--- title: 7 Best Practices for a Better Candidate Screening Process description: Candidate screening is the best way to keep up with high volume candidates. What are you doing to keep up with the competition? Use these 7 best practices! image: https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_447401257-e1540312586844-1.jpg --- [![info.iqtalent.comhubfsIQTalent-Logo](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/info.iqtalent.comhubfsIQTalent-Logo.png?width=1000&height=300&name=info.iqtalent.comhubfsIQTalent-Logo.png)](https://iqtalent.com/) - Solutions Solutions - [![our-solutions-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/our-solutions-icon.svg) Our SolutionsEmbedded RPO, on-demand recruiting, RecOps, and executive search. 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[![functional-expertise-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/functional-expertise-icon.svg)Functional Expertise](https://www.iqtalent.com/function-expertise/) - About IQTalent - [![person-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/person-icon.svg)Who We Are](https://www.iqtalent.com/about-iqtalent/) - [![functional-expertise-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/functional-expertise-icon.svg)How We're Different](https://www.iqtalent.com/how-were-different/) - [![team-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/team-icon.svg)Our Team & Expertise](https://www.iqtalent.com/leadership/) - [![chat-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/chat-icon.svg)Why IQTalent](https://www.iqtalent.com/why-iqtalent/) - Resources - [![search-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/search-icon.svg)Resource Library](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/) - [![blog-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/blog-icon.svg)Blog](https://blog.iqtalent.com/) - [![resume-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/resume-icon.svg)Case Studies](https://www.iqtalent.com/case-studies/) - [![calculator-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/calculator-icon.svg)Tools & Calculators](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/#type=tools-and-calculators) - [![guide-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/guide-icon.svg)Guides & Playbooks](https://www.iqtalent.com/resource-library/#type=guides-and-playbooks) - [![podcast-icon](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hubfs/icons/podcast-icon.svg)Podcasts](https://www.iqtalent.com/podcasts/) [Get Started](https://info.iqtalent.com/start) # 7 Best Practices for a Better Candidate Screening Process October 22, 2018 [HR](https://blog.iqtalent.com/tag/hr) [Candidate Search](https://blog.iqtalent.com/tag/candidate-search) #### Table of Contents [![The-Process-Standardization-Playbook-LP-Transparent1_5x](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Resources/Mockup%20Images/The-Process-Standardization-Playbook-LP-Transparent1_5x.webp?width=1353&height=660&name=The-Process-Standardization-Playbook-LP-Transparent1_5x.webp)](https://info.iqtalent.com/resource/process-standardization-playbook) ### The Process Standardization Playbook [Sync Your Hiring Team Processes](https://info.iqtalent.com/resource/process-standardization-playbook) Recruiting in a candidate driven market can be tricky. With the help of developing technologies like AI, automation and mobile apps, candidates can apply to multiple positions at many different organizations in no time at all. So, why is this tricky? With candidates applying to more places more quickly, you either keep up or you miss out on the ones coming through your [talent pipeline](https://blog.iqtalent.com/5-tips-increase-efficiency-recruiting-sourcing). What are you doing to screen the candidates coming through your pipeline and how can you improve your practices? If you’re not sure, here are some best practices to get your screening process buffed, polished and ready to roll.   ## Create Your Candidate Persona To get the right candidates, you have to [understand *who* the right candidates are for you](https://thrivetrm.com/5-candidate-screening-best-practices/). To do this, you and your team should [set up a candidate persona](https://www.iqtalentpartners.com/recruitment-glossary/) to really understand what your team, company and long terms goals are and what kind of person is going to be able to meet them. Doing intake calls and creating calibration profiles are a perfect example of this, plus they help hiring managers understand their needs. If you have certain goals, you’re going to want to look for candidates who have a good track record of meeting similar goals. In the same way, if you notice an IT skills gap, don’t *only* search for candidates who are experienced in IT. Instead, look for the intangible qualities of candidates that show they would be able to learn the ropes of IT fairly quickly. Not every candidate lists everything they've done or want to do on their resume or various social profiles. Sometimes, you look for 75% of the characteristics, work experience and skills you need from a candidate, then screen people in or out for the remainder. These can be based on role, company, industry and even geography. [Recruiting in a candidate-driven market can be tricky! @IQTalent has the best practices for candidate screening processes for even the busiest of #recruiting seasons.Click to Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iqtalentpartners.com%2F%3Fp%3D943&text=Recruiting%20in%20a%20candidate-driven%20market%20can%20be%20tricky%21%20%40IQTalent%20has%20the%20best%20practices%20for%20candidate%20screening%20processes%20for%20even%20the%20busiest%20of%20%23recruiting%20seasons.&related) ## Use Automation AI is here to stay. If you’re not using chatbots to at least [engage your candidates](https://blog.iqtalent.com/5-tips-increase-efficiency-recruiting-sourcing) during the first steps, you’re losing candidates to companies that are. Use automation to [screen through candidates](https://blog.iqtalent.com/how-ai-compliments-not-replaces-sourcers) who don’t know where they fall in your pipeline and who can be moved to a different position if need be. If your ATS functions have the capabilities, assign relevancy scores or ask questions to help filter the right candidates. These weed through the candidates who just aren’t going to fit into the position while also keeping great candidates from slipping into the ATS black hole. ## Pre-Hire Projects Give candidates [a chance to show you what they’ve really got](https://blog.iqtalent.com/easy-steps-improve-candidate-experience) by letting them complete a sample project of something they might encounter. This is an opportunity for them to get a feel for what type of work your company does and what they can produce in a deadlined situation. It also enables you to gauge their adaptability to specific projects that would be sent their way