The Ultimate 2024 Guide to Applicant Screening (Plus Screening Question Examples)
According to a study by Leadership IQ, 46% of newly hired employees will not succeed in their new roles within 18 months. This illustrates the need for proper applicant screening as a critical gateway to securing top talent. Yet it’s fraught with challenges that can lead to hiring missteps.
The study reveals that new employees often underperform or fail, not due to a lack of technical skills but because of a flawed interview process.
Applicant screening is the first filter in finding the right person for the job. It saves time by weeding out candidates who don’t meet the basic job requirements or whose work style and values don’t match what the company is looking for. This way, you can focus your energy on evaluating candidates who are a better fit, making the whole hiring process more efficient and increasing the chances of finding someone who will do well in the role and stick around longer.
Contents
What is applicant screening?
The applicant screening process explained
11 applicant screening questions to ask
Checklist: What to look for when screening applicants
Top tips for recruiters to successfully screen candidates
What is applicant screening?
Applicant screening is a crucial step in the recruitment process. By evaluating job candidates to determine their suitability for a position, you can make decisions before proceeding to more in-depth interviews or assessments. Review resumes and cover letters, check references, and conduct initial background checks. This will narrow down the pool of applicants to those who best match the job requirements and company culture, streamlining the hiring process and increasing the possibility of finding the right fit for the role.
Screening allows employers to save time and resources by filtering out candidates who do not meet the essential qualifications or experience levels needed for the job. It also provides an opportunity to spot any potential red flags, like gaps in employment history or inconsistencies in the information provided. Through effective applicant screening, you can focus your efforts on engaging with the most qualified candidates. The result is a more efficient and targeted recruitment process.
The applicant screening process explained
Through job applicant screening, you can evaluate job candidates before moving forward with more in-depth interviews or assessments. This ensures that only the most suitable candidates are considered for a position, saving you time and resources and ensuring you find the perfect match for the role and your organization’s culture.
Here’s how the application screening process generally works:
Step 1. Review job applications
This is the initial phase where recruiters or hiring managers examine the applications received for a position. The focus is ensuring that applicants meet the minimum requirements specified in the job posting, such as educational background, work experience, and skill sets. This step helps identify which candidates have the basic qualifications to perform the job.
Use a checklist to quickly identify the presence of minimum qualifications like specific degrees, certifications, or years of experience. Utilize Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to automate the initial screening, setting criteria based on the job requirements.
Step 2. Screen resumes
In this step, recruiters scrutinize the resumes more closely to evaluate the candidates’ experiences, skills, and achievements. They look for keywords that match the job description, the relevance of past job roles to the position being applied for, and any special accomplishments that set the candidate apart. The aim is to identify those who meet the basic qualifications and show potential for excelling in the role.
Develop a scoring system based on key criteria such as relevant job experience, skills, and educational background. Pay special attention to career progression, gaps in employment, and personalized cover letters that address the specific role.
Step 3. View candidate’s LinkedIn profiles
Viewing a candidate’s LinkedIn profile has become a standard part of the recruitment process. Recruiters can assess the candidate’s professional network, endorsements, and even get a sense of their cultural fit within the organization. Additionally, LinkedIn can serve as a portfolio for candidates, showcasing their projects, publications, and other work-related accomplishments that might be relevant to the job at hand.
However, be mindful of bias. Standardize your review process and focus strictly on job-relevant information when reviewing the candidate’s LinkedIn profile.
Step 4. Review pre-screening answers
Many organizations include pre-screening questions in their application process to quickly assess key qualifications, availability, salary expectations, and other critical factors. Reviewing these answers helps in filtering out candidates who do not align with the company’s specific needs or requirements for the role, such as willingness to relocate or work certain hours.
Include questions that require specific answers, such as “Explain a situation where you solved a work-related problem.” Use these responses to gauge problem-solving abilities and fit with the job requirements. Automated scoring can help prioritize candidates who meet essential criteria.
Step 5. Develop screening questions
Based on the job description and the ideal candidate’s profile, develop a set of screening questions designed to assess the candidates’ technical abilities, soft skills, and cultural fit. They may cover topics such as problem-solving skills, adaptability, teamwork, and motivation for applying for the position.
Align questions with job-specific competencies and soft skills. For instance, ask about handling difficult customers for a customer service role. Ensure questions are open-ended to elicit detailed responses that reveal the candidate’s thought process and approach to work.
Step 6. Conduct initial phone screening
Have brief phone interviews with the selected candidates to assess further their qualifications, communication skills, and overall suitability for the role. This provides a chance to clarify any doubts about the resume, discuss the candidates’ experiences in more detail, and gauge their interest in the job and the company.
Create a standard script to ensure consistency across interviews. Start with a brief introduction about the company and role, followed by the screening questions. Listen for concise and relevant answers, and note the candidate’s enthusiasm and clarity of communication.
Step 7. Make screening notes for the hiring manager
After each phone screening, make detailed notes on the candidate’s responses, strengths, areas of concern, and overall impression. These notes are crucial for the hiring manager to understand the candidates’ profiles better and make informed decisions about who should move forward in the interview process.
