when you want a specific candidate's identity, contact details, report and messaging.
How does the match score work?
Your CV or job spec is turned into structured fields: skills, seniority, salary expectation, availability, location and remote preference. Each candidate is compared against each role on those fields and given a score out of 100, plus one or two sentences explaining it. The explanation matters more than the number — if the reason looks wrong, your profile or your job spec probably needs a detail added.
Pricing and access
What does it cost a company to unlock a candidate?
The first unlock is free. After that it's $5 per candidate, cheaper in prepaid bundles (5 for $20, 10 for $45, 20 for $80), or $100 a month billed annually for unlimited unlocks. Live chat and video interviews are a $49 monthly add-on.
Is my profile private until a company unlocks it?
Yes. Before paying, a company sees only your match score, the fit explanation, general seniority, general skill area and city-level location. No name, no photo, no email or phone, no CV file and no way to message you. That gate is enforced on the server, not just hidden in the interface, and contact details are stripped out of messages too.
Do I need to upload a CV, or can I fill in my profile manually?
Either. Upload a CV, paste a LinkedIn export, or fill the profile in by hand — all three lead to the same place and none is treated as better than the others. Every text field also has an AI writing helper if you'd rather not phrase things yourself.
Why do companies see a standardised report instead of my own CV?
Because CV design is a skill unrelated to most jobs. Every unlocked candidate is presented in the same layout, generated from their profile, so what differs between two reports is the substance. The report also includes written hiring advice for that candidate against that specific role: strengths, concerns and a recommendation.
How do I cancel or change a subscription or add-on?
From your Billing page. Unlimited plans and the chat and video add-on can be cancelled there; access runs to the end of the period you've already paid for. Prepaid unlock bundles and single unlocks aren't subscriptions, so there's nothing to cancel — unused credits stay on your account.
Trust, assessments and verification
Does Scouting handle visa sponsorship?
No. Scouting doesn't sponsor visas, arrange permits, or act as a recruitment agency. Candidates state their current visa status and availability on their profile, and companies see it once a candidate is unlocked, but any sponsorship is agreed directly between the company and the candidate.
How does the background check feature work, and is it a real background check?
Right now it's a request, not an instant automated report. A company orders a check on an unlocked candidate, it goes into a queue that our team works through manually, and the result is returned to the company. We're honest about this stage: it isn't yet wired to a third-party screening provider, so treat it as a managed request rather than a live database lookup. Candidate consent is required before any check is carried out.
Will you email me?
Candidates only get a monthly digest of new matching roles if they tick the box asking for it — it's off by default. Companies get a monthly operational summary of new candidates for their open roles. Every email has a one-click unsubscribe link, and you can change both settings in the app at any time.
How do I contact support?
Email support@scouting.ae and describe what happened, with the role or candidate involved if it's about a specific match. We're a small team, so replies come from a person rather than a ticket robot.
Can I edit what the AI extracts or writes?
Yes. Extracted profile details, polished candidate text, and AI-drafted job descriptions remain editable. Review them before publishing because AI can misunderstand context, flatten nuance, or suggest wording that does not reflect you or the role.
Are personality and work-style assessments used to reject candidates?
They are optional, indicative self-report exercises rather than clinical diagnoses or pass/fail tests. Results may help structure an interview, but employers should not use a label as the sole basis for a hiring decision. Skills, experience, conversation and role context still matter.
Can I preview the employer experience without creating a company account?
Yes. The public hiring demo shows a fictional role, ranked candidate pool, pipeline stages, and simulated unlock flow. Everything in it is example data: it does not query real profiles, take payment, send messages, or change any account.
Your data and support
What happens if my company email does not match our website?
The company account is held for manual review before candidate unlocks are allowed. This is not an accusation or an automatic rejection; it is an identity check designed to make candidate access harder to misuse.
Can I request a refund?
Contact support@scouting.ae with the transaction details. Eligibility depends on the product, whether an unlock or service has already been delivered, and the circumstances. The Terms and Conditions explain the governing rules; nothing here removes rights that apply under law.
How do I delete my account and data?
Email support@scouting.ae from the address on the account. We target completion within 30 days, although billing records, fraud-prevention evidence, or material subject to a legal hold may need to be retained for the periods described in the Privacy Policy.
Does the platform arrange or record video interviews?
Hiring teams with the relevant add-on can create interview rooms. Scouting coordinates access to the room; participants remain responsible for joining appropriately and for complying with any recording or consent requirements. Do not assume a call is recorded unless everyone has expressly agreed.
Still deciding?
Candidates can create a profile without paying. Hiring teams can preview the full fictional workflow, then post a real role and inspect their redacted ranked pool before choosing an unlock.