In the current job market, for every job advertised, you are likely to receive tens or hundreds of applications, making the process of shortlisting the applications long and tedious. As an employer, the main goal is to get the right candidate as fairly as possible, but it’s not easy. Shortlisting is mainly used for eliminating candidates leaving the very best to proceed to the next stage in the recruitment process. But, how do you ensure that this process yields the best candidates? Here are 5 useful tips to use:
Determine the number of candidates you would want to interview
This is the first step in the entire process, as it will help you decide just how rigorous your selection process should be. How wide are you going to sling your net? Are you looking for a specific skill set without any deviation, or willing to take a risk with candidates who aren’t in your top three on paper? Sometimes, people can surprise you. Take into consideration the availability of the interviewer so that you can determine how many candidates can be screened.
2. Identify the most important attributes of the ideal candidate
These should be guided by the job description, where you state the bare minimum skills, qualifications, and experiences of the ideal candidate. At this stage, decide what is absolutely necessary and what you can compromise on. For example, if you need an accountant who has experience with handling payroll and has 3 years applicable experience, you may choose to compromise on the years of experience if an applicant has the required skills but only one and a half years of experience. Flexibility is important as it creates room for a larger pool of candidates and an opportunity to find the right talent.
Decide what skills would give a candidate an edge
What are the desirable qualities you are looking for and how flexible are they? In some cases, they can be important but not essential. For example, when looking for a content marketer, the basic requirement is a person who can research and write well and has a portfolio to back this information up. However, a desirable quality to give the ideal person an edge might be basic graphic design skills. When you have established which candidates have the basic skills, you can narrow down the pool of candidates by including those skills that give the ideal person an edge over the rest.
Filter the candidates with stronger essential skills
If you still need to shrink the pool of shortlisted candidates, you can go back and look for those candidates that have very strong essential skills. For example, if you are recruiting for the position of a sales person, one person may have experience in sales while another has the same experience but within your industry. The second candidate has more relevant experience and hence, a better fit for the job.
Conduct a phone interview as a pre-screening step
If you are not sure which candidates to shortlist, you could conduct a pre-screening interview on phone to decide which candidates you should call in for an interview. It is an important step as it allows you to ask a few questions and have the candidate shed more light on some aspects of their CV. This way, you can make an informed decision about the suitability of a candidate for the position.
BrighterMonday provides a system that can help you apply all the above methods at the comfort of your office and at the click of a button. With BrighterMonday’s Application Tracking System, you can reach a wide database and receive many applications. You can then enter the criteria you desire to filter candidates. You can then move then to a review category to proceed to the next stage. The candidates receive notifications of your actions and know where they are at with the application. Post a job on BrighterMonday today to get the best and brightest talent in the market.
5 Sure Signs That a Candidate is ‘The One’
As a human resource professional, your job is to play matchmaker in your company; pairing candidates and departments that are meant for each other and watching them ride into the sunset together. In both love and recruiting, you always know when you have found “the one”. So here are 5 ways of knowing that a candidate is the right fit for you.
1. They Know the Way to your Heart
A candidate meant for your company already sees themselves working for you. They have internalised your vision and mission and they can see how their skills and experience fit in with your company.
They have researched your company and know your clients, competitors and recent milestones and they know just what you need with that particular role you are advertising for. This is the kind of candidate who will answer the question, “Why do you want to work for us?” with specific solutions that their skills present and how they are going to solve your pain.
2. Their Applications Serenade You
There’s always that job application that catches your attention. The job application’s email subject calls to you like a siren enticing you to find out more about the candidate. This candidate has read your job description well and understands what you are looking for. They have packaged their CV and cover letter in a way that touches on all the qualities that you are looking for.
3. They have Dreamt of Working at Your Company for a Long Time
The ideal candidate could have had several encounters with your company before getting paired with the right department. Even though they might not have been successful in the past, they have never stopped dreaming about working for you. Your company branding represents all they ever wanted in an employer and to them, you are the dream company.
4. They Can’t Wait to Meet You
Candidates who have a great desire to work in your company will arrive on time at the interview and will always give the impression of preparedness. They are honoured to finally get this opportunity to meet you and, therefore, can’t wait to impress you with their punctuality and zeal in asking questions.
5. They Were Made for You
For any relationship to succeed, the people involved must be on the same page and have certain things in common that bring them together. A candidate that is meant for your company will fit right into your company culture and understand how their role fits into the grand scheme of things.
BrighterMonday is Your Ultimate Matchmaker
BrighterMonday guarantees 100% completed candidate profiles and a mix of automated and human matching systems that ensure the right fit for you. This way, you get the right fit faster. We are there for you, every step of the way.
Hear what other employers are saying about our matchmaking expertise here and sign up to get your ideal candidates here.