Use a structured format for notes that covers strengths, weaknesses, qualifications, and cultural fit. Highlight specific examples the candidate provided that demonstrate their suitability for the role. This helps the hiring manager quickly understand each candidate’s potential.
Step 8. Assess cultural fit and soft skills
Although this can be part of the phone screening, it often involves a deeper analysis of the candidate’s potential fit within the company culture and interpersonal skills. This can be assessed through their responses to behavioral questions or scenarios that reflect the company’s values and the team dynamics of the prospective role.
Ask questions that reveal how a candidate’s values align with the company’s, such as their views on teamwork, leadership, and work-life balance. Assess soft skills by discussing past work experiences or hypothetical scenarios that require empathy, adaptability, and communication.
Step 9. Finalize candidates for in-depth interviews
Based on the comprehensive screening process, select a shortlist of candidates who best meet the criteria for the position. These candidates are then moved forward to more in-depth, face-to-face or virtual interviews with the hiring manager and possibly other team members.
Compare candidates based on a comprehensive review of their qualifications, screening interview performance, and cultural fit. Use a scoring system to objectively assess each candidate’s fit for the role. Consider involving a second reviewer to ensure unbiased candidate selection.
HR tip
Train your team. Proper training for all team members involved in the screening process is key to a cohesive and effective recruitment strategy. This training should cover the operational use of recruitment technologies and the principles of fair and consistent candidate assessment. Training on evaluating candidates objectively, based on both job requirements and organizational culture, ensures that the team can identify the most suitable candidates efficiently.
11 applicant screening questions to ask
Here are 11 screening questions examples that can provide insight into a candidate’s fit for a role and their potential integration into your team and company culture:
1. Describe your work style. How does it compare with your ideal environment?
This question helps you understand if the candidate’s way of working fits your workplace’s context.
2. Can you give an example of a challenge you faced in your previous role and how you overcame it?
This allows you to assess the candidate’s problem-solving skills and resilience.
3. What motivates you at work, and how do you maintain your productivity?
Insights into what drives the candidate can indicate how well they’ll align with the role’s demands and rewards.
4. How do you prioritize your tasks to meet several deadlines simultaneously?
Understanding their approach to time management and prioritization reveals their organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines.
5. Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
This question assesses the candidate’s interpersonal skills and ability to navigate team dynamics.
6. What is your approach to learning new skills or technologies?
The response will show the candidate’s commitment to professional development and adaptability to change.
7. Can you explain a project or accomplishment that you are particularly proud of?
This allows the candidate to showcase their skills and achievements, giving you insight into their potential contributions to your team.
8. How do you handle feedback, especially if it’s critical?
You can gauge the candidate’s openness to growth and ability to use feedback to improve constructively.
9. Why are you interested in this position and our company?
This question tests the candidate’s understanding of your company and their genuine interest in the role.
10. What are your career goals, and how does this role fit into them?
Understanding their professional aspirations can help you evaluate their long-term potential and fit within your organization.
11. How do you assess the impact of your work on the broader team or organization?
This question looks into the candidate’s awareness of their role within a larger context and their ability to contribute to collective goals.
These screening questions examples are designed to elicit responses that provide a well-rounded view of the candidate’s abilities, work ethic, and how they might contribute to your team and organization.
Checklist: What to look for when screening applicants
Top tips for recruiters to successfully screen candidates
- Understand the job requirements: Before starting the screening process, fully comprehend the job requirements. Schedule a meeting with the hiring manager to discuss essential skills or expertise needed, and ask for clarifications on any technical terms and role requirements you may be unfamiliar with.
- Use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Implement an ATS to help manage applications and filter candidates based on predefined criteria, such as keywords related to skills, education, and experience. This can save time and ensure that no suitable candidate is overlooked.
- Develop a standardized screening process: Create a consistent process for screening all candidates, including a set list of qualifications to check and questions to ask. This ensures fairness and efficiency, allowing for an objective comparison between candidates.
- Look for achievements, not just duties: When reviewing resumes, focus on the candidate’s achievements and outcomes, not just their responsibilities. This can include awards, successful projects, or significant contributions in previous roles.
Check for cultural fit: Assess whether a candidate’s values, work ethic, and behavior align with your company’s culture. This might involve asking questions about their preferred work environment, teamwork style, and motivation. - Prioritize soft skills: Alongside technical abilities, consider soft skills required for the role, such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving. You can gauge these through their responses to behavioral questions.
- Pay attention to red flags: Be on the lookout for potential red flags in resumes and during screenings, such as unexplained employment gaps, frequent job changes, or inconsistencies in information provided.
- Utilize social media and professional networks: Check candidates’ professional profiles on platforms like LinkedIn for additional insights into their career progression, endorsements, and professional networks.
- Conduct preliminary phone or video interviews: Use initial phone or video calls to assess communication skills, clarify any uncertainties in the application, and gauge the candidate’s interest and enthusiasm for the role.
- Provide timely feedback: Keep candidates informed about their status in the screening process. Even if they are not selected to move forward, providing constructive feedback can enhance your company’s reputation and improve the candidate experience.
To sum up
A well-executed applicant screening process is a critical component of effective talent acquisition. It can lead to higher-quality hires, increased efficiency, lower turnover, legal compliance, enhanced employer branding, and greater diversity and inclusion.
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