Resume Screening
This is not the hiring process, this is the first screening process that takes sometimes hundreds of resumes and narrows the field down to six or seven.
This process works best for a specifically advertised position rather than one that is continuously open to applicants. We seem to have a perpetually open call for source testing personnel, and some of this procedure will aid in reviewing those applicants, but this procedure is written for filling a specific job opening, that once filled, will not be advertised again for a while.
A panel of reviewers rather than an individual acting alone best accomplishes the task of screening resumes down to a manageable few. Matching the prospective individual's skills with the jobs requirements is subjective at times and an unbiased consensus decision worked out through a standard practice yields better results.
The process has 7 steps and results in a manageable number of resumes to pursue with further screening. The panel of reviewers can be as small as three (in some cases two) and no more than five. The steps are;
Panel Selection- A resume-screening panel should be selected as soon as a job opening is posted. The best panels are cross functional, having representation from different parts of the hiring division and perhaps an outsider opinion too. Panel participation should be shared within a group not always falling on the same individuals. Over time you may find some group members particularly adept at this task and use them more frequently. The Business Leader (BL) may or may not be on the panel. At first it is probably a good idea to include the BL, but over time hopefully the BL will respect and trust the process and step back at this stage and come back into the overall hiring process at a more critical stage. Each review panel should have a designated leader. It is the panel leaders responsibility to see that the resume screening process is followed. Review - three to five, cross functional, pick a leader, perhaps include outsider.
Criteria Definition - Each panel member must be reviewing applicants for the same qualities. The Candidate / Applicant Checklist in the Leaders Toolbox is used for this purpose. The checklist is broken into three sections. Some qualities are job specific, others are personality related and others tied to organizational fit. The personality and organizational fit criteria on this checklist are intended to be applicable to any position (blank spaces are included for group amended criteria). The job specific section can be further modified to meet individual needs. It is IMPORTANT that modifications to the checklist are made before distribution to all panel members. Everyone on a specific panel uses the exact same form.
Logging and Grouping - As the resumes are received the panel leader logs each one with a distinct and unique number in the upper right hand corner of the cover letter (if one is included) or the first page of the resume. This number will be the ONLY mark made on any part of the cover letter or resume. The cover letter and resume are stapled together into a single unit not to be separated at all through the entire process. If the resume is received electronically, it is printed in its entirety with its cover letter, stapled together and sequentially numbered in the same fashion. It is critical for no panel members to mark or highlight anything on the resumes or cover letters. These marks may influence others who will subsequently review this resume. The resumes are grouped into piles of ten and readied for panel distribution.
Dividing and Conquering - The panel has been selected, the resumes are received and logged in properly the next step is to divide and conquer. Each panel member is given a stack of ten resumes to review and a stack of checklists with corresponding numbers on them that are to be used for this evaluation. As each panel member reviews the cover letter and resume they can make notes and comments on the checklists (not on the resumes). What to look for in the review is entirely up to that panel member. For some, misspelled words are a negative, for others spelling is not so important but neatness is. Previous employment history may be the most important thing for one and education another. Multiple reviewers smooth the subjective nature of the review process out. If the candidate is obviously incompetent you can stop the process quickly (mark the unacceptable box with reason) and move on to the next. But be sure to keep track of all your notes and comments on the checklist sheets. When you are through with the stack of ten resumes return them to the panel leader and get the next batch, keeping your own growing pile of checklists. At the end of the screening process each panel member has a stack of checklists that they can review and discuss in a panel meeting.
Matching and Scoring - The panel should meet after they have each reviewed all the resumes that were received. (Inevitably more resumes will continue to come in and are added to the process at the front end, but the panel may opt to hold off on reviewing more if they agree they have found enough quality candidates to move on with already.) Each panel member brings their stack of checklists and discusses their favorites. Through panel discussion a consensus should be reached that targets a handful of candidates for further evaluation. In the event consensus is difficult to reach on 5 or 6 finalists the panel can decide to review more incoming candidates, but should move forward on the ones they do agree upon.
Finalists Selection - The process is continued until enough finalists are selected to move to the next stage of screening. The next stage can be live interviews (local candidates) or perhaps phone interviews if the candidates are not local. At this point the panel leader needs to make a photocopy of each finalist's resume and cover letter. The originals are then filed with all the others for a period of one year in the Teams Resume Filing System.