Attracting talent is not always the biggest challenge for recruiters. Sometimes, a job advertisement can attract many candidates, so sifting through the resumes becomes the problem. You can’t possibly interview all the applicants for a job. On the other hand, you don’t want to discard the details of someone who could be perfect for the role. The only way forward is to shortlist those candidates you wish to interview. However, how do you select the few candidates to take to the next stage? Here are some practical tips to help you shortlist candidates.
Decide How Many Candidates to Interview
The first step is to identify how many candidates you want to take to the first interview stage. There is no set number of candidates or percentage of applications you should interview. However, it is best to keep your shortlist relatively short at around five to seven applicants. It can also be helpful to have a reserve list to fall back on should any prime candidates drop out.
Take Several Passes at Shortlisting
Once you have decided on the length of your shortlist, you can start the selection process. However, don’t expect to come down to a shortlist on the first pass. Instead, it is generally best to take several passes, filtering applicants based on the criteria you have set.
Set Your Criteria
You will probably have set your criteria when you wrote the job description and advertisement. Breaking those criteria into must-haves and nice-to-haves will now help you narrow your shortlist. The must-haves will include minimum qualifications and experience. The nice-to-haves will be the bonus attributes of a candidate that could bring something extra-special to the position.
Eliminate Applicants Who Don’t Meet the Minimum Criteria
You will receive applications from people who have not read or ignored the requirements you stated in your job listing. You can quickly eliminate these candidates in your first pass at creating a shortlist. Scan through the resumes, selecting only those candidates that meet your must-have criteria. Those that do not possess the minimum qualifications or experience can be eliminated from further screening.
Consider Applicant Screening Tests
Depending on the role, applicant screening tests might help you identify the best applicants for interviews. These tests, usually conducted online, can uncover if an applicant possesses the necessary skills, knowledge, and aptitude for a role. Psychometric testing is another form of applicant screening to assess a person’s capabilities and personality traits.
Screen In Rather Than Out
Once you have removed those that fail to meet the must-have criteria, you can spend more time reviewing the remaining applicants. It is best to screen applicants in rather than out at this stage. The difference between screening in and out might appear to be unimportant. However, if you dismiss an applicant out of hand at this stage, you might miss out on an excellent candidate who could grow within the role.
Look for Errors
Attention to detail is essential in most jobs, so sift out any resumes containing spelling mistakes, poor grammar, and typos. Errors in a job application mean that the candidate hasn’t bothered to proofread their application, which suggests they might not take a lot of pride in their work. Poor formatting and layout are also not a good sign. Mistakes on a job application might also indicate that the applicant is not taking the job seriously.
Watch Out for Inconsistencies
Look for any inconsistencies in an applicant’s career history. Too many job changes in a short period might indicate a lack of commitment to employers and working in general. Many changes in career path might suggest that an individual has yet to decide where their future lies. Unexplained gaps in employment can also be a red flag. Inconsistencies like these raise doubt on a candidate’s reliability, so they will need explaining, or the applicant can be screened out of the process.
Conduct Short Telephone or Online Screening Interviews
Face-to-face interviews are time-consuming. However, you can tell a lot about a person from a brief telephone or video screening interview. Short screening interviews will help you further shortlist candidates and provide an opportunity to clarify any immediate qualifying questions you may have for an applicant.
Score Candidates
You may be left with an excessive number of applications following your initial shortlisting. In that case, the best way to fine-tune the shortlist is to score candidates and select only the top-scorers for interviews. Try giving applicants points for every minimum, essential, and preferred attribute they possess, and then choose your shortlist from the highest scorers.
Conclusion
In summary, it is best not to shortlist candidates in one go. Instead, make several passes at the filtering process to get the best applicants for the position. You may have criteria other than those mentioned above. Still, the above steps will hopefully make the shortlisting process a little less daunting.