CV Screening tells you everything (Right?)

Ricki Nielsen , a recognized author, speaker, and workshop facilitator on better recruitment practices, has shared his thoughts on candidate screening with us. Let’s dive in:

Recruitment processes have remained largely unchanged for many years, relying heavily on CVs and cover letters. But are these methods truly effective? Maybe it’s time to rethink how we assess talent by focusing on a candidate's potential rather than their past performance.

From Leonardo da Vinci’s letter to today

In 1482, Leonardo da Vinci wrote a letter promoting his skills to Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. This blend of CV and cover letter highlighted his engineering, artistic, and design expertise - securing him a position.?

Fast forward 500+ years, and the core recruitment process is still largely the same. CVs and cover letters dominate hiring decisions, relying on candidates’ self-assessment of their skills and experiences. However, research shows these methods are not only outdated but often riddled with inefficiencies and bias.??

Why CVs and cover letters fall short?

• Low predictive validity: Research by Schmidt and Hunter (2017) found that work experience, often a central feature of CVs, has a low predictive validity of just 0.18 for job performance.?

• Bias: Subjective evaluations of CVs and cover letters introduce biases such as gender, ethnicity, and age discrimination (Binns et al., 2020).?

• Time-consuming: Reviewing countless CVs and cover letters takes time and rarely identifies the best talent.?

Better alternatives to traditional screening?

1. Define key tasks and skills?

The first step to improving your hiring process is getting crystal clear on the job description. What are the 3–5 most important tasks this role involves? What skills does someone need to excel at them? Research shows that well-defined tasks make it much easier to assess candidates (Schmidt & Hunter, 2017). Plus, when you lay out specific responsibilities, both recruiters and candidates get a much clearer picture of what the job actually entails.

2. Assess hard skills directly?

Instead of searching for these skills on a CV, why not just ask for them directly? Using tests or certifications to assess skills takes the guesswork out of hiring, helping you avoid subjective evaluations and cut down on bias (Robie et al., 2017).

3. Evaluate soft skills with structured tools?

Soft skills include personal traits like communication and collaboration. Research shows that personality tests and psychometric tools can help uncover these skills and give a more objective view of a candidate’s strengths (Judge et al., 2018).

4. Use case-based or task simulations?

Rather than asking for a cover letter, why not have candidates tackle a task or case that’s actually related to the job? Studies show that job simulations and case-based tasks give a much better idea of how someone will perform in real-world situations (Cascio & Boudreau, 2019). By focusing on how candidates handle practical tasks instead of just their written applications, you’ll get a clearer, more accurate sense of whether they’re the right fit for the role.

Focus on potential over past performance?

Focusing only on past experience can really limit your talent pool and cause you to miss out on high-potential candidates. The truth is, past experience doesn’t necessarily predict future performance. A large study that looked at 81 recruitment cases found a very low correlation - just 0.06 - between someone’s past experience and how they’ll perform in the future. But even so, many still see prior experience as one of the most important factors when hiring (Van Iddekinge et al., 2019).

Use AI to minimize bias and optimize efficiency?

AI tools can streamline recruitment by focusing on objective metrics, reducing human bias, and saving time:?

• Benefits: Research by Binns et al. (2020) shows AI tools reduce subjective judgments and speed up decision-making.?

• Caution: AI should be used carefully, as these tools can reinforce existing biases if they're not designed with this in mind (Angwin et al., 2016).

Conclusion: Rethink recruitment for the future?

Traditional recruitment methods are outdated and inefficient. To find the right candidate faster and more objectively:?

1. Define clear tasks and skills to align hiring processes with actual job requirements.?
2. Use task-based evaluations, skill tests, and personality assessments to gain a deeper understanding of candidates' abilities.?
3. Use AI tools cautiously to eliminate bias and optimize the process.?
4. Shift the focus from past experience to a candidate’s future potential.