Implementing this simple screening routine can have a hugely beneficial impact on your recruiting process - and results!

A simple, yet often overlooked recruiting practice

Do you regularly conduct phone screening interviews?
If not, you are missing on an opportunity to significantly improve your recruitment process - and results.

Implementing a simple practice such as phone screening interviews as a regular phase of your recruitment process will help you find better candidates faster and easier.

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The benefits of phone screening interviews

Here are the top 6 benefits of phone interview screening:

1. Shorter time to hire

By conducting phone interviews in the early phase of the interviewing process, employers can save time and money that would otherwise be wasted on meeting unsuitable candidates face to face.

2. Lower cost per hire

By narrowing your applicant pool early on in the selection process, employers can significantly cut down on the recruiting costs.  

3. Improved the quality of hire

Phone interviews are primarily used as a screening method which helps an employer eliminate unsuitable for a position.

4. Tests candidates’ phone communication skills

Phone interviews are an especially important part of the hiring process for positions which require great telephone communication skills.

5. Reduced bias

A properly conducted phone screening interview minimizes the impact of first impressions, thus improving the objectivity of the selection process and reducing bias in recruitment.

6. Improved candidate experience

Even candidates who don’t you don’t end up calling for a face-to-face interview will feel that you’ve given them a chance, time and attention. Conducting phone screening interviews is a simple, yet very effective way to improve the candidate experience.

How to conduct a phone interview?

Here are 5 easy tips to ensure a proper phone screening interview:

1.  Format

Phone screening interviews should be formatted as structured job interviews. This means that you should ask every candidate the same interview questions in the same order.

2. Questions

Keep the question short and simple. Make a list of your top 10 phone interview questions to ask candidates in a phone interview.

3. Scorecards

Develop the rating system for your interview questions and create appropriate interview scorecards.

4. Interviews

Schedule an interview by sending customized phone interview invitation email template and conduct interviews with your candidates.

5. Make notes

Taking notes of your candidate’s answers during an interview is mandatory for objective assessment.

6. Compare the candidates

Rate every candidate based on his/her answers and then compare candidates against each other.