10 Steps To Effective Candidate Screening

1. Resume screening

When you still know nothing about your candidate, resume screening can be used as the first round of filtering. Resumes provide a concise summary of your candidates' educational and professional goals, milestones, and accomplishments. They provide information on skills, expertise, experience, certifications, and other factors.

You can also parse resumes and create candidate profiles at breakneck speed if you use a standard format. They are simply easier to sort through.

Here are some examples of what to look for in a resume during the screening process:

Deal breakers - If you find something on the resume that is a deal breaker for you, just remove it from the process or archive it for later use. For example, if you only want candidates with valid visas, you can eliminate the others from the process.

Gaps or inconsistencies - You don't have to reject candidates based on these, but you should make a note of them and bring them up during the interview for clarification.

Format and effort - A resume can tell you whether a candidate is serious about the job. Are there any mistakes? Is it properly formatted? Is it tailored to your company's vision and values? You'll find answers to some of these questions.

2. Screening cover letters

In the initial screening phase, it might be utilised in conjunction with a resume. If you intend to use it, you must expressly request that your candidates submit one with their resumes and, if required, explain them what you want them to put in it.

Here are some examples of what to look for:

1. How enthusiastic the candidate is about working for the company.
2. If the information written corresponds to the resume.
3. Professional strengths and shortcomings of the candidate.
4. Their professional objectives and their fit with the job opportunity.

3. Application form

You may require candidates to meet certain criteria for certain roles. Assume you are hiring for a team that supports clients in France and are searching for applicants that speak French. In this case, you can simply construct an application form on the website with a few unique fields. It is simpler to distinguish between individuals who speak French and those who do not use application forms.

If it's a resume, you'll have to go through it all. In application forms, you can simply filter candidates based on whether they answered yes or no to a certain question.

4. Screening video application

Video applications or interviews are an excellent approach to test prospects remotely or before investing time in onsite interviews.

Examples of what to look for include:

1. Do you have any unique requirements for your candidates? If you are hiring for a sales position, you can ask your prospects to produce a video showing how they would sell a product during the screening process.
2. Their level of trust and comfort in interacting with you and your team
3. Their readiness demonstrates whether or not they are truly interested in the role.

5. Screening over phone call

Phone screening is one of the simplest approaches that allows you to rapidly acquire all of the necessary information. It requires no extra equipment and is suitable for candidates who are not used to video interviews. It's also an excellent approach to test prospects from various regions before devoting time to the interview process.

Examples of what to look for include:

1. Check to see if your candidate is available for the interview. At this point, you can detect any disinterest in the part.
2. Clarify any inconsistencies or doubts you have about their expertise, qualifications, or anything else. This can indicate whether they did not put much care into the application or if they were attempting to conceal something on purpose.

6. Pre-assessment tests

You can utilise them when recruiting for positions that require many people, such as sales, support, or technology. Pre-employment assessment exams are also quite effective when you want to evaluate individuals for certain abilities prior to investing time in face-to-face interviews.

Look for the following:

1. The final results.
2. The final results.
3. And the final results.

Yes, if you choose the correct assessment exams, all you'll need to look at are the end results to screen your prospects. HackerRank, for example, includes various tests to evaluate coders or software engineers. You may simply send them a test and verify their result to make a choice about their candidacy, depending on the role or level you are recruiting for.

7. Personality tests

In circumstances where you need to see the candidate's behaviour patterns and behavioural qualities in detail, especially if the role is crucial.

Here are some suggestions about things to look for:

Different employers can use these examinations for a variety of purposes. Here are some of the things these tests can reveal.

1. To determine whether the candidate is concerned about safety.
2. How they would address a customer's demands in stressful conditions.
3. Their capacity to work as a team or collaborate with members of a team.
4. In every particular situation, their loyalty or honesty.

8. Written tests

When assessing writing abilities.

Examples of what to look for include:

Authenticity - Are their views and methods genuine Grammar, especially when applying for professions involving writing or editing

Their writing technique, including how they arrange their time and organise their content

Creativity, articulation, and dexterity

Is their writing persuasive? Or does it serve a purpose?

9. Face-to face interviews

After a candidate has previously made an impression on you through a phone screening or written test. Also, when it's time to meet and get to know the candidate before hiring them.

Examples of what to look for include:

1. Their perspective on the opportunity and the people around them
2. If their knowledge matches all they mentioned in the previous rounds, this could be your last chance to address any concerns you have by giving them an on-the-spot assignment.
3. Soft talents include problem-solving abilities, adaptability, leadership dispute mediation, and so on.

10. Background checks

With the use of simple background check software, you may do a basic background check on any candidate. The law may oblige you to run them in some situations. You can select and execute the necessary tests for roles that necessitate a more in-depth search. For example, if you are interviewing for a position that requires supervision of children, you may want to inquire about their drug use history.

Here are some examples of what you can screen for:

1. Criminal record
2. Driving histories
3. Credit ratings
4. History of drug use
5. Background in social media
6. Credentials