Candidate standard information may be obtained via pre-screening interviews, which assist companies to assess whether or not they satisfy the minimum standards for a job. In the recruiting process, this stage helps to eliminate individuals who have promises but fail to satisfy critical job requirements.

Why Pre-screening Interviews?

Candidate recruits who do not satisfy the standards of the position or do not fit in with the company’s culture may be both time-consuming and expensive. It is possible for businesses to better identify applicants who would fit the position, team, and work environment via the use of pre-screening questions. This may help employers speed up the recruiting process while also improving the quality of the hired individuals.

Process of Pre-screening Interviews

1. Pick an Interview Style

When conducting pre-screening interviews through email, online assessment, or telephone/video call employers have a variety of options available. The advantages of each platform vary widely. Some video interview software contains screen recording and scoring tools, for example, to assist interviewers to get a comprehensive image of an applicant.

For businesses, phone interviews are a popular option since they are quick to set up and give a fast and effective approach to getting the information they need.

Pre-screening interviews should be quick and informative. Reduce the number of inquiries to ten or less as a rule of thumb.

2. Create an Effective Interview Process by Planning Ahead of Time

To ensure that the interview process proceeds well, you’ll need to prepare beforehand, just as you would for in-person interviews. Prepare the essential interview questions in advance of organizing pre-screening interviews, and ensure that you have a well-organized note-taking mechanism in place for scheduling pre-screening interviews.

If you want to recall what applicants said during an interview, consider developing a checklist or interview scorecard. Interviewers need to maintain their organization throughout the process of shortlisting candidates.

Allow ample time between interviews to take notes for the best outcomes.

3. Confirm Interview Dates and Times with Applicants

To establish an interview date and time that is convenient for all parties, communicate with applicants. When arranging pre-screening interviews, be considerate of each candidate’s availability. Even though some job hopefuls can follow your pre-planned timetable, there may be exceptions due to other work obligations or other interviews that need to be attended to.

A minimum of 24 hours’ notice should be given to applicants before scheduling a pre-screening interview. Confirm the interview format and time by sending a brief email. You may need to offer instructions for connecting with video conferencing software, depending on the format you pick.

4. Do Pre-screening Interviews

While doing the interview, have your list of interview questions and checklist with you. In most cases, phone interviews are brief and to the point, which means you may miss out on some important information. As a result, you’ll need to be aware and prepared at all times.

Keep an open mind when you go in for an interview. Candidates who display originality and great communication skills should be sought after even if certain pre-screening questions demand the same response. As the last point, make sure that you stay to your interview timeline by saving the lengthier, more detailed questions for in-person assessments.

In a short statement before concluding the interview, describe what the next stage in the recruiting process entails for the participants. Your screening procedure and in-person interview criteria should be briefly discussed at this phase.