Checklist for Hiring Pros
The Ultimate Screening Checklist
Introduction
Informed candidates make hiring easier. Why? Because job seekers who do their homework before applying have the right expectations about your company going in. They ask smarter questions in the interview process and only accept offers if they see a mutual fit.
Informed candidates that research jobs and companies on Glassdoor are two times more likely to be hired than candidates from other sources1.
Checklist for Reviewing Applications
You'll know a candidate is informed because they:
- Tailor their resume to match the job description
- Meet most of the job's qualifications
- Write a cover letter
- Come to you through an employee referral or high quality recruiting channel
Candidate Screening Checklist
Informed candidates don't waste time applying for jobs they aren't qualified for or companies they don't want to work for, so when doing candidate screening, you're looking for the ones who are most informed:
- Ask about where the candidate got their information about your company.
- What resources did you use to research <Company ABC>?
- What prompted you to apply for this job?
- Find out how well the candidate understands the role.
- In your own words, what you say are the top priorities of this role?
- What do you see as the growth opportunities for you in this role?
- Name two things you'd need to learn about to perform at full capacity in this role.
- Determine whether the candidate aligns with your company's mission and values.
- What excites you about working for a company that <your mission>?
- Are you familiar with our company's values?
- If you had to guess, what are three of our core company values?
- Find out why he or she fits at your company versus the same role at another company.
- Why are you looking to leave your current job?
- What about our company culture would help you thrive?
- How does your work style align with our company culture?
- Determine how market-savvy a candidate will be.
- What would you say is the biggest business problem facing our company?
- What do you think we do well compared to our competitors?
- Notice the questions he or she asks and look out for the ones about:
- Specific aspects of the role and team
- The company's business challenges or marketplace position
- Senior leadership and overall business objectives
- Specific internal events, benefits or employee engagement activities
- Recent company news or product developments
Citations
- Based on app-to-hire rations in a 2015 study of 30 million applications from a leader third-party recruitment agency