What are the best practices for screening candidates in a remote hiring environment?

When defining criteria, keeping a running, shareable list of key terms and definitions can help speed up hiring times significantly. For example, when screening for a software engineering role, it may be important for everyone involved in the process to know and understand key terms such as: Frontend, Backend, API, Object Oriented Programing, Agile, or Software Development Life Cycle just to name a few. A handy guide to these definitions will help steer conversations and increase confidence during the screening process.

Defining the nomenclature to be sure the language and words used are understood enterprise wide. Fit is incredibly subjective and difficult to define- so focusing on the key attributes and work styles that assimilate well to your company's culture is a much better approach- because these can be pre-defined and understood by those that are hiring and the applicants.

Be sure to include assessment techniques that test proficiency in specific skills and tasks that are absolutely essential to the role. Examples include GAP skills (for accounting), knowledge of SOX (for compliance), Coding (IT) and MS Office Suite (for administrative support or roles that require spreadsheet mastery or the ability to put together a presentation). Because we spend very little time assessing an employee (compared to their overall tenure) using reference checking solutions such as Skills Survey that are heavily validated and provide you with tools to use for pushing deeper on specific topics or areas identified as developmental. This helps to give you as much insight as possible into your finalists.

While a hands-on approach is preferred by both Recruiters and applicants, but because applicant volume makes doing so for every applicant unrealistic. Having a stair-stepped approach to communication is essential. For example, confirming application submission, and follow-up communication via e-mail as they progress in the process can be built into your Recruiting workflow within your ATS- like a modified drip campaign approach. A more hands-on solution that includes phone calls and personalized emails can be used for finalists, or anyone that has a formal interview.

At the beginning of the process, define clearly the following: * Will you use a search committee or search advisory team? * Your committee should be diverse and from all strata of the organization. * What are search advisory/search committees? * If the person will be selected by committee process,that is a search committee. If one person will make a hiring decision with the feedback of others, this is a search advisory committee. * Kick off a search with all involved, with a defined timeframe and outline of the search. * Share rubric and screening tools up front, explain what you are looking for in your ideal candidate. Everyone should understand the position, what is minimally required, what is preferred and what is ideal.

This should be done ahead of posting a position. This is a much bigger process that requires time (90 days at least) to look at organization wide. I would at minimum put this topic at the very top- and indicate that optimizing the Recruiting lifecycle, and monitoring and measuring KPI's will help to optimize the Recruiting process and provide a better candidate experience.

Candidate Experience-The competition for top talent continues to increase and will continue as we navigate through the great resignation, silent quitting and all of the additional challenges we have faced as a nation after the COVID-19 pandemic. Talent shortages will sustain even the most challenging financial landscapes. Now more than ever, the job seeker's experience is critical. The more special a candidate feels, the more likely they are to take your offer, over one where they don't feel special. Consider the last time you applied for a job. What did you like and what did you not like? Conduct a baseline assessment/survey and track candidate's response to improvements comparing year over year (or your defined timeframes).