Candidate Screening and Selection Process: The Complete Guide for 2021

Building an agile workforce begins with accurate candidate screening and selection. Here’s our guide to this process for 2021.

February 26, 2021

With essential changes in technology making their presence felt across all aspects of work, candidate screening and selection processes have been on a sure-footed path to evolution over the course of the last decade. While the holistic process and strategy around recruitment has been elevated, the changes are more apparent in the initial stages of screening and selection, where technology can come closer to augmenting or even replacing human intervention. Here, we take a deep dive into the processes of candidate screening and selection and insights for 2021.

Table of Contents

After preparing a job description, the three S’s of recruitment is your next process-pyramid – sourcing, screening, and selection. With the added advantage of multiple job portals and social media, candidate sourcing has become a lot simpler, but that has also led to humongous volumes of applications that most recruiters need to scan through. In a hyper-connected world, then, while sourcing is not the foremost hurdle, the processes of candidate screening and selection need to be revisited. Let’s first look at the definitions of these two integral recruitment processes.

What Is Candidate Screening?

Candidate screening is the process of reviewing job applications. This comes in right after candidate sourcing and involves skimming through resumes and cover letters to find the closest applicant-job-description matches keeping in mind qualifications, experience, skill sets, and projected candidate-organization fit.

Despite major headway in technology, screening still happens to be the most time-intensive aspect of hiring with an average hiring decision taking about 23 hours of screening time. This is with the current size of recruitment teams of about three to four people, and they are predicted to only get smaller as more organizations pick up on the “doing more with less” philosophy.

Another metric to keep in mind is that the best talent stays live on the market for only up to 10 days. All these numbers indicate that screening should start taking a lot less time, a lot sooner!

Learn More: What is Talent Pipeline? Definition, Management with Examples

A 3-step guide to the candidate screening process

The process of candidate screening, whether you have a few applicants to browse through or are skimming through mounds of résumés, must follow three basic steps – all depending on a deep understanding of the requirements of the role.

The primary check that is conducted (whether by the human eye or by artificial intelligence) involves a look at the qualifications, which may include work experience, academic background, skills, knowledge base, personality, behavior-indicative traits, and competencies.

Step 1: Ticking off the basic or must-have requirements

These are mandatory fields that the candidate must qualify in – for example, having the legal allowance to work in the country where the role would be based or the need for basic coding skills in a website backend role.

The question may arise about valuable talent being overlooked if they don’t meet these basic criteria. But this can then become a debate of convenience (of less time and a tight checklist) over a possible oversight, and most organizations are wise to choose the former in a candidate market as heavily fragmented.

Learn More: The Rise of the Corporate Recruiter: Job Description, Salary Expectations, and Key Skills for 2020

Step 2: Scanning for preferred or good-to-have qualifications

This step involves looking at resumes that meet the basic requirements a little deeper to look for qualitative attributes that a candidate might bring to the role. These would build a stronger case for the CV, since these extras would enable the candidate to do a better job on the role. For example, having prior experience in a warehouse of the same industry would be an added bonus for a warehouse manager.

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Figure 1. A 3-step guide to the candidate screening process

Step 3: Matching the holistic picture of the candidate to the role

This is probably the first time during the screening that the recruiter looks at the candidate as more than just a CV and tries to match a more holistic employee personaOpens a new window (with must-have and good-to-have qualifications) to the job description. This is where candidates are shortlisted to go onward to the interviewing and testing phase.

How good your screening process is, has a direct impact on your recruitment conversion rates. On average, conversion rates are about 12% (application to interview), 17% (interview to offer), and 89% (offer to acceptance and placement). Thus, if you screened 100 candidates and shortlisted 12 of them for the interview, two would receive an offer, and (hopefully) one would accept.

Learn More: What Is Talent Acquisition? Definition, Process, Strategies, and Best Practices

The dual challenge in candidate screening

If you ask any recruiter what the two metrics of concern are for them, most would point at toward the quality of hire and the time to fill a vacancy. Screening plays an important role in this quality-quantity equation.

1. Quality of hire

That the quality of hire is an important metric is no surprise, but how do you measure it? About 50% companies measure the average quality-of-hire metric based on the on-the-job performance of new recruits, 49% take into consideration the rate of turnover, and 43% depend on the satisfaction levels of hiring managers to measure the quality of hire.

