Interview Shortlisting

One of the most difficult decisions when recruiting is to identify the right candidates from a large pool of applications and CV searching. We believe following a few best practices can help you to identify who should be on your shortlist.

Regardless of whether you’re the hiring manager, director or someone who is involved in collating a shortlist, it’s important to get a second opinion from your colleagues. Having a Selection Panel can help you decide on how many candidates you want on your shortlist and will also give each CV a second pair of eyes before rejecting any potentially suitable candidates.

You will have likely put together a Person Specification for your opening and is important to reevaluate this at this stage and set ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’ criteria for all on the selection panel to understand what will be required on a potentially suitable CV. The essential criteria should be must haves for the position such as qualifications, experience and skills. The desirable criteria should be things that could make a candidate stand out from all other applicants.

Firstly, look at the essential criteria: it’s important to discuss at this stage, as all views matter. Potentially make definitely, maybe and unsuitable piles of applicants to make it easier, before you narrow down the maybe pile.

At this point you will be considering how many candidates you’re willing to interview. Score each candidate based on how many desirable characteristics they meet. You can then compare CVs side by side and keep the most suitable candidates.

It’s easy at this stage to paint a picture of candidates on what you expect them to be like and how they are going to work. For example, just because a candidate has worked for a particular organisation or in a particular role, doesn’t make it safe to assume they have certain skills and experience if they have not explicitly stated.

Also, don’t make assumptions on job-hopping or gaps in employment as there may be valid reasons such as unforeseen circumstances due to health problems which are now resolved.

Don’t be afraid to talk to the recruiter if they have put forward the candidate to you. You can ask how they come across and how much they seem to be into the role at your company. If you have more than one candidate from a recruiter, you could ask them to order their candidates in order of suitability. This is a great idea if you want to know more before you go through to the next stage of invited candidates in for interview.

Ask the recruiter, or if you’re doing it yourself it’s important to notify. It’s good practice and it will be even better if you highlight the reasons why they were unsuccessful. Although you don’t have to be too specific, candidates will appreciate it and it will give them a positive impression of your organization, which is particularly important if they do happen to reapply for any positions in the future.

If the news is positive for the candidate, again be something you do yourself or you request you’re the recruiter to do. Candidates appreciate a quick response and it shows your company are proactive.

Although this stage can overall be a challenge. The most important thing we can remind you of is to always discuss the candidates within your team and the recruiters.