Are you taking the time to properly screen Candidates?: Blog

Are you taking the time to properly screen Candidates?

Despite the glut of available candidates nearly 60% of hiring managers surveyed say their biggest problem is finding qualified candidates. Many cite lack of or inefficient sourcing, screening and interviewing processes as the main culprit.

It used to be that background, experience and education were the primary factors used to determine which candidate to hire. Now hiring managers are asked to consider how a candidate will mesh with “Corporate Culture” and if they’re a “Right Fit”. Both these measures rely heavily on subjectivity and personal bias. How can you find that “Right Fit” candidate if you don’t know what you’re looking for?

All too often the parties involved in the hiring process (including some hiring managers) don’t really know what a candidate has to accomplish to be considered effective. They rely on vague descriptors like “a real go getter”, “high energy” or “someone with a presence” to define an ideal candidate. These qualities are completely subjective and impossible to identify by reading a resume or conducting a 15 minute screening call. A recent SHRM survey found that 45% of all resumes contain at least 1 Major fabrication. The stereotypical “used car salesman” is certainly “high energy” and “a real go getter”, and I imagine most have “a presence”. Is this the type of person you’re team is looking for? In the absence of quantifiable information people revert to personal bias in order make a decision. 

You can’t just expect the perfect candidate to walk through your door. You have to put forth some effort to find them. It is critical that you take the time to map out the top 6-8 key deliverables a candidate would need to perform in order to be considered successful. Make sure that all parties involved in the hiring process receive and understand this information. Also take the time to educate them on what skills are transferable from one industry to another. Otherwise people will only be looking for candidates who come from a small pool of competitors. Once you have this information it becomes easier to formulate interview questions which will flush out details from the candidate.

Conducting effective interviews is one of the most critical skills for a hiring manager to master. Learning to separate fact from personal bias is not easy. However, once mastered you’ll make smarter hiring decisions and build a better organization. If you really want to gain valuable insight into a potential candidates judgment, personality traits and emotional maturity, add some science to your recruiting efforts by implementing Behavioral Assessments into your process!