While basic applicant tracking systems (ATS) do not seek to measure the success of hires on the job, there are performance measuring tools that could be integrated with screening tools to allow a retrospective understanding of what went well and to identify challenge areas.

2. Time to fill

As discussed earlier, the recent increase in numbers of applications seen across various sectors has led to one of the biggest challenges of screening resumes – volume. Out of the average 250 applications that any given job is bombarded with, 220 are deemed unqualified. Thus, investing almost a whole day of screening for a single hire is not something that the average recruiter is a stranger to.

An effective ATS tool could prove to be a lifesaver here, especially since it can automate large portions of the process, allowing you to go through and keep track of mindboggling volumes of applications. While we have all heard of inefficient keyword filters leading to false positives or to good talent being eliminated at the preliminary screening, these are essentially human errors and cannot be blamed on the ATS. With machine learning (ML)-enabled, AI-based ATS systems, tech tools can learn and update and prune through filters much faster and with greater accuracy.

Smarter candidate screening with technology

With the rise of the smart recruiter and of AI recruiting tools, administrative activities that demand a greater investment of time can now be outsourced to non-human technology. What seems clear is that any process with directly quantifiable or distinctly qualifiable input and output mechanisms like screening (where you know exactly what you’re looking for) can now be automated.

1. AI-enabled resume-screening

Most AI-based recruiting software needs to serve the basic requirement of integrating well with existing ATS and human capital management (HCM) software featuresOpens a new window and tools. Thus, a big chunk of the recruiters’ time can now be freed up for more strategic selection of candidates. These software usually learn from your past hiring decisions, so the system tends to get better over time as you keep updating and upgrading it.

Moreover, besides matching job requirements to all information already present on a CV, AI screeners can often also pull in public data from social media platforms to gauge a more complete picture of the candidate.

2. The AI way to manage high volume

AI recruiters thrive on volume. The more the data, the more the learning and the better the recommendations over time. Industries such as retail or customer service-specific roles that tend to deal with huge volumes of applications with limited time can benefit a lot from such screening tools.

3. Improving quality of hire with AI

An array of research data points to the fact that organizations that have adopted AI recruiting software have seen an average boost to their performance metrics and a dip in turnover. Furthermore, with more time not spent on screening, recruiters can now focus on analyzing shortlisted candidates better.

Upgraded AI recruiting tools can check for keyword stuffing and arrive and better screening decisions, thus upping the reliability of the screening process. Once through with screening, organizations can now move onward to effective candidate selection.

Learn More: What Is HR Analytics? Definition, Importance, Key Metrics, Data Requirements, and Implementation

What Is Candidate Selection?

Candidate selection is the culmination of the 360-degree recruitment process and is a result of arriving at the smart decision on whether a candidate has the right experience-knowledge-expertise score based on job-requirements.

Candidate selection is thus about filling a vacancy with the right candidate using objective techniques and measurement tools to gauge their fit within the organization, their projected success in the role, and their growth path within the system.

The process of candidate selection involves an array of interviews, skills tests, psychometric tools, group discussions, and reference checks – all aimed at measuring the candidate’s fitness for the role at hand. In spite of the incorporation of mobile-friendly AI-enabled tools to these processes, the selection process is being held back. Let’s look at what these factors are and how to elevate candidate selection to provide an engaging candidate experience.

Top 5 candidate selection pitfalls

It is not only an organization’s business environment that is dynamic. The job market is ever-morphing as well – with the rise of the gig workforce, influx of new generations at work, the growing need to adopt fast-evolving technology, and changing employee and candidate expectations. So, how can the candidate selection process help in elevating the candidate experience? When it comes to candidate selection, there are five common pitfalls that organizations need to be wary of.

1. A loosely tied selection process

No matter how strongly the trend of unstructured workforces and work schedules pick up, lack of structure in the selection process is a definite let-down. Almost two-thirds of the candidate population claims that a selection process that appears to be unplanned would impact how they perceived the employer brand. In a recent Manpower Group survey of 18,000 candidates in 24 markets titled“ Add to Cart: Candidates are Consumers, Too”  54% of participants stated that the candidate journey they went through would affect whether they invest in the brand’s products or services.

And this is a perception that they would hold onto. Besides the outward perception, an unstructured selection process would pose obvious problems of scalability while also being difficult to replicate.

