How to Screen Potential Employees

The effective screening of potential employees keeps your office secure while ensuring uniform quality level among personnel. Here's how to screen candidates for your next job opening.

Things You'll Need

• Fax machine
• Telephone
• Copier

Instructions

Evaluate Applicants for Eligibility and Qualifications

1. Request additional information if a preliminary resume review yields questions. For example, if a candidate's resume includes the line: "References are available upon request." Save copies of your request in the candidate's file.

2. Conduct a phone interview with a large group of applicants who passed your initial review process. During your phone call, you should inquire about the candidate's motivation for applying to the position and what skills she would bring to the job if hired. Note carefully the answers to questions, as well as the way a candidate communicates under pressure.

3. Hold several group interviews for candidates who successfully answered questions over the phone. During the interview, assign a common task to the position in question to be completed by the group of applicants. You can assess each candidate's ability to work in a simulated office environment through these exercises.

4. Schedule one-on-one interviews with a final round of applicants. This traditional interview format may include several interview sessions where the applicant speaks with different members of your staff. Since an applicant has already been through several different interviews, you should focus questions on the way a candidate can translate past experiences into a new job.

5. Test potential employees on technical or writing skills with a timed assessment. In order to screen out candidates who may not deal well with potential challenges, create an assessment that deals with the worst case scenario in all aspects of a vacant position. Tests and assessments should be the final step in the interview process.

6. Check a candidate's background and employment eligibility as a last screen against poor hiring decisions. Companies and organizations like the University of Northern Arizona utilize a standard background check form to learn about a candidate's criminal record (see Resources below). Asking to see Social Security cards, driver's licenses and passports helps verify citizenship and identity.

Tips & Warnings

• Help your HR department with recruitment and hiring decisions with a pre-interview questionnaire. This questionnaire should include information on where the applicant found the job listing and the reason for his application. This demographic data can help direct job advertisements to the right type of applicant.