How to Screen Your Applicants the Right Way

Are you struggling with low-quality applicants and high turnover rates?

It may be time to change the way you screen your applicants. 

I’ve heard from a lot of companies about how they desperately need to find a way to improve the quality of candidates applying to their job openings.

They’re growing frustrated over how many applicants are not at all what they’re looking for and they’re growing anxious to hire someone yesterday!

Further, if these companies do eventually hire one of these low-quality applicants, it usually quickly becomes clear that they’re not the right fit for the job. 

This leads to turnover and having to start over at the beginning of the hiring process

Companies are wondering…

How in the world do I find quality applicants?

I help companies with this problem all the time and what I’ve noticed is that most often…

Companies need to change their applicant screening process.

Most companies use a screening process that…

-has always worked for them

-most other companies use

-is considered “best practice” or “standard practice” 

Usually what this looks like is…

-demanding an outstanding amount of qualifications in the job ad

-neglecting to use measurements that will provide insight on whether the applicant is the right fit

Because that is what has always been done, that is what we continue doing. But it’s not working!

For example, education and experience are not the only things that matter.

They MAY have an impact on SOME of your positions, but when you boil down what makes one employee great and others not, the answer often isn’t 3 more years in the field or a fancy degree or certificate.

It's more of the intangible stuff that can be tough to discover during the hiring process.

The impact of screening the old-fashioned way is that you may not find the best fit.

Imagine how many incredible applicants you said no to just because they had less experience than someone else!

Screening candidates the way you’ve always done it…

-doesn't always get you great applicants

-ignores some potentially good candidates that aren't great on paper.

How can you update your screening process?

1. Analyze your top employees.

Take some time to think about what makes your top employees the best at their position.

Create a list of those things and use that list as the required qualifications in your job ad.

Some of those things may be specific skills/knowledge. If so, are those things that can be taught easily? Yes? Then take them back off the list. 

Overall, ask yourself…

Are the necessary qualifications I list in my job ad, actually necessary?

While this is about being open and understanding to candidates, this is also a very selfish approach.

Losing out on applicants is not something you can afford right now, so changing up your process to only exclude those with actual deal breakers will help you out as much as those you consider.

2. Pre-hire testing.

Whether it's…

-a video interview to test for professionalism and communication skills

-a behavioral/personality assessment to find the right type of person for the job

-or a skills assessment to give them a chance to prove their abilities

…these tools (if validated and legal) are a huge help in decreasing turnover (and saving you time).

In conclusion…

To filter out low-quality applicants and identify high-quality applicants you must find out what really makes a person successful at the job and then screen for that.

If you’re struggling with low-quality applicant flow, chances are the real problem is within your screening process.

If you have any questions about how to improve your screening process or want to hear about the knowledge and tools ApplicantPro has to screen and hire the quality applicants you’re after for you, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!