2. Lack of role-specific selection systems

Every role is unique, and as they require a specific skills-competencies-personality equation for success, they need a reciprocally unique selection process too. Adopting a one-size-fits-all approach to the selection where you expect to employ the same testing and measuring tools across roles is a recipe for a mundane, ineffective, and superficial selection process.

3. Being over-dependent on the human recruiter

This is a challenge that most organizations face when adopting new technology – where does human intervention end and tech take the reins? Recruiters may find it difficult to relinquish the reins but think of all the extra work you are putting in despite your investment in technology. Surveys point out that 57% of job seekers might lose interest and pull out of a lengthy selection process. Why stick to a long-drawn, time-consuming process when you can keep it short, sweet, and mobile?

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Figure 2. Top 5 candidate selection pitfalls

4. Denouncing data

It might be difficult to believe, but even in a datafied world, there are hiring managers who trust their gut over data. While we are not negating the importance of tapping into our human abilities to sense and perceive how well a candidate might fit into the organization, it seems risky to not rely on the depth of data that we have access to at present. According to CareerBuilder, 74% of recruiters admit to hiring the “wrong” candidate at some point. Moreover, denouncing data paves the way for biased decisions and besides being difficult to justify, such subjectivity is not something that could help you augment your candidate experience.

5. Overlooking the candidate experience

According to Glassdoor polls, more than two-thirds of employees feel that there is a discrepancy in the expectations set during their interviews and their actual job. These inconsistencies, lack of adequate communication and feedback, along with a tedious application process, all add up to dismal candidate experience. Whether you end up hiring that candidate or not, the experience that you have provided stays associated with your brand and rest assured, will make its way around the social media whirlpool.

Learn More: What Is Onboarding? Definition, Process, Templates, and Best Practices

The Holy Trinity Of Smart Candidate Selection

Now that we know what the five common pitfalls in candidate selection are, let’s look at the three pillars that uphold the process – the holy trinity of smart candidate selection if you will. In a market as deeply candidate-driven as this, where your employer brand needs to shine, you must bring your A-game to attract top talent.

Here are the three key aspects of smart candidate selection:

1. Dependable data: Having access to the right data can help you upgrade any process. Rather than not having enough data backing, our immediate concern might actually be having too much data at hand. It is often easy to get distracted by this data dump, but with AI tools that can sift through piles of data to sniff out the most relevant pieces of information, you can start putting the selection puzzle together.

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Figure 3. The holy trinity of smart candidate selection

2. Efficient processes: The importance of a quick, smooth, and structured selection process cannot be stressed enough. This not only helps the candidate but also helps you portray your employer brand as agile and effective, where processes are carried out without glitches and where the candidate’s time is valued. Greater efficiency reduces waste since it has a direct impact on time to hire and cost per hire. Structuring an efficient and engaging process for the candidate becomes a lot easier if you pay attention to the data trends of candidate engagement levels and keep track of the feedback they provide.

3. Focus on candidate experience: How do you convert brand enthusiasts to brand advocates who can help you drive your employer brand? The experience you provide through the selection process is what could make the difference between creating a brand advocate and a brand adversary. Interestingly enough, the other two pillars of efficiency and data can improve the experience that a candidate has through the process of recruitment.

Learn More: What is Candidate Management? Definition, Relationship Management with ExamplesOpens a new window

Over To The Smart Recruiter Of 2021

With the volume of candidate screening and selection tools in the market, it is easy to often go for enterprise-backed best practices and technology. However, it is important to ask what works for your organization. Best practices may not be the best fit for you. With candidate screening and selection processes, it is thus important to devise a structured method that is a balance of human values and AI qualities, that drives the employer brand forward and helps you start a dialogue with top talent.

What are the best practices that you have included in your candidate screening and selection strategy? Tell us all about it on FacebookOpens a new window , LinkedInOpens a new window , or TwitterOpens a new window . We’re always listening.

Prarthana Ghosh
Prarthana Ghosh

Copy Editor, Spiceworks

Prarthana is Copy Editor for Spiceworks. She has created in-depth content assets around strategic themes that matter the most to the world of work, technology and leadership today from digital transformation to the role of AI. This involves researching and developing globally relatable long-form content like eBooks, Buyer Guides, White Papers, and Survey Reports - all rooted in subject matter knowledge and passion for the subjects. Prarthana also loves traveling, reading, baking, and trying weird food from around the world. You can reach out to her at prarthana.ghosh@swzd.com.
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