help in shortlisting resume

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20+ Tips To Get Your Resume Shortlisted For Top Tech Companies

A lot of students and professionals, like you, have a dream to get into big tech companies like Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Netflix, and Google . However, if you’re not able to get your resume shortlisted – no matter how hard you worked or how much experience you have – still you’re not receiving calls for interviews. 

Have you wondered what’s the reason behind it?

What went wrong with your resume? 

Did you write something wrong in the resume to be rejected? 

These might be some of the questions you must be wondering when you don’t hear back from the recruiters. In this article, we’ll go through 20+ tips on how to get your resume shortlisted for top tech companies.

There might be a lot of reasons why your resume not getting shortlisted for these big tech companies. We are going to share some tips and some mistakes that most people do in their resumes. 

First, you need to understand that these companies get lakhs or millions of resumes every day which are scanned by the Application Tracking System (ATS ). An applicant tracking system (ATS) is an element of human resources software that allows employers to organize a large number of resumes. Recruiters and hiring managers can use keywords to search their applicant tracking systems (ATS) for well-matched candidates. You can increase your chances of catching a recruiter’s attention by optimizing your resume keywords and making sure your resume sections are easily identified by the ATS.

For example “ Java Developer “, the ATS considers the keyword Java and it will scan all the resumes that will have this word included and the same goes for the other profile. The rest of the resume gets filtered out and after that, these resumes get into the hands of the recruiter for the further process. 

Now we are going to discuss three sections that will help you to get your resume shortlisted in these tech companies. 

To write a good resume, you will need to focus on the main facts of your professional bio. Therefore, your professional bio should look like this:

• Contact details
• Work experience
• Professional skills
• Achievements and Certification
• Recommendations
• Additional information

How To Get Your Resume Shortlisted

Getting your resume shortlisted is 30% of the resume game. If you’re shortlisted, it means you’ve passed 30% of the journey already. So, what if we give the correct direction that will help you get your resume shortlisted for sure. 

Here are 25 tips that you’ll get your resume shortlisted in no time:

Get the Right Experience

If you have completed your education from a reputed college or you have worked for a reputed company then it will help you a lot otherwise you can boost your resume with some projects and participation in hackathons. 

1. You can build some mobile apps and web apps , or you can also include your ML project. Honestly, it doesn’t matter that much what you’re building as long as you’re building something. You should have a good command of at least one programming language such as Java , Python , Ruby on Rails, C++ , etc.

2. Instead of building 5-6 tiny projects (you can build initially but that won’t showcase enough experience), build some big projects which you are most proud of especially when you have no programming background. Doing a project is important to get enough experience and to showcase that you have built something.

3. Participate in hackathons or open-source projects. If you are a college student participate in ACM-ICPC or Google Summer of Code . Participating in these competitions helps a lot in applying for dream companies.

4. Build a website/portfolio and show your experience . A lot of people have a question that where they can find some project ideas or what kind of project they can build. Check open source and it has a plethora of projects which you can build. You can also contribute to some existing open-source projects. Contribution to open-source showcase that you can work in a team.

Build a Great Resume

5. Create your resume of only 1 page (at most two pages if you have more than 10 years of experience) . A recruiter only takes 10-15 seconds to scan a resume so if your resume is too long, it just takes your best stuff – the stuff that would have made the “one-page cut” – and dilutes it with more mediocre content. It doesn’t matter how many years of experience you have, be precise and clear in just a one-page resume.

6. As a fresher, if you are confused about whether to write your experience first or your education at the top. So you have to make this selection in such a manner – if you have more experience of internship/freelancing and if you have done an internship in any well-reported or any well-known company then you first write your experience section because you should mention the best things about yourself highlighted at the top. But if your education section is more powerful like your marks are very good or your college is very prestigious, then definitely you should keep your education section above.

7. Use a proven resume format . Don’t create your own — it tends to waste space and look sloppy. Use the right template which can have multiple columns (It will help you to showcase all your skillset). You can build a neat and simple resume on the GFG Resume Builder tool for FREE.

8. Mention 3-5 projects, hackathons, or open-source profiles . Projects can be academic-required projects or independent projects. They do not need to be completed or launched either. As long as you’ve done a great amount of work on them, that’s good enough.

9. If you mention some bullets in your resume then keep it short. Bullets that are 3 or more lines look like paragraphs and won’t be read. Use the word built, created, implemented, designed, architected, and optimized in the first line of each bullet.

