In the fast-moving hiring field, quickly and efficiently finding the right candidates is crucial for creating top-performing teams. Screening candidates is the first step in this process and is essential for successful hiring choices.
This guide provides tips and best practices for improving your candidate screening process in Workable. It enables you to make well-informed decisions contributing to your organization's success.
Job description and application form
Set clear job requirements
Start by clearly outlining the specific job requirements. A comprehensive job description that details the necessary skills, qualifications, and experience for the position will guide the candidate screening process.
Knock-out questions
Set up knock-out questions for must-have skills, years of experience, and location requirements. Candidates who answer 'No' to these questions will be disqualified automatically, helping you save time during the screening process.
- Skills-related questions:
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Do you have experience with [specific skill]?
Do you have experience using [specific software]?
Are you certified in [specific skill]?
- Experience-related questions:
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Do you have at least [X] years of experience in [specific field or industry]?
Do you possess [X] years of experience in [specific tool, software, or technology relevant to the role]?
Can you demonstrate [X] years of experience in [specific industry or sector]?
- Location-related questions:
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Are you legally authorized to work remotely from [specific location]?
Are you located within the assigned sales territory of [specific region]?
Are you currently residing within commuting distance of [specific location]?
Salary expectations
If your job posting doesn't specify the salary range, it's suggested to record salary expectations early in the hiring process using custom fields. You can either ask candidates to provide their expected salary in the application form or register the candidate's expected salary in a specific spot on the profile after you talk to them on a phone screen.
By understanding a candidate's salary expectations early on, you can quickly disqualify candidates whose expectations are not in line with the role's budget.
Candidate search and filtering options
When screening candidates, you can utilize advanced search and various filters in the Candidates page and Pipeline view or manipulate report exports to narrow down the pool of applicants. Below are some of the most common search and filtering practices you can follow:
| Filter by skills | Perform boolean searches using must-have or nice-to-have skills as keywords, e.g. (php OR java) AND html |
| Filter by location | Filter candidates by a specific location. If needed, you can choose to “hide candidates in selected locations” instead. This filter is especially useful for roles that require on-site presence or have specific location requirements. |
| Filter by years of experience |
Create a custom application question (preferably a dropdown type with year range options) and then:
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| Filter by requested salary |
Create a candidate-provided custom field (preferably a dropdown type with salary range options) and then:
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| Filter by source of application |
Sources per candidate are available to view and export via the Candidate Breakdown report. Make sure you tick 'Source' under the Customize data list. Then, sort the source column in the CSV to see candidates by their source. Learn more here. |
| Filter by answers to application questions |
Data from custom application answers are available to view and export via the Candidate Breakdown report. Make sure you tick 'Answers' under the Customize data list. Questions and answers will be exported in their own columns for further analysis. Learn more here. |
| Filter by new/unread |
Filter the candidate list in Pipeline View for:
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More screening tools
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AI-powered Screening Assistant: The Screening Assistant leverages AI technology to facilitate the review and first shortlisting of active and passive candidates at the Sourced and Applied stages of your recruiting pipeline(s).
- Video interviews (Workable or third-party): This is best if you need to quickly assess job applicants remotely and speed up the recruiting process.
- Assessments: (Workable or third-party): This is best if you need to quickly assess job applicants remotely on specific areas using pre-employment tests (cognitive, personality, coding skills, language etc).
- Background checks: This is best if you need to verify an applicant’s qualifications and uncover any past criminal activity, ensuring the safety and integrity of the workplace. This helps you reduce risks and foster a trustworthy environment.