Talent is the foundation of any successful organization. Therefore, identifying and hiring the right candidates is crucial for business growth. However, busy hiring managers often receive hundreds of applications for each job posting, making the screening process quite time-consuming. Therefore, to streamline the hiring process and save time and resources, it’s important to understand how to identify and remove unqualified candidates from the pool. In this blog, you’ll learn some tips for identifying unqualified applicants and removing them from consideration to ensure you have the best candidates for your vacancies.
1) Define & Filter for Key Skills:
The first step to identifying qualified candidates is to work with your team to identify desired skills. By having this as a reference you are able to sift out unqualified applicants. Be intentional with your screening and look for keywords and phrases that match the job description. For example, if you’re looking for a marketing person with SEO experience, look for resume bullet points related to SEO rather than generic marketing skills. This will help you narrow down the candidate pool.
2) Look Beyond the Buzzwords:
When it comes to resume reviews, it’s important to look deep below the surface. Too often, buzz words are thrown around to create a resume that visually looks impressive but doesn’t showcase what an individual is truly capable of. A good resume will highlight key skills that an individual possesses, but a great resume will provide examples of how those skills were utilized. Taking the extra time in your resume review to check for this key detail will make all the difference in finding the perfect candidate for your company.“Focus on substance and not just style”, said Ben Wong, Director of Sales at Offr Group.
3) Utilize Technology:
Technology can help you speed up the screening process, and allow you to easily identify resumes that don’t meet your requirements. For example, you can use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to filter resumes automatically based on specific criteria you’ve set. The software can even help detect areas of a resume that are not clear or boastful.
4) Create a Candidate Workflow:
Implementing a candidate workflow can be an excellent way to optimize your internal team’s hiring process and ensure that your managers are getting the most qualified leads. A workflow can help you organize different parts of your hiring process efficiently, with each stage in the hierarchy concentrated on filtering out under-qualified candidates. This enables you to narrow down the list of potential hires, leading to more informed decisions and improved hiring results. When creating your workflow, make sure that each step is focused on evaluating skills or qualifications effectively before passing off the applications to the next level. Specifically, an efficient candidate workflow helps you manage resources related to recruiting such as time and money, capitalizing on internal relationships, and gaining insight into the success of applicants throughout the entire lifecycle of being hired.
Effective hiring requires more than just attracting candidates to job postings. It’s about paying attention to details and identifying qualified candidates. The four tips outlined in this blog are key to efficiently sifting out unqualified candidates and avoiding duplication of efforts. By following these tips, you can streamline the hiring process, save valuable resources, and ensure that your organization remains competitive with top talent joining your team.