10. Mention your accomplishment in your resume instead of responsibilities. It shows your enthusiasm for your work and the impact you have made.

11. Quantify your accomplishments for example if you have optimized something then mention how much.

12. You don’t need to mention the objective in your resume. The company already knows what position you are applying for so it will just waste space. At worst, it’ll limit you since it’ll exclude other positions that might have been interesting to you.

13. Be careful when you mention the programming languages because it’s a “fair game” for the interviewer to test. So it’s better to mention something like “C++ (Proficient), C# (Prior Experience), …”

14. If a project is not finished yet or not official still if it’s great then mention it (you shouldn’t just list everything you’ve ever done).

15. Must attach the link of the certificates and achievements to the resume because there might be times when recruiters take a look at the certificates you have.

Must Read: 12 Best Resume Do’s and Don’ts Tips

Necessary Checks Before Submission 

16. Whether there are grammatical errors in it. Ask a friend to read your resume before submitting it or use the online spell checker. Don’t submit it without proofreading it thrice.

17. The description of the present place of work should contain the verbs of the present tense : work, design, manage . Descriptions of previous jobs should contain verbs in the past tense.

18. The entire resume should have one style of narration , the same applies to abbreviations – if you used abbreviations somewhere, then use them throughout the text (although it is better to abandon abbreviations and write the names in full).

19. The resume format should be easy to read (large margins, no small print, but not too large print, sufficient line spacing, etc.).

20. Use good-quality white paper for the printed version.

21. Always save your resume in pdf format and send your resume in pdf format to companies.

Submit the resume

A lot of people just stick with one avenue. They apply once and then assume that it’s enough which isn’t recommendable. Try all available avenues before sticking to the one.

22. If you’re active on Github, Stack Overflow, LinkedIn, etc, there’s a chance a recruiter will come to you. So it’s good to keep updating your profile and stay active on these platforms.

23. Apply online which means the career page of these companies. It’s tough, but people do get their resumes selected that way.

24 Make connections and take references from your friend or someone who is working in these companies. If someone working in these companies refers you then chances will increase to get shortlisted for the interviews.

25 . Try reaching out to Google engineers on Twitter, Quora, or other social media. Remember that your first contact with them is, effectively, a cover letter. Don’t just say “Hi, I’m interested in Google, will you refer me?” Reach out to them and tell them about some of the things you’ve done, and then link them to your resume.

Wrapping Up

People make very common resume mistakes which cost them an opportunity to get into their dream job. The above tips can surely help you to get your resume shortlisted while you apply to FAANG/MAANG companies, no matter what role you’re applying for. Still, if you think you’re lacking or have made mistakes before, you still have ample time to rectify those mistakes. 

Let GeeksforGeeks Resume Builder build you a perfect ATS-proof resume that will highlight the best of your achievements and showcase your skills – all in 1 page, just the way recruiters like it and ATS pass it through.   

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6 Tools For Shortlisting Candidates To Speed Up Time-To-Hire

Adrian Dixon

September 15, 2016

Shortlisting candidates is the most time-consuming (and tedious) part of a recruiter’s job. Because 75 to 88% of resumes received for an open req are unqualified, it takes approximately 23 hours to screen resumes and shortlist candidates for a single hire.

Recruiters and talent acquisition professionals desperately need an effective tool for shortlisting candidates to speed up time-to-hire.

That’s why I created this list of the 6 best tools for quickly, accurately, and cost-effectively shortlisting candidates.

1. Job postings that shortlist candidates through job matching

Job postings are still the top source of hires: 31% of hires come from job search engines and job boards. Today’s job postings are more sophisticated than ever by allowing shortlisting candidates through some type of job matching function.

For example, a LinkedIn job posting will rank candidates by matching skills on your job description to applicants’ LinkedIn profiles. At Ideal.com, we shortlist candidates through job matching on salary, personality, and skills data.

A job posting is the top source of hires because it’s still one of the best ways for candidates to find your open req. A job posting with a method for shortlisting candidates can be a cost-effective and relatively low effort way to shortlist candidates for your open req.

A job posting with a simple method for shortlisting candidates can be one of the weakest recruitment shortlisting strategies because it can be gamed by candidates.

For example, similar to keyword stuffing on a resume, a candidate can artificially add skills to their LinkedIn profile that match your job description. This can result in false positives and prevent you from being able to identify who are truly the strongest candidates.

