The goal of the resume screening process is to select the top candidates that the recruiter will contact for the first round of interviews. Screening resumes will help you determine which candidates to move forward in the interview and selection process by comparing their qualifications to the minimum position requirements
Narrowing the list of candidates that apply for your position can be challenging, especially if there are many qualified applicants. The first step with selecting appropriate candidates is to screen the cover letter (if applicable) and resume of each applicant. The resume will tell you what the candidate has done, but not how well he/she did it.
Why Is It Important
Saves managers time
Avoids use sending the wrong candidates to managers
Focuses on matching candidates to roles
Reduce cost, e.g., hiring manager time interviewing
Add value - share our experience, knowledge and thoughts
Challenges
Cannot see body language - hard to judge honesty
Cannot determine behaviors/physical attributes
Difficult to arrange time for phone interviews
Time - challenging to schedule during traditional business hours
Hard to find right environment to interview in, e.g., privacy issues
Influenced by how well the resume is written vs. Data/information contained in resume
Because of time/environment can only obtain very high level information - not in-depth information
Cannot screen on all skills, e.g., presentation
What to look for when reviewing resumes
A resume is a written summarization of the candidate’s experience, skills, knowledge, and education. When reviewing candidate information, compare the resume to the job requirements outlined in Job Description. The job requirements provide the screening parameters for the selection process.
When reviewing each resume, review the questions below to determine whether or not the candidate is the right fit for the position.
- Is there a consistent and stable employment history?
- Are there gaps in employment dates, overlaps in time, or frequent job-hopping?
- Are there inconsistencies in education or experience?
- Are there examples of accomplishments and advancement?
- Are the accomplishments specific or vague?
- Is the resume organized, neat, and free of errors?
Sample Candidate Screening Form
A candidate screening form can be developed and used in the screening process to review candidate information against position requirements. This method is an objective way to determine which candidates should be selected for a phone interview or a face to face interview.
The scoring process will provide you with a consistent way to rate candidates based on their resumes. When reviewing resumes, you should sort the resumes into three piles: 1) meets requirements; 2) meets some requirements; and 3) does not meet requirements. After you have reviewed all of the resumes, the total scores for each candidate can be used as a tool for prioritizing which candidates to contact first.
Sample Candidate Screening Form
| Candidate Screening Form | ||
| Candidate Name: | | |
| Scoring: | 0 = does not meet requirements 1 = meets requirements 2 = exceeds requirements Total Candidate Score: ____________ | |
| Screening Criteria: * | Score: | Comments: |
| Consistent and stable employment history | | |
| Neat, logical and organized resume layout | | |
| Work Location Preference | | |
| Total Related Year of Service | | |
| Education/Academic Background | | |
| Language Skill | | |
| Job Related Working Experience | | |
| Industry Background / Knowledge | | |
| Technical Skills - Java - C++ - Mainframe - SAP - Product Knowledge - …… | | |
| Professional Skills - Project Management - Sales Skill - Solution Skill - Consulting Skill - Leadership Skill - …….. | | |
| Specific Achievement/Advancement | | |
| Job Related Training & Certification | | |
| Salary Expectation | | |
| TOTAL SCORE | | |
Sample Resume Review Form
| Instructions for Sales Manager
| Instructions for Recruiter
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Job Title………………………………………………………………………………………………………
