{"id":6531,"date":"2019-09-28T10:00:35","date_gmt":"2019-09-28T08:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bmkedev.wpengine.com\/?p=3878"},"modified":"2022-02-25T12:00:40","modified_gmt":"2022-02-25T10:00:40","slug":"shortlisting-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates","title":{"rendered":"5 Things You Need to Know When Shortlisting Candidates"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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\u2019s 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:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a28a8dcd941a\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a28a8dcd941a\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#Determine_the_number_of_candidates_you_would_want_to_interview\" >Determine the number of candidates you would want to interview<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#_2_Identify_the_most_important_attributes_of_the_ideal_candidate\" >\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a02. \u00a0Identify the most important attributes of the ideal candidate<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#_Decide_what_skills_would_give_a_candidate_an_edge\" >\u00a0Decide what skills would give a candidate an edge<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#Filter_the_candidates_with_stronger_essential_skills\" >Filter the candidates with stronger essential skills<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#Conduct_a_phone_interview_as_a_pre-screening_step\" >Conduct a phone interview as a pre-screening step<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#5_Sure_Signs_That_a_Candidate_is_%E2%80%98The_One\" >5 Sure Signs That a Candidate is \u2018The One\u2019<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#1_They_Know_the_Way_to_your_Heart\" >1. They Know the Way to your Heart<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#2_Their_Applications_Serenade_You\" >2. Their Applications Serenade You<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#3_They_have_Dreamt_of_Working_at_Your_Company_for_a_Long_Time\" >3. They have Dreamt of Working at Your Company for a Long Time<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#4_They_Cant_Wait_to_Meet_You\" >4. They Can\u2019t Wait to Meet You<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#5_They_Were_Made_for_You\" >5. They Were Made for You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/shortlisting-candidates\/#BrighterMonday_is_Your_Ultimate_Matchmaker\" >BrighterMonday is Your Ultimate Matchmaker<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Determine_the_number_of_candidates_you_would_want_to_interview\"><\/span>Determine the number of candidates you would want to interview<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3882\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Determine-the-number-of-candidates-you-would-want-to-interview.png\" alt=\"Ideal number of candidates to interview\" width=\"848\" height=\"277\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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\u2019t 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. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_2_Identify_the_most_important_attributes_of_the_ideal_candidate\"><\/span><b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a02.<\/b> \u00a0Identify the most important attributes of the ideal candidate<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3883\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Identify-the-most-important-attributes-of-the-ideal-candidate.png\" alt=\"Important job interview attributes\" width=\"848\" height=\"277\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_Decide_what_skills_would_give_a_candidate_an_edge\"><\/span>\u00a0Decide what skills would give a candidate an edge<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3884\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Decide-what-skills-would-give-a-candidate-an-edge.png\" alt=\"Important but not required skills of a candidate\" width=\"848\" height=\"277\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Filter_the_candidates_with_stronger_essential_skills\"><\/span>Filter the candidates with stronger essential skills<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3885\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Filter-the-candidates-with-stronger-essential-skills.png\" alt=\"Essential skills of a candidate\" width=\"848\" height=\"277\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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. <\/span><\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conduct_a_phone_interview_as_a_pre-screening_step\"><\/span>Conduct a phone interview as a pre-screening step<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3886\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Conduct-a-phone-interview-as-a-pre-screening-step.png\" alt=\"Phone interview\" width=\"848\" height=\"277\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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&#8217;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.<a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/employer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Post a job on BrighterMonday<\/a> today to get the best and brightest talent in the market.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-sure-signs-that-a-candidate-is-the-one\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Sure_Signs_That_a_Candidate_is_%E2%80%98The_One\"><\/span>5 Sure Signs That a Candidate is \u2018The One\u2019<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>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 \u201cthe one\u201d. So here are 5 ways of knowing that a candidate is the right fit for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-they-know-the-way-to-your-heart\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_They_Know_the_Way_to_your_Heart\"><\/span>1. They Know the Way to your Heart<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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, \u201cWhy do you want to work for us?\u201d with specific solutions that their skills present and how they are going to solve your pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Their_Applications_Serenade_You\"><\/span>2. Their Applications Serenade You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s always that job application that catches your attention. The job application\u2019s 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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_They_have_Dreamt_of_Working_at_Your_Company_for_a_Long_Time\"><\/span>3. They have Dreamt of Working at Your Company for a Long Time<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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.&nbsp;Your company branding represents all they ever wanted in an employer and to them, you are the dream company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_They_Cant_Wait_to_Meet_You\"><\/span>4. They Can\u2019t Wait to Meet You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019t wait to impress you with their punctuality and zeal in asking questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_They_Were_Made_for_You\"><\/span>5. They Were Made for You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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 <a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/employer-branding\">your company culture<\/a> and understand how their role fits into the grand scheme of things.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"BrighterMonday_is_Your_Ultimate_Matchmaker\"><\/span>BrighterMonday is Your Ultimate Matchmaker<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hear what other employers are saying about our matchmaking expertise <a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/customer-success\">here<\/a> and sign up to get your ideal candidates <a class=\"article-body-links\"href=\"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/employer\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shortlisting is mainly used for eliminating candidates leaving the very best to proceed to the next stage in the recruitment process.How do you ensure to get the best?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":9465,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[439],"content_author":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6531","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-employers","8":"tag-shortlisting"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6531"},{"taxonomy":"content_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightermonday.co.ke\/discover\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_author?post=6531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}