2. Talent marketplaces that use a shortlisting algorithm

One of the newest trends in candidate acquisition is the rise of talent marketplaces . Talent marketplaces are communities of candidates who get matched to open roles through a shortlisting algorithm, as well as human curation.

The process generally involves an algorithm for shortlisting candidates based on salary data, resume data, and other candidate data points. This shortlist gets pared down even further through human curation (e.g., talent scouts).  

The top talent marketplaces include Hired.com for tech talent and Ideal.com for sales talent.

The biggest advantage of talent marketplaces is that all of the candidates have opted-in and are either actively looking for a new role or are very open to a new opportunity. This decreases the time wasted on trying to recruit passive candidates who aren’t interested in moving to a new position.

In addition, because talent marketplaces are shortlisting candidates based on salary matches, the hardest part of attracting candidates for a new role is pretty much done for you.

The disadvantage of talent marketplaces is that candidates often receive multiple job matches at once so you still need to compete for their attention with an attractive role and compensation package.

3. Shortlisting candidates using tech-enabled external recruitment

External recruiters are still an important source of hire with 10% of hires being recruiter sourced . Today, the most innovative external recruiters are leveraging data and technology to become faster, better, and cheaper at their jobs.  

One example of a service for shortlisting candidates using tech-enabled external recruitment is Indeed Prime for tech talent. They promise to “ dramatically reduce time to fill ” for “ less than the cost of a recruiting agency .”

Another example is Ideal.com’s recruitment services for sales jobs that uses technology to reduce average time-to-hire from 41 to 28 days.

Tech-enabled external recruitment tends to be more cost-effective than traditional recruiting agencies and should in theory be faster at sourcing candidates for your open req because the technology allows for automatic shortlisting.

External recruitment tends to be a more expensive method of sourcing and shortlisting candidates.

The other disadvantages of tech-enabled external recruitment are the classic problems of using an external recruiter: not having industry expertise or having too many open reqs to pay enough attention to yours. The same carefulness you use in picking an external recruiter applies here.

4. Shortlisting candidates through pre-hire assessments

Pre-hire assessments for shortlisting candidates have been used for decades. However, it’s only recently that advancements in people analytics software have allowed pre-hire assessments to become cheap and accurate enough to be used with your entire candidate pool.

Assessments allow you to shortlist candidates through matching candidates based on desired personality traits , skills, job-related knowledge, and other abilities.  

Using pre-hire assessments for shortlisting candidates is one of the most objective and accurate way to screen candidates as long as the assessment technology you use allows you to assess your entire candidate pool and not just a select few.

A well-designed pre-hire assessment can objectively measure the shortlisting criteria needed for successful performance in a given role.

As a bonus, shortlisting candidates through assessments helps you reduce unconscious biases in your decision making and helps increase workplace diversity : research has found that companies that use assessments in their recruitment process have more racially diverse workforces.

The main disadvantage of using a pre-hire assessment to shortlist candidate is that it adds time to the candidate application.

Although the quality of candidates who complete an assessment tends to be higher, one precaution you can take is asking a potential assessment vendor what their drop off rates look like in their candidate application process.

5. Shortlisting candidates using an ATS

Using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that automates resume screening is the classic first step in shortlisting candidates. 94% of recruiters and talent acquisition professionals who use an ATS state it has improved their hiring process.

There’s no doubt about it, a good ATS will dramatically speed up screening resumes and shortlisting candidates, especially if it allows you to screen out candidates using knock out questions.

The biggest weaknesses of an ATS are the potential for false positives and false negatives because candidates can game the system through keyword matching.

The other limitation of an ATS is that it tends to be a “dumb” technology that wasn’t designed to learn and improve its shortlisting function. That means each open req is like re-inventing the wheel even if you’ve filled the role previously.

6. Shortlisting candidates using an ATS plus intelligent shortlisting software

The newest innovation in shortlisting candidates is intelligent shortlisting : applying machine learning to candidate information.

Intelligent shortlisting is software that lives inside your existing ATS that uses your existing resume database to learn what predicts success for a particular role based on successful and unsuccessful hires.    

Because intelligent shortlisting uses data to create a success profile for a role, it automates the shortlisting of candidates consistently, accurately, and quickly.

The machine learning the software is based on continually learns as you feed it more resumes and improves its shortlisting criteria to theoretically identify for you better and better candidates out of the entire candidate pool.

Shortlisting candidates through machine learning tends to require a lot of data, which means intelligent shortlisting works best for high volume recruitment roles like customer service and retail sales.

The takeaways:

