How to Select Job Applicants
Many businesses receive an overwhelming number of applications whenever job postings are made public. To efficiently operate, employment managers and human resources professionals must establish clear criteria for the hiring process. Detailed job descriptions that include prerequisites help to eliminate unqualified candidates from the outset.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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Instructions
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1
Compile a list of the skills and qualifications needed to perform the job you need to fill. Include professional certifications and licenses. Add to the list any character traits that the successful candidate should possess, such as leadership skills, the ability to work in a team, or calmness under pressure. Also, determine the minimum academic background and experience level a candidate should have.
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2
Review the applications and resumes that come in after you advertise the job. Place the materials of applicants who meet the minimum requirements into one pile, and those who do not, into another. Send polite rejection letters to the people who do not meet the criteria, and sort the qualified pile by placing the strongest applications on top and the weakest on the bottom.
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3
Schedule time to interview the candidates you're considering. Depending on the complexity of the job, allow between 30 minutes and two hours for each interview. Stage interviews over the course of a few weeks to prevent yourself and other interviewers from losing focus by having too many at one time. Contact a sufficient number of the most highly skilled applicants to fill up your allotted interview times.
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4
Prepare a series of questions, some job-specific and some general. Make sure your questions do not result in the applicant simply restating information listed on the job application. If your open position requires someone with leadership skills, ask each applicant to provide one or two examples of previous occasions when they have demonstrated leadership. Ask for examples of teamwork, initiative and any other character traits that are essential to the job. Good candidates should provide clear, concise responses without long delays or confusion.
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5
Give applicants the chance to close the interview by talking about their strengths. After the interview, contact at least one professional and one personal reference for each candidate. Review the salary demands of the best overall applicants as listed on the job application. Offer the job to the best candidate whose salary needs conform to company guidelines.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Generally, companies that first attempt to hire from within save money because they avoid costs associated with advertising positions externally, and fill vacant positions more quickly.
The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigates complaints of discrimination in the hiring process. Additionally, most states have laws that prevent businesses from discriminating against prospective employees on the basis of factors such as race, gender and religion. To avoid any issues with the EEOC or state regulators, keep job applicant resumes on file and always hire the best candidate for the position.
