Finding the ideal candidate is a continuously difficult challenge for hiring managers and recruiters, and for many of them, shortlisting remains one of the most arduous and time-consuming steps in the recruitment process. However, it doesn’t have to be!
When faced with an abundance of applications, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, by getting your shortlisting strategy nailed early on, you’ll be more able to find the candidate you’re looking for quicker and more efficiently
TIP 1: The criteria to use when shortlisting CVs
When it comes to shortlisting CVs, your criteria are the foundations for your success. In practice, defining the criteria does take a little time, but it’s time well spent.
Primarily, your shortlist criteria should be based on what is needed for someone to be a high performer in the role in question. These could be anything from their education/qualifications, to work experience, skills and knowledge, personality traits, distance from work, and even salary requirements etc.
Ideally, your criteria should include both essential criteria and desirable criteria. Your essential criteria are things that your candidate absolutely must meet to be considered for an interview. For example, certain roles require specific qualifications without which an individual could not legally perform in a position. Desirable criteria are elements that you would like your candidate to have. These help to build an overall picture of the type of candidate you’re looking for.
TIP 2: The importance of clear job ads and job descriptions
Clear job ads and descriptions go hand in hand with efficient shortlisting. The latter is incredibly difficult without the former. Without defining the role, its responsibilities, functions, and expected outcomes, how would you be able to shortlist who might be a good contender for the role? Furthermore, clear job descriptions should result in fewer unsuitable applications.
Here are four key elements for a clearer job ads and descriptions.
- Provide and accurate job title and location of the role.
- Describe the company and department including any growth or project goals.
- Be clear about the responsibilities, key duties and the behavioral competencies required.
- Provide contact details of the person managing the application for candidates that may have questions to ask regarding it.
TIP 3: The benefit of phone calls before interview invitations
How often has a candidate sounded great on paper, but in reality wasn’t up to scratch? Or, how often have you seen a CV or application that didn’t wow you, but in the interview, they totally blew you away? By conducting a phone interview, you’ll have an extra tool to help you shortlist or even fast-track candidates for the next stage in your recruitment process.
A phone interview allows you to dig a little deeper and screen their skills, knowledge, experience, availability to start a new job and even salary expectations, before committing to an onsite interview. This can help to save both time and money in the long run.
TIP 4: The use of psychometric tests
In essence, psychometric tests are a way of measuring mental capacities and processes. They provide a standardised set of criteria for measuring a candidate’s aptitude and personality. Additionally, their results are objective, unlike interviews and other forms of non-scientific screening. However, as with any tool, they are not a standalone solution to hiring the best candidate, but they can be a great addition to your hiring arsenal.
THINGS TO CONSIDER: Consider the timing of psychometric tests as part of your recruitment process carefully. Conducting them too early risks alienating passive candidates whereas conducting them at the end of the process risks producing results that conflict with the face-to-face interview process. Therefore, timing here is key.
TIP 5: Video interviewing
Over the past few years, video interviewing has emerged as a highly effective recruitment tool and due to the increased remote working caused by Covid-19 this year, video interviewing has been often the only option for hiring managers.
Video interviewing lets you conduct first-round interviews more quickly and efficiently, saving you time and money. This can be particularly useful for high volume roles where you need to churn through lots of candidates. By using video, you’ll also be able to record and watch your interviews any place and at any time. Hey, if you’re really pushed for time, you can even watch them at double or triple speed!
TIP 6: Technology in screening
Technology is changing nearly every industry and function, and recruitment is no different. For recruiters and hiring managers, there are so many layers in which technology can help. In its simplest form, recruiting technology can automate screening by using a scoring matrix, screen candidates for skills for you and instantly decide who should be taken to the next stage of your recruitment process. More advanced iterations are also starting to use artificial intelligence to learn or predict what makes for a promising candidate.
If you would like to discuss how PreScreenMe can help you with shortlisting using our team of experts and specialist software tools, please contact us below.
(Curtis.thompson@prescreenme.co.uk / +44 207 448 1100)
PreScreenMe - Who are we?
PrescreenMe was founded by Curtis Thompson in 2019. Throughout his 20-year career in executive search and recruitment, Curtis saw there was more that could be done to improve the success rates of hiring by sharing the best practices of recruitment and talent management across sectors. PreScreenMe is our way of doing just that!
We can help you with:
- shortlisting candidates
- building talent pools
- reducing hiring costs
- improving the response rate of your current vacancy marketing
If you would like to discuss how PreScreenMe can support you, contact Curtis Thompson & PreScreenMe today.
(curtis.thompson@prescreenme.co.uk / +44 (0) 2038750330 / www.prescreenme.co.uk)
We look forward to hearing from you!
