What is candidate screening?

The practice of assessing job candidates to ascertain their fitness for a position is known as candidate screening. It entails going over cover letters, resumes, and other application documents to evaluate the credentials, abilities, and expertise of an applicant. The objective is to select the most qualified applicants from the pool of candidates so they can advance to the next round of the hiring process, which may include skill evaluations or interviews.

Employers can save time and money, lower the risk of making a poor hiring decision, and improve their chances of locating the best applicant for the position by carrying out a thorough screening process.

Here are 7 typical techniques for screening candidates:

1. Resume screening: Examining resumes to make sure applicants fulfill the minimal requirements and qualifications for the position.
2. Telephone or video interviews: These are quick talks used to evaluate candidates' experience, communication abilities, and suitability for the job.
3. Skills Assessments: Assessing candidates' technical abilities via examinations, thought exercises, or quizzes.
4. Psychological Testing: Assessing personality, cognitive ability, or behavioral tendencies with standardized instruments.
5. Reference Checks: Reaching out to reputable references to confirm prior work experience and performance.
6. In-Person Interviews: Holding in-person discussions to evaluate cultural alignment, communication abilities, and fit.
7. Practical Exercises or Case Studies: Putting applicants through scenarios or activities from the actual world to show their experience and problem-solving abilities.