Recruitment Challenge #2: Candidate Screening

Recruitment Strategies to Address Candidate Screening

A major recruitment challenge is screening. Some roles, especially those that require fewer specific skills or training, will always attract a larger pool. The primary recruitment challenge here is screening. You want your recruitment strategy to address both challenges, so we’ve compiled a few suggestions for each.

1. ENABLE SELF-SCREENING.

If you communicate your employer brand, demonstrate the “sizzle” and the “why” behind the work, and craft your job postings in a way that candidates can clearly see if they are a fit or not, they will be more likely to apply where it's a fit and hold off when it's not. Think about your dream job, and how much time you’d invest in applying if you knew it was a great fit. Then think about the job that describes the ideal candidate and it is definitely not you. The odds of applying to the bad fit go down tremendously.    

2. USE MULTI-STEP SCREENING.

Here again, applicant tracking technology is your friend. You can create custom applications that include screening questions, then follow up with a second questionnaire. Questions can be skill or values/fit based. This approach serves three purposes: it solicits useful responses, it creates friction for those who know they aren’t a good fit, adding opportunities to engage with candidates who are, and it ensures everyone is evaluated according to the same criteria. Many companies also find success in implementing standardized, online assessments early in the process.

3. TRY EVENT-BASED INTERVIEWS.

These are especially helpful for companies that need to hire a large number of people in a short time, want a more informal/relaxed environment to “network” with talent, or want to include in-person meetings into a pre-demand recruitment strategy. A cocktail hour with sales talent, or a game night for local IT talent are some of the creative ways to get to know people beyond a 1-1 formal interview.

4. DON’T ABANDON THE GOLD STANDARD.

The quick phone screen and more in-depth individual or panel interview still get the job done.  

And it should be said that sometimes you need to address both screen and flow at the same time for a particular critical and hard-to-fill role. In that case, hiring a recruiter who can leverage their network and target individuals should be considered.  A comprehensive recruitment strategy is akin to a wellness program, but sometimes a trip to the ER is unavoidable.

There is no one-size fits all recruitment strategy, but incorporating some of these practices into your talent acquisition program can help your company brace itself against just about any swing in the talent market.