Screening

What is screening?

Screening is a part of the recruitment process in which potential candidates are investigated to verify a company fit. Screening includes verifying qualifications, identifying potential safety risks and threats, and assessing personality traits that may be beneficial or problematic. This process can involve a criminal background check, a drug test, and references from past employers. For more serious roles, a private investigator may be hired for parts of the screening process.

Why is screening important?

Screening is an important part of human resources that can lower turnover rates significantly. When new team members are thoroughly vetted for qualifications, skills, and experience, they have a greater chance of fulfilling the role. However, proper onboarding and training is still required to prepare a new team member. Screening must be relevant and consistent in nature to avoid discrimination.

Examples of the screening process:

• Reference checking: A hiring manager may ask a potential candidate for two professional references in order to confirm their reliability.

• Background check: Depending on your company, a background check may vary. They can range from a criminal background check from the police to an online check to ensure the candidate has a positive reputation.

• Interviews: The best way to get to know a candidate is to ask specific, behaviour-based questions. For example, you can ask them about how they dealt with challenging situations or a disagreement with a colleague. Many companies conduct multiple rounds of interviews with different team members in order to ensure an alignment with the role.

• Skills assessment: Some companies create a small assignment for candidates to complete in order to assess their skills. This skills assessment should not take longer than 20 minutes to complete. Skills assessments are helpful for recruiters to identify candidate strengths and weaknesses.