The Importance of CV Screening: Why It Matters for Hiring Success
Examining CV’s is a crucial role of the recruitment process, it’s pivotal for saving recruiting managers time and ensures that suitable candidates are selected.
Grasping the ins and outs of CV screening can aid in pinpointing the finest candidates for available positions.
In this blog we discuss what CV screening entails, why it’s important, what the best practices are and what to expect during the process, along with top tips to help you evaluate CV’s successfully.
What Does CV Screening Entail?
CV screening involves evaluating a candidates qualifications against the job’s requirements, this helps to determine whether or not they are suitable for the position.
When recruiting, this task is typically performed on the CV’s of candidates they’re considering to interview. This process helps the manager determine whether the candidate has the right skills for the role before moving on to the next part of selection.
Screening CV’s can be done manually or with an automated software.
Manual Screening
This is where the recruiter reads through every CV and makes the decision on whether the candidate suit the job role. This is a traditional way to screen and can be very time consuming, especially when there has been a large volume of applicants.
Automated Screening
This process involves a software program to screen candidates CV’s. This software looking for relevant phrases and keywords for the role and grades the CV’s accordingly.
Using this method to evaluate CV’s is much faster than manually screening and saves time too.
Here are some effective practices to consider when CV screening:
Establish Standardised Screening Criteria
It is important for companies to establish a standardised screening criteria to enhance the efficiency of CV reviewing and ensure consistent evaluation
Standardising the screening process improves the quality of candidates, and enables recruiters to compare experience and skills.
Screening can also help to identify any inconsistencies in the candidates CV’s and improves decision making in the selection process.
Write Clear and Concise Job Descriptions
Clear and concise job descriptions can aid in spotlighting vacant positions, describing the role purpose and necessary skills for success. A comprehensive description typically covers job duties, responsibilities, working hours, location, and the recruiting managers expectations.
Providing detailed information offers prospective candidates clarity on the role and diminishes the influx of irrelevant applications.
Make use of an Applicant Tracking Software
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS), is a software programme that enables recruiting managers to manage candidate applications.
This software contributes to saving time and improving efficiency by removing low quality CV’s.
The ATS can automate tasks, such as sending emails to candidates, inviting to interviews or job offers.
Recruiting managers can also use the ATS to track the applications they receive, this allows them to review details such as; the date they receive the applications and whether they have been interviewed before.
Consider Blind CV Reviewing
Including the blind review approach involves screening CV’s without the candidates personal information. This process eliminates bias and ensures that the recruiter only shortlist suitable candidates for interviews and further selection process.
Utilise Assessment Tools to Measure Candidates Skills
Assessment tools assist in evaluating candidates suitability for a role by assessing their skills. These assessments provide insights for recruiters before scheduling interviews.
These assessments help to determine whether a candidate has the potential; to meet the company requirements and perform satisfactory if they are recruited.
Verify References
References play a pivotal role in CV screening, giving insights into a candidates work ethics and previous roles. These references provide unbiased reports about candidates and their potential performance.
In light of the significant increase of online job boards and recruitment ads, companies are inundated with numerous applications for limited openings. Effective CV screening is imperative for enhancing the recruitment process.
Recruiters can streamline their recruitment process, save valuable time and secure the most suitable candidates for their organisations by following these practices.
