Developing an effective applicant screening process can be an overwhelming task. By following a simple step-by-step instruction, however, you can create an efficient and organized applicant screening process. First, you should identify which skills and qualifications are essential for a successful hire. Once this is established, create a job description and job posting.
This will help ensure only qualified candidates apply. Then, you can develop a list of desired job criteria that should be subjected to the applicants. A phone or in-person interviewing process can then be used to further assess the applicants and gather more pertinent details. Afterward, an HR or hiring manager should review the applicants’ resumes to select potential candidates.
Then comes the verification process, this involves gathering information such as background checks, references, and/or criminal records. Upon completion, it’s important to choose a tool to measure how to rank the prospects. After evaluating the candidate’s aptitude for the position, a job offer can then be extended and accepted. By following this step-by-step guide, you can create an effective and efficient applicant screening process for your organization.
How to Create a Good Applicant Screening Process
Step 1: Testing Applicant Skills
Improving the applicant screening process is key to quickly identifying the best candidates for a job. By streamlining the process and utilizing modern hiring technologies, companies can find the right people faster while also freeing up their HR and recruiting teams to focus on more meaningful tasks. One way to improve applicant screening is by introducing automated video interviewing. Video interview technology uses your job description to create a series of questions – eliminating the need for HR teams to develop their own batches. This saves time, and eliminates the potential for any bias.
Additionally, many video platforms have features designed to identify which applicants are best suited for the position based on their answers, allowing hiring managers to easily identify the best applicants without needing to review each individual answer. In addition to video interviews, companies may also want to consider online assessments to help identify candidates with the best skills. By creating simple assessments based on the job description, companies can quickly determine which applicants are most likely to thrive in the position. These assessments can be used to identify valuable skills in an applicant, or even to assess the hiring manager’s decision making abilities by comparing their assessments to the actual performance of the applicant if they get hired.
Finally, companies should also utilize social media platforms to better understand their applicants. With social media they can research an applicant’s interests, skills, and past experience, allowing them to get a better understanding of the applicant’s personality and qualifications. By introducing these technologies into the applicant screening process, companies can more accurately identify the best applicants for the job, significantly decreasing their recruitment time and cost.
Hirebee can very efficiently improve your screening efforts with automated recruitment, which can handle everything from job distribution to recruitment marketing.
Step 2: Filtering Candidates with a Resume Check
To ensure a successful pre-employment screening process, employers can use a resume check as a tool to help filter relevant candidates. A resume check is used to obtain background information about a candidate, evaluate the skills and experience listed in a resume and match them with the requirements of the position, and verify facts and credentials. A resume check can be conducted by conducting a web search, reaching out to references, and using various databases such as the National Student Clearinghouse. Doing a background check can also involve verifying employment history, as well as running a criminal record check, a credit check, and an examination of educational credentials.
Employers can use this type of pre-employment screening to determine if the candidate is likely to be a good fit for the job. By using a resume check, employers can quickly gain insight and understanding into a potential hire’s qualifications. This can help employers make informed and objective hiring decisions by evaluating job-related skills, and understanding any areas of potential risk. Resume checks can also give employers confidence that the candidate is telling the truth in their resume.
By verifying information with employing references, employers can better avoid the risk of hiring a candidate with inaccuracies on their resume. Overall, a resume check is a beneficial tool during pre-employment screening. It can allow employers to better match the candidate’s qualifications to the job and quickly determine if they should move forward with them. Employers should however keep in mind the laws surrounding employee background checks and how much information is legally allowed to be obtained.
Step 3: Thorough Online Research
Hiring process improvement starts with understanding the needs of both the employer and the applicant. Conducting thorough online research allows employers to better understand what job seekers are looking for in a job position and employer, while providing applicants with knowledge on the hiring process, company culture, and what to expect from the job.
Online research helps the hiring process by making it more transparent and efficient. An employer can compare the skills and experiences of various applicants without having to contact each through phone or email. A job seeker can research similar positions in the same industry more quickly by filtering through candidate profiles. In addition, researching hiring process improvement helps employers to identify gaps in the recruitment process and make improvements to areas such as onboarding and training.
This can reduce employee turnover rate, help build team morale, and increase retention. It can also help employers identify talent that may not otherwise be brought into the organization. Finally, online research helps both employers and applicants understand the laws and regulations governing the recruitment process. Understanding the limitations and requirements of the hiring process can help secure the best talent and prevent issues such as discrimination or unfair treatment. Overall, conducting thorough online research is an essential step in improving the recruiting process and sustaining an effective and successful workforce.
Step 4: Video Interview
The purpose of a dedicated interview is to conduct an in-depth, in-person evaluation of a potential job candidate. This type of interview assesses the applicant’s motivations, values, skills, and experience to determine if they are the best fit for the position. The interviewer should have a list of questions prepared, including questions that are specific to the job they are applying for, as well as a few general ones. The goal of the questions is to uncover factual evidence that supports a conclusion that the candidate is a great fit.
