What Is Pre-Employment Screening?Pre-employment screening involves gathering all the information required to make a good hire. This includes identifying candidates that meet predetermined job qualifications and verifying the information they provide. Show
The pre-employment screening process spans from application review to the final hiring decision. Throughout that time, candidates are screened for the following items:
When the time comes to make an offer, thorough pre-employment screening leaves you confident that you’ve selected the most qualified candidate and the best fit for the organization. Learn how to get your job posts out to more candidates with Eddy Hire Why Is Pre-Employment Screening Important?Recruiting new employees takes time, and bad hires can lead to ramifications within the company, such as wasted expenses and decreases in productivity. This is why pre-employment screening is essential to pinpoint qualified candidates in a pool of applicants. In fact, there are 3 key benefits that pre-employment screening offers your organization:
By taking proper steps to pre-screen applicants, you perform due diligence in sorting out those who don’t match the job requirements and organizational culture. How do you conduct a thorough applicant screening to identify unqualified candidates? Types of Applicant Screening Tests & MethodsThere is no one-size-fits-all for pre-employment screening and the process varies by industry. In general, screening is broken into three phases:
1. Pre-Interview Screening MethodsBefore inviting job applicants in for formal interviews, you can use pre-interview screening methods to weed out candidates who wouldn’t be a good fit. Doing this will save you a lot of time, helping you find that star candidate more quickly. It will also allow rejected candidates to move in other directions with their job hunts. Learn more about each pre-interview screening method in the sections below. Application and Resume ScreeningThe first step in identifying qualified candidates is screening online applications and resumes. Using applicant tracking software (ATS), you can filter for resumes with keywords relevant to the position’s criteria. After pre-screening applications with an ATS, you may manually review resumes for basic requirements, such as:
Although screening applications and resumes eliminate candidates that do not meet the bare minimum qualifications, be mindful: this process does not account for intangible qualities and traits that could make a strong cultural fit. Phone or Video InterviewOnce there is a group of candidates that meet minimum requirements, screen them through a preliminary phone or video interview. Determine criteria that reflect the requirements of the role and develop questions that display the candidate’s ability to meet them. Use this time to clarify any inconclusive information on their resume. Preliminary interviews provide enough information to determine whether a candidate warrants an official interview. Be cautious not to provide specific information about the hiring criteria that applicants could use to prepare disingenuous responses for their official interview. Only give general information that the candidate could find in the job description. Aptitude TestsAptitude tests measure an applicant’s ability to complete the demands of the position. They ask specific questions related to the job requirements, and results are quantified to objectively evaluate the candidate’s answers. Assign aptitude tests following the preliminary interview before extending an invitation for an official interview. This gives you an idea of their skill-level and ability to be successful in the role before committing to a second interview. Alternatively, you can incorporate this into the official interview. Personality TestsAlong with aptitude tests, personality tests assess individual characteristics and traits. Tests like the Myers-Briggs and the Big Five provide information that helps determine whether a candidate’s soft skills fit. Personality tests can be assigned after the preliminary interview or during the official interview. Though they provide a high-level assessment of soft skills, personality tests are not always reliable and applicants may select inaccurate responses based on what they think the employer wants. 2. Interview ScreeningOnce you select the most likely candidates, it’s time to talk more with each of them to determine who would be the best fit. Official InterviewAfter you’ve narrowed down the top qualified candidates through pre-interview screening, conduct official interviews for a thorough assessment. Gather the most important skills and qualities required for success in the role through strategic interview questions. Use behavioral interviewing methods to determine if a candidate’s previous experience and character meet the job requirements. With the increase in remote employment opportunities, official interviews can be conducted in person or virtually through video conferencing. 3. Post-Interview ScreeningAfter interviewing, you’re ready to make a decision about who to hire. Getting to this point is exciting, but you’re not finished quite yet. Using reference checks and other verifications, you can learn more about the candidate’s experience and character. By conducting background checks, you will identify any red flags your company should be aware of. VerificationsWhen you’re looking over resumes (particularly the extra-impressive ones) don’t forget that candidates are the ones creating those resumes. Though we’d like to give people the benefit of the doubt, it’s always possible that someone has embellished their resume to make themselves look better. The purpose of verifications is to make sure that a candidate is being completely honest about their educational, professional, and personal history.
Background ChecksComprehensive background checks are imperative in pre-employment screening. They protect against dishonest employees, negligent hiring lawsuits, and any false information that passed through the interview process. There are several types of background checks, including:
Background checks should be completed after the interview as the final step before hiring. You can conduct your own background check or outsource to a third-party provider. Some online background check services pull incomplete or outdated information, so confirm the information is relevant and timely. Which Screening Tests Should I Use?The specific industry and role determine what qualities to screen applicants for. Pre-screening applications, reviewing resumes, and conducting interviews are essential screening methods to use for any role. Some form of background check is standard across most jobs, though the specific type of test depends on the position. Aptitude and personality tests vary by industry and role as well. Legal Considerations During Pre-Employment ScreeningThere are laws and regulations you must adhere to throughout the screening process. The cost to defend against employment discrimination claims can exceed tens of thousands of dollars. Worse, they can damage your organization’s brand and reputation. Specifically, you should never ask candidates about their:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reviews how information is used and the intent of the interviewer when assessing potential employment discrimination. To avoid legal issues, always have a job-related necessity for asking any question. Pre-Employment Screening ToolsThere is an abundance of pre-employment screening tools at your disposal and several are free of charge. The following tools can be used to screen applicants. Search EnginesA search of the candidate’s name on Google, Bing, or any other search engine will populate public information, images, and social media profiles. Include the location of the applicant to increase the chances of finding the correct person’s information. Social MediaOutside of the impression from interviewing, social media offers insight into the personality of a candidate. Each platform can provide different types of information:
Public RecordsGovernment websites at the local, state, and national levels provide public access to different types of records. Through these resources, you can find criminal records, motor vehicle records, and more without paying. TransUnion ShareAbleTransUnion ShareAbles for Hires helps small business owners conduct timely, thorough pre-employment screening. Shareable includes transparent pricing on their website, so you know exactly how much a background check will cost. Pre-Employment Screenings Help You Hire the Right CandidateA thorough pre-employment screening process can save you time and money when hiring for a new role. You may not complete every step included above, depending on the role, but you should gather enough information to make a confident hiring decision. By reviewing applications, screening initial candidates, interviewing top applicants, and conducting thorough reference and background checks, you have the best chance of pinpointing the right fit for the job. Find out how Eddy can save you hours a week on your hiring processes! What is initial screening of application?An applicant screening process is used by recruiters and hiring managers to obtain information from an applicant's cover letter or resume and follow up with an initial interview over the phone or computer.
Which is usually the first step in the prescreening process?Once the minimum requirements of the job are identified, employers can begin to effectively screen job candidates. The pre-screening process typically begins with the review of a candidate's employment application and resume, followed by a telephone interview.
What is screening and selection in human resource management?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.
Which interviewing method is conducted whereby the applicant is interviewed by a number of people at once?However, because each interviewee is asked a different series of questions, this style lacks the reliability and precision of a structured interview. Panel Interview 6. A Panel Interview is a technique that allows several members of a hiring company to interview a job candidate at the same time.
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