How to Screen Candidates: The Best Practices for Effective Hiring

Recruitment has become a tedious task with more challenges. Accurate streamlining is important for the organization looking for some prosperous growth. This will go on to build a healthy work culture and businesses cannot grow without the right set of people in the organization.

What is Candidate Screening?

Candidate screening will evaluate the potential of the candidates that is required for the job position. This will ensure that they meet the job description criteria that is set by the organization. This is also a part of the hiring process. The selection will allow the candidates to not look like a one-step job. The interviewers have to do some homework before conducting the interview to select the best fit. There may be multiple applicants for a particular job role. However, to manage all, various candidate screening methods can help narrow down the pool of candidates and ensure the shortlisting of those who meet the criteria.

Pre-Screening Process

Before choosing the method of screening, the interviewer must do some backend work by making a checklist to get a better idea of the candidate screening process, like:

1. Making a list of questions to be asked, 
2. List of must-have skills in a candidate,
3. Deciding the type of interview to take place, online or physically, 
4. The panel of interviewers to be present so that the decision should be unbiased, 
5. Type of candidate to be chosen, who best suits the company, and many more.
6. Person in charge of coordinating the hiring process between the candidates and the company,

Once the basic work is done, let’s get down to the methods of screening to be conducted.

Candidate Screening Methods

Here are some of the methods to screen employees:

1. Resume Reviewing:

Generally, resume reviewing is the primary step for candidate screening. It involves examining the resume based on the candidate's experience, past work organization, and skills developed over the period and matching them with the set job requirements. Resume reviewing should take, at most, a few minutes as it is time-consuming.

• Use of ATS: Most organizations nowadays use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter and streamline the number of resumes to save time and effort. 
• Avoid resumes with potential red flags: There may be signs of discrepancies in candidate's resume, their previous application or social media network profiles. The resume may display frequent job hopping, ambiguous language or unprofessionalism. The hiring managers must look up for top talent and avoid candidates with red flags. 

Other methods, like skills assessment, online or physical interviews, etc., should be applied for effective selection. 

2. Cover Letters:

A cover letter is a document that pairs with a resume. Asking for cover letters with resumes helps to figure out the attitude and seriousness of the job seeker. Some experienced candidates provide it themselves to give an extra boost to their resumes. To maintain consistency, the company can decide whether to ask for it, depending on the job role or position they are hiring for.

A cover letter may contain the following points:

1. Reason for applying to this role,
2. Strengths and weaknesses,
3. Brief description of how the candidate is suitable for the position,
4. Goals and objective

Although reading cover letters may consume time, at the same time, it shows how well a candidate can express himself, and his writing and communication skills also get highlighted.

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3. Phone screening:

Phone screening involves a conversation with the candidates and understanding their qualifications and work experience mentioned in their resumes. The interviewers can have a valuable discussion about the candidate’s skills and work knowledge. This process will also help clarify job expectations and know the candidate’s interest in the job role. 

In phone screening, the interviewer prepares and asks questions related to experience, salary expectations, strengths, and weaknesses. The same questions are asked to other candidates so the interviewer can compare the results and shortlist for the next level.

4. Video interviews:

After the COVID-19 pandemic, video screening has become an excellent tool for remote hiring of candidates. The interviewer can easily conduct interviews through video conferences. A fixed time slot is allotted to every candidate for the interview. 

• One-way or Two-ways: Video interviews can be one way or two ways. Two-way interviews allow real-time interactions. 
• Video Presentations: Besides academic qualifications, video interviews allow you to assess a candidate’s body language, confidence, communication, and presentation skills. 

‍5. Skills Assessments:

Skill assessment involves an examination of the candidate's abilities and knowledge related to the skills required for the desired position. Examining candidates through such an approach can turn the scenario upside down. 

• Oral Interview or Written Examination: The skill assessment can be conducted in two ways: through an oral interview or a written examination. Let’s say, for example, a company is looking for a content writer, and then the assessment can be done by taking a writing test to assess their writing skills, conceptual clarity, vocabulary skills, etc. 

• Phased Assessments: Assessments can be done at different levels or phases, and rankings are given to the candidates based on their performance. Those who outperform are selected for the final selection.

6. Behavioral Assessments:

Besides skills and knowledge, it is equally important to check the candidate’s behaviour and attitude to ensure a healthy work culture. Since post-hiring, the candidate has to work in teams, and if the candidate's behaviour is non-cooperative, it will ruin the team spirit, and the work will deteriorate. Hiring one wrong candidate can break the chain link in the team. Behavioural assessment can be in the form of:-

• Group Activity: Interviewers may evaluate a candidate's behaviour by making them participate in a group activity. This process helps to understand the candidates who have good leadership, managerial, communication, team coordination, and conflict-handling skills.
• Aptitude Test: Aptitude tests assess a candidate’s competency to solve a specific task. The test can be in the form of logical reasoning, IQ tests, mathematical tests, or any job-related problem-solving. Let’s say applicants applying for software engineering or computer programming jobs might be asked to write or debug code.
• Situational Tasks: Interviewers give situational scenarios and ask them to provide an appropriate solution if they were put into the situation. This type of task shows how well they can react to real work situations.

7. Social Media Screening:

Interviewers post job requirements on many job hiring platforms and eventually use the same to check on a candidate's profile. They can compare the information mentioned in the social media profile with the resume details. The interviewers must use professional social accounts, like LinkedIn, to view the candidate’s social media activities. The recruiters must not completely rely on social media. It can be used as a tool to get an idea about how the candidate thinks and to get a better idea of their personality.

With increasing bogus resume cases, it’s important to do a thorough background check on the candidate. Background checks are typically conducted after a conditional offer letter has been extended to the job applicant. 

Background checks can be:

1. Identity verification 
2. Education qualification
3. Employment history
4. Criminal record, if any

Generally, recruiters can take candidate’s information from their previous organizations about their personality, behaviour, and how good they are at work. However, employers must ensure privacy and compliance while doing the same.

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Conclusion

Candidate screening methods vary from organization to organization, depending upon the job roles. Whichever method is feasible must be applied consistently. Companies must choose the correct sequence of methods for the hiring process and make a gist of job requirements from the company's point of view. At the same time, the company must take the utmost care in communicating the results at every stage of the hiring process, no matter if the result is good or bad. This approach creates a sense of effective communication with the candidates.

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