Additionally, the interviewer should pay close attention to the applicant’s body language and demeanor, as well as their responses to questions. During the interview, making sure the candidate feels respected and their opinions are valued is essential for creating an effective and engaging conversation. Having an open, non-judgmental attitude and allowing the applicant to voice their opinions during the interview will reveal details about them that writing cannot.
It is also important to be prepared to discuss the role further and explain the expectations for the job. This will help the candidate evaluate if the company is a good fit for them as well. At the end of the interview, allowing the applicant to ask questions will help them better understand the position and give them the opportunity to provide further evidence that they are the best candidate for the job.
The Benefits of Creating a Good Applicant Screening Process
Improved Security in Your Firm
In order to improve security in a firm, candidate screening criteria should be established, implemented and adhered to. The criteria should include both physical and virtual security qualifications. Qualifications should include assessing a potential employee or contractor’s background, experience, demeanor, previous employers, and trustworthiness.
Background checks should also be conducted, and their results evaluated. For physical security, the firm should ensure that any security equipment used is up-to-date and meets industry standards. This includes having monitoring systems, alarms, cameras, motion detectors, and other security mechanisms. Access to certain areas of the firm should be restricted. Only those individuals with the appropriate clearance and identification should be allowed to enter.
For virtual security, it’s important to ensure that all individuals in the firm know the relevant policies and protocols for using the firm’s computers and software. These may include restrictions to device and program usage, password requirements and regular changes, firewalls and other virus protection, encryption protocols, and other related policies. It’s also essential that all personnel are aware of and comply with the firm’s social media policy, which should encompass the use of company hardware and software and be designed to protect the firm from potential threat sources.
This proactive approach to screening and security can help ensure the firm is protected from malicious activity and organizational damage. Ensuring that all personnel are qualified, background checked, and trained in the relevant security protocols will further ensure the firm is protected.
Helps Prevent Against Fraud
The primary role of references during the applicant screening process is to help employers to protect their business and to prevent against fraud. This can involve verifying the applicant’s identity, gaining insight into their reputation and character, and confirming their qualifications and skills. Reference checks can also prevent fraud by allowing employers to get a clearer idea of what the potential employee has done in the past. It helps to separate applicants who have inflated or fabricated their credentials from those who have the necessary qualifications and skills.
During the reference checks, employers can compare the information on resumes and job applications to the information from the references. This comparison can help to identify discrepancies and detect any instances of fraud. Additional benefits of reference checks include the assessment of the applicant’s past performance and job tenure. The references allow employers to see if the candidate was given any awards or if there were any major performance issues.
Knowing these details helps employers to hire preferred candidates who have demonstrated success in their past roles. Reference checks also provide validation of certifications, specialized training, and other qualifications. It ensures that the applicant is truthful and that they possess the knowledge and skills they claim to have. By confirming these credentials, employers can reduce the risk of hiring an unqualified candidate or someone who is misrepresenting themselves.
Performing reference checks is an important step during the job applicant screening process. The detailed background information provided by references helps employers to gain a greater understanding of the applicants and to identify applicants with the right fit for their organization. Employers can also confirm the applicant’s qualifications and will be better equipped to detect fraud and other risks associated with hiring the wrong person.
Makes Recruiting More Efficient
Candidate screening is an important step in the recruiting process, as it helps employers to quickly identify the most qualified candidates and eliminate those who may not be suitable for the job. Screening gives employers an advantage by saving time and money communicating with and interviewing unsuitable applicants.
When employers streamline their recruitment process by introducing a reliable candidate screening process, they can better focus on interviewing the best-fit candidates for the job. There are many tools and best practices employers can implement to enhance their candidate screening process. For instance, employers should start by writing a comprehensive job description based on the skills, experience and qualifications necessary for the role.
This establishes a standard for evaluating candidates and ensures that all applications are reviewed to assess how the candidate aligns with the role requirements. Employers can take this one step further and create a series of objective questions to ask each applicant to further assess their abilities. Online assessment tools can be used to fairly and accurately assess the technical knowledge, skills and abilities of job seekers.
With an automated testing system, employers can assess applicants quickly and easily, and accurately measure the results. This is more time efficient than reading and manually scoring tests, which enables employers to quickly identify a larger pool of qualified candidates.
By having a structured candidate screening system, employers can ensure they are selecting the right applicants for the job. This not only benefits the employer but the applicants as well, as it allows employers to properly qualify individuals who have the skills and background needed to be successful in their new role. A well-developed candidate screening process is the key to efficient talent acquisition best practices.
Conclusion
An effective applicant screening process is critical for any business. With the right plan and steps in place, businesses can ensure they get the best applicants for their open positions. By following the steps outlined in this guide, companies can find the right applicants, assess their qualifications and experience, and select the best fit for the job.
With a well-designed screening process in place, companies can ensure they make the best hiring decision and improve their overall organizational performance.
From candidate sourcing to offering reports and analytics, Hirebee has a suite of recruitment features that can make it a lot easier for you to find the right candidates.
