Recruiter Screen: The First Touchpoint

A strong recruitment strategy is like building a house. You need a solid foundation to ensure its long-term stability. The Recruiter typically has the first touchpoint with the candidate in your hiring process, this screening plays a pivotal role in building a talented and diverse workforce.

In this blog post, we dive into what a recruiter screen looks like, its purpose, and the five main goals you want to accomplish in this first step. 

Let’s dive in!

What is the Purpose of a Recruiter Screen?

At its core, a 30-minute recruiter screen saves time for hiring managers and provides them with a clear understanding of the individuals they will be interviewing. The goal of this interview is to eliminate candidates who are inappropriate for the job based on the basic expectations of the role. This interview should consider questions about logistics, professional experience, ability to perform the job, and meet the basic requirements needed for the position. 

It's where you ask pointed questions to gauge the fit and alignment of candidates with your organization's needs. 

Here are 5 things we aim to discover in the recruiter screen:

1. Alignment on logistics: Location preference, travel requirements, sharing the salary (however, we recommend this is already available in the posting), and availability.

2. Authentic interest in the company and role

3. Learn about their professional background, skill sets, and aspirations, and discover how they align with our current requirements and their personal objectives.

4. Discover a “nice to have” skillset or a problem they can solve. 

5. Leave time for candidate questions: this can be an indicator of their prior research and interest in the opportunity.

What else do we consider in the early stages? (Candidates in the job market, take note!)

1. Email Etiquette

2. Were they on time? 

3. “Thank you” notes, still go a long way! Especially when a candidate references something of value from the conversation. 

Overall consider the recruiter screen the first date. A coffee date. It should be no more than 30 minutes and should weed out the allstar candidates from the rest of the pack.

If you have further questions or want a quick free consult on how you can set up the perfect recruiter screen send us an email at hello at talent track solutions dot com. 

Crafting a Strong Submittal

A strong submittal is essentially the result of a successful recruiting screen. It’s a comprehensive and well-curated presentation of a candidate's profile to the hiring manager. To create a strong submittal, you should focus on the following:

1. Align Skills and Job Requirements: Highlight how the candidate’s skills and experiences match the job requirements. Use the data gathered during the screen to showcase why the candidate is a good fit.

2. Culture Fit: Demonstrate how the candidate’s personality and work style align with your company’s culture. The candidate's responses during the screening can provide valuable insights into their values and attitudes.

3. Candidate’s Interest: Include details about why the candidate is interested in the job. Their enthusiasm for the role and the company can be a strong indicator of their motivation and commitment.

4. Additional Information: Include any other relevant information that can help the hiring manager make an informed decision. This could include details of their professional accomplishments, willingness to relocate, salary expectations, and more.

Remember, effective recruiting screening practices form the backbone of successful talent acquisition strategies. Implementing these practices can help any recruitment agency build a strong pipeline of candidates, thereby improving the quality of hires and reducing time-to-fill.

Keep these tips in mind as you continue to refine your recruitment strategies and strive to build a world-class team that drives your company's success.