in the event they do end up getting hired. It’s also important to note that this is not an opportunity for you to get work done for free. Pre-hire projects are to help you streamline the process and see what your candidates have to offer. While this concept is still relatively new, it never hurts to simply ask for a portfolio, share their business media profile like LinkedIn and Github or have candidates take a code assessment if that works better for your process. [![IQT Twitter 3](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IQT%20Twitter%203.jpeg?width=790&height=249&name=IQT%20Twitter%203.jpeg)](https://ctt.ac/48FLm) ## Incorporate Business Profiles and Digital Media [Having a strong recruiting plan and recruiting technique](https://blog.iqtalent.com/bolster-recruitment-process-iqtalent-infographic) is what sets your company apart from the rest. It also helps get more candidates through your pipeline! One way companies are starting to do this is by implementing business profiles like LinkedIn into their screening process. But, before you do this, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind: - Don’t assume a lack of LinkedIn presence means they’re a bad candidate. Some of the best candidates are focused on more than their digital media persona. - Have a plan for how you want to handle social media recruiting. You shouldn’t be going in blind to a new platform. Take the time to explore and understand how it works and how your candidate audiences are engaging there. - Don’t believe everything you see online. Having an in-person conversation is always the best way to get to know the real candidate. ## Calibrate Often Prepare. A lot. So much that your time to hire is cut down enough to beat the competition’s time to hire and get the best candidates first. Doing background checks or checking up on a candidate's social media can help you sort out who’s a good fit before an interview happens. But make sure you don’t lose good candidates at the first sign of trouble. If a candidate bombs a phone screen or an interview, take the time to re-calibrate with the hiring manager and interviewers. Do your homework on who the candidate is before taking unnecessary steps. [To get the right candidates, you have to understand who the right #candidates are for you. Find out what else @IQTalent says are the best practices for your candidate screening process!Click to Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iqtalentpartners.com%2F%3Fp%3D943&text=To%20get%20the%20right%20candidates%2C%20you%20have%20to%20understand%20who%20the%20right%20%23candidates%20are%20for%20you.%20Find%20out%20what%20else%20%40IQTalent%20says%20are%20the%20best%20practices%20for%20your%20candidate%20screening%20process%21%20&related) Once you’ve done your homework and you feel you have a preliminary line up, get ready for the interviews the best you can. Ask questions designed for the candidate and listen and observe their answers. General questions are a great starting point, but if you did your homework right, you should be able to dig in deep and ask the right questions to see if they’ll fit. ## Sort Your “Maybes” Just because a candidate isn’t an automatic yes doesn’t mean they’re a definite no. Think of them as more like “not right nows” and keep the relationship building. Continuing relationships with candidates who didn’t hit the mark in their interview are an opportunity to bring them back in for a second interview or an interview for a different position down the road. Give[![Your candidate screening process isn’t going to be perfect the first time and probably not even the second time](https://blog.iqtalent.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IQTP-7-Best-Practices-for-a-Better-Candidate-Screening-Process-Blog-Insert-3-300x300-1.png?width=300&height=300&name=IQTP-7-Best-Practices-for-a-Better-Candidate-Screening-Process-Blog-Insert-3-300x300-1.png)](https://ctt.ac/U7UaI) candidates who you think have potential a second chance to wow and show you what they really have to offer! Continuing on that last point, not every candidate is going to be right for the positions you have open right now. But, they might be great for a position you know is going to open up in the future. [Save these candidates](https://www.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/interviews/12-tips-on-how-to-screen-job-applicants/) for future opportunities. Having a talent pipeline with candidates you’ve already interviewed once will give you a head start on the candidate screening process later down the road and, in turn, cut your time to hire and beat the competition. Your candidate screening process isn’t going to be perfect the first time and probably not even the second time. With each new round of hiring, take the time to see what worked and what didn’t, make the adjustments and make the next screening process even better. Creating personas that are right for your company, using tools like [social media and AI](https://blog.iqtalent.com/how-ai-compliments-not-replaces-sourcers) and saving candidates for future opportunities are just a start to having a perfect screening process. IQTalent Partners can make the process even easier with [our team of recruiting experts](https://www.iqtalentpartners.com/about-iqtp/) and a unique outlook on recruiting. [Get in touch with us today](https://www.iqtalentpartners.com/start) to see how we can perfect your candidate screening process! [![The recruiting you need. When you need it. Contact IQTalent Partners today](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5284302/ef9ca8c0-6d7a-4961-ba2e-72ef423f9e2a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5284302/ef9ca8c0-6d7a-4961-ba2e-72ef423f9e2a) ## You'll Love These Posts Too [Building an HR Team From Scratch: A Stage-by-Stage Hiring Guide](https://blog.iqtalent.com/building-hr-team-from-scratch-guide) Your company just raised Series B. Headcount will double in 12 months. Your solo "HR person" (who's really an office manager doing HR on the side) is overwhelmed. [Keep Reading](https://blog.iqtalent.com/building-hr-team-from-scratch-guide) [The Complete Guide to Recruiting Sources Effectiveness: What Actually Works in 2025](https://blog.iqtalent.com/recruiting-sources-effectiveness-evaluation) The Truth About Sourcing Channels (Ranked by Data) Let's cut through the marketing BS and look at what actually works, ranked from best to worst based on real data. [Keep Reading](https://blog.iqtalent.com/recruiting-sources-effectiveness-evaluation) [7 Candidate Relationship Management Strategies for Lasting Recruiter-Candidate Relationships](https://blog.iqtalent.com/7-candidate-relationship-management-strategies) The $5 Million Relationship Management Wake-Up Call Virgin Media lost $5M annually from poor candidate relationships 95% of candidates would reapply after positive ... 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