”What is Resume Screening: A Quick Guide for Recruiters with 7 Tips”

Resume screening is an initial review of job applications. Hiring managers can quickly examine applications to select the most qualified applicants: they assess CV submissions based on outlined requirements and candidate abilities to find the best matches for job interviews. 

With an increasing number of applications for each job posting, it’s important to have robust screening practices in place. Without them, talent acquisition teams would be overwhelmed by reviewing every job application in full detail without an initial resume screening step. 

Types of Screening: Pros and Cons

The two main types of resume screening are: manual screening and screening software. Some recruiters today still prefer to manually screen each application themselves to have complete control over the initial filtering process; they can assess soft skills and backgrounds that may be challenging for software to interpret.

Even though this is ideal for a personalized review, physically going through large volumes of applications can be very time-consuming as opposed to using applicant screening tools. Also, manually screening each application is prone to human errors as the volume of applications increases.

With screening software, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) offer innovative tools that automatically read applicant information and filter applications based on predefined criteria like abilities, experience level, and more.

For context, ATS are software tools that allow companies to manage recruitment and hiring activities online. These platforms automate aspects of the hiring process, like posting jobs, collecting applications, screening candidates, and scheduling interviews. They provide a centralized system for storing applicant information and tracking their status throughout the recruitment cycle.

Effective resume screening involves using both automated tools and human review to identify job applicants who are strong matches. It evaluates how candidates’ requirements and backgrounds align with the must-have and preferred skills for the role.

With that in mind, here’s what you need to have a well-executed initial candidate assessment:

1. Define Screening Criteria

Recruiters should establish screening criteria by outlining the core requirements, skills, and backgrounds needed for the role. This provides a consistent framework for evaluating candidates.

• Collaboration is Key: In larger organizations, it’s often essential to collaborate with hiring managers and team leads who understand the specific demands of the job. They can provide insights into the must-have skills and qualifications that an ideal candidate should possess. Consider conducting meetings or surveys to gather this information.

   

• Prioritize Must-Haves: Your screening criteria should distinguish between the skills and qualifications that are absolutely essential and those that are simply preferred. For instance, while a bachelor’s degree may be a must-have for a certain role, a specific certification might be a preference but not mandatory. Ensure your criteria prioritize these distinctions.

   

• Create a Scoring System: Develop a scoring system that assigns points or ratings to each criterion. This allows for objective evaluation. For instance, a criterion can be rated on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating it’s a must-have for the role. In this way, each applicant can be numerically ranked based on how closely they match the screening criteria.

   

Once you’ve established clear screening criteria, it’s vital to ensure that your screening team is on the same page. Training the talent acquisition team on the screening criteria and rating calibration is a winning recruitment strategy.

It empowers your team to make objective decisions and maintain a shared understanding of what constitutes a strong candidate.

• Workshops and Webinars: Organize workshops or webinars to train your screeners. These sessions can delve into the screening criteria, providing real-life examples and scenarios. Encourage open discussions and questions during these training events.

   

• Bias Awareness: Address bias in screening. It’s crucial for your team to understand and recognize unconscious bias. Offer guidance on avoiding common pitfalls, such as making assumptions based on an applicant’s name or educational background.

   

• Calibration and Feedback Sessions: Regularly schedule calibration meetings where your team reviews resumes together. These meetings are an opportunity to discuss borderline cases and ensure that all screeners are applying the criteria consistently. Also, consider establishing a feedback loop where your screeners can provide input on the screening criteria. This allows for ongoing improvement and adaptation as the hiring landscape evolves.

   

Entering specific job requirements as keywords enables the applicant tracking systems to flag applications that mention those terms automatically; this speeds up the initial filtering of large applicant pools.

Keywords should include both hard and soft skills to capture candidates who possess the full range of requirements sought.

Automated screening of basic qualifications like degree attainment or years of experience reduces manual workload. Automation handles large volumes of applications quickly, but recruiters should still audit automated decisions to evaluate soft skills that are difficult to automate.

Designating criteria as essential, preferred, or just desired adds helpful prioritization for edge cases. This way, screeners can focus first on must-have qualities and experience levels based on how well candidates meet the most significant standards.

Conducting screening in stages allows for reconsidering borderline candidates or revisiting criteria between rounds, with a focus on stronger applicants remaining from earlier filters.

Setting pass/fail score thresholds too high risks rejecting qualified applicants due to imperfect screening, while setting them too low may advance unqualified candidates. Calibration, in this case, is key.