What makes a great shortlist?

The Art of the Shortlist….

In speaking to many of our clients right now we are hearing that there is often a huge response to job adverts. This euphoria can quickly be replaced by a sense of overwhelm and before you know it CV blindness.

It further proves our thought that the right shortlist is the key to success.

We spend time and energy perfecting interview processes: tasks; assessments; testing; culture-fit conversations and whilst this is key, it operated on a pool of candidates that's already been fixed.

If you don’t have a strong shortlist the best interview process in the world might still not find the person who will transform your business.

It's such an important stage in the hiring process but its often the one that has the least structure. We know the cost of a bad hire so these are our tips on how to maximise your shortlisting process.

The first question is;

What does a genuinely strong shortlist look like?

Think about size & differentiation. We recommend a minimum shortlist of 3-5 candidates, but that number isn’t enough. A shortlist of 5 near-identical candidates is no better than a shortlist of two. Whether managing the process yourself OR using a recruiter you should ensure diversity in your shortlist.

How do we screen our applicants?

Separate the essentials from the desirables. Strong search discipline means identifying the three or four competencies that are genuinely non-negotiable and treating everything else as a preference that a great candidate can still overcome.

Are they qualified?

If you are managing the process yourself qualify beyond the CV. Applicants might come to you from a job advert, your existing team or an internal referral so there could be a wide range of channels for those CV’s to land on your desk.

Don’t be afraid to introduce a quick phone chat to support the shortlisting process.

Your recruitment agency will screen and interview candidates for you so will remove the need for you to do an initial screener. Time saved!

Getting it right

The instinct in a lot of organisations is to move fast to the shortlist stage, because that's where the "real work" of interviewing feels like it begins.

But a shortlist isn't a starting point — it's the output of a much larger, deliberately cast net. It’s the result of your recruitment campaign or for your recruitment partner a targeted search. Allow time to build a shortlist – think about the passive and the active candidates that you might want to see in the interview room.

Deliberate and intentional sourcing rather than reactive shortlisting can be the difference between a hire that transforms a business. We see it regularly through our work – as candidates placed succeed for you.

So before you start your next recruitment campaign think about what you need to see in your shortlist.

For more information on the work we do please check out www.thehassonpartnership.com or email sinead@thehassonpartnership.com , catherine@thehassonpartnership.com