Candidate Screening
 

I- Effective Resume Screening

When advertising job opportunities on the Internet or in the newspaper it is common to receive many resumes, and sifting through them, can be time consuming. Screening resumes effectively will increase your chances of inviting only the best candidates to interview and of ultimately making a successful hire. The best approach to resume screening is to implement a two-phase process. In the first phase, eliminate individuals that do not meet the basic requirements of the position. In the second phase look for candidates’ resumes that contain:

• Attractive overall format and proper attention to detail – avoid candidates that make sloppy mistakes in grammar and spelling.
   

• A career goal and experience relevant and appropriate to the job being offered.
   

• Not just experience in relevant areas, but signs of accomplishment and positive results-for example improving business results or a track-record of promotion.

In the second phase also consider subtler difference between candidates – like the quality of the training they may have received, or number of years of relevant experience. After you have selected the best candidates from phase two, invite them in for an interview.

It is good idea to be on the lookout for signs that a candidate may not be a fit, such as a lack of focus or logical career progression, periods of unemployment, or excessive job hopping. In addition, follow these basic rules to ensure effective resume screening:

• Spend the least amount of time eliminating the candidates least-likely to succeed (phase one), and the most amount of time carefully considering the candidates most-likely to succeed.
   

• Get beyond the superficial. Drill down quickly to understand the substance of candidates’ accomplishments.
   

• Avoid comparing candidates to each other. Instead compare candidates to the ideal candidate profile and look for the closest match

II- Reference Checking, Why and How.

Reference checking is an integral component in successfully recruiting the top talent to your organization, unfortunately this vital step is often not given due diligence.

Once you have identified candidates that match your position requirements you have only done part of the job, a little extra effort can help ensure you do not make a potentially disastrous mistake. Imagine buying a new Motorbike or Car without first checking that you are actually getting what you are paying for.

Referencing checking is essentially a simple process that will not cost you much time and could potentially end up save you both time and money. When conducting a reference check you are looking for information that can not be found in a resume or obtained through interviewing.

Specific areas that should always be checked include:

• Recurring bad habits that would impede the candidate from making a positive contribution for your organization.
   
• Specific achievements that the candidate has claimed as their own that may well have been a team effort or in some cases completely fabricated.
   
• Reasons for leaving previous companies.
   
• Salary history.
   
• Relationship ability with colleagues and superiors.

All of this information can be easily obtained by making a few discrete telephone calls to the references supplied by the candidate and other individuals who have had a working relationship with the candidate in the past. Obviously the importance of the position you are trying to fill will influence the depth of a reference check, but it is still important that you do not treat reference checks as a mere formality. Generally you will discover very little about a candidates past performance with a 2 – 3 minute conversation. Set aside at least 20 minutes and plan the call, have a list of questions in front of you and take notes know what questions you are going to ask.

Some good leading questions are:

1. How long have you known the candidate and it what capacity?
    
2. What are the Candidates major strengths and weaknesses?
    
3. Comment on the overall performance of the Candidate and what were the Candidates major achievements?
    
4. How well did the Candidate relate with superiors, subordinates and peers?
    
5. Why might the Candidate be considering changing companies at this time?

Remember to always thank the reference for their time and assure them of the confidentiality of your discussion.

Sometimes, references are reluctant to give out negative information about the candidate and some companies even have official policies not to give out any information beyond the dates the candidate was employed. Luckily this is still very rare in Viet Nam and by using a professional manner and speaking freely most references will give you the information you are seeking.

Another important aspect of a thorough reference check is to speak to the most appropriate people. Ideally you want to speak to a superior who has worked closely with the candidate, a close peer and a subordinate who reported directly to the candidate. Also more recent references are obviously more relevant than references dating back more than 10 years. Usually the last three companies a candidate worked for will be sufficient.

The best guide to an employee’s performance in the future is their performance in the past.

III- Sifting Through the Job Application Clutter

After posting a job advertisement online your email inbox can very quickly become filled with resumes. Many of these resumes may be unsuitable for the position you have advertised. Sorting through the unqualified applicants and getting to the top candidates does not need to monopolize all of your time. Below are some ideas to help you get to the talent as quickly and effectively as possible.

• If a resume has spelling and basic grammatical mistakes it is indicates that the candidate shows little attention to detail or is lazy. This is likely not what you are looking for in your next employee.
   

• Applicants who have a work history that includes many changes over a short period of time should be avoided at all costs. If a candidate averages more than 1 company change per year it suggests that they will leave you as soon as they are offered more money or that they cannot successfully achieve their duties.
   

• Don’t be put off by an applicant that has changed career path. Most if not all professionals will change career at least 3 times in the course of there working life. What you should look for are people who display a history of constantly improving their skills and experiences.
   

• Look for achievements. An applicant who simply lists their past responsibilities and does not highlight key achievements suggests that they just ‘do’ their jobs. You want to see what a person was hired to do and then how successfully they achieved their responsibilities. Past achievements give a very good indication of future achievements.
   

• Don’t be fooled by technical terms. If you are screening resumes for a technical position that uses language that you are unfamiliar with then you should ask for assistance from somebody with the technical experience or learn the unfamiliar terms. Many candidates are aware that they can fool the HR Department with ‘technical jargon’. Don’t be fooled.
   

• Finally, when screening resumes have a list of the required skills and experiences in front of you, and list these experiences in order of importance. For example having a Bachelor Degree may be first on the list. So look for evidence of this degree first. If the applicant does not hold the degree then immediately move on. Don’t waste time reading an application that does not fulfill your most basic requirements.

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