What are screening interviews?
The first round of interviews in the recruiting process is to screen candidates for the needed job field. Screening is done to determine whether or not an applicant is suitable for the job. A job has its own set of skills, credentials, and prerequisites. In a screening interview, candidates are questioned about their qualifications, employment experience, and a brief overview of their life goals and expectations. They are then asked about their compensation expectations and the best time for their work environment.
There are several approaches to conducting screening interviews. It may be done in person, through video chat, or by phone because only basic questions are asked of the candidate during this procedure. If applicants pass the screening interview phase, they can only proceed with the subsequent interviews.
Screening interview stages
Screening interviews are divided into three stages, which are as follows:
- Pre-screening interview:
A pre-screening interview is a quick assessment procedure that allows the interviewer to learn a little about the applicants before the process begins. The interviewer is curious about the candidates, their educational background, and past job experience. The interviewer has a list of open-ended and closed-ended questions.
A pre-screening interview saves time and improves the employment process's efficiency. It informs the candidate about the function for which they are applying and the interviewer about the individual's fit in the work environment. Questionnaires, videos, and phone conversations are common forms of pre-screening interviews.
- Screening interview:
Following the pre-screening interview, the actual screening interview takes place. It is a means of assessing whether or not an application is suitable for a specific employment function or project. Furthermore, it is a type of appropriateness test that assists the interviewer in determining which applicant best meets the job criteria and the company's work needs.
- Post-screening interview:
The final stage is known as the post-screening interview. This stage mainly assists the interviewer in selecting the best candidate for the position.
However, because the interviewer has already shortlisted the applicants on the stage, this is a cross-check for the second stage to see whether everything is working well with the candidates. At this stage, the applicants can meet with other team members with whom they will be working on getting to know each other better.
Why are screening interviews important?
Hiring may be a time-consuming procedure. You don't want to waste your or the candidate's time if the applicant isn't a good fit.
Interviews for preliminary screening assist in identifying the most suitable individuals from a group of applications. Pre-screening interviews can be used to:
- Determine if the candidate fulfils the needs of the position.
- Determine whether the candidate's pay requirements are within the wage range.
- Allow prospects to ask you questions about your organisation and the job.
Screening interviews save time since they allow you to learn more about the prospect before bringing them in for a second interview.
How to screen an applicant
Before performing screening interviews, the following tasks must be completed:
Creating hiring criteria that appropriately represent the position's needs
Creating screening interview questions that evaluate employment requirements
Re-examining resumes for any areas that are unclear or require explanation
Contacting prospects through email to set up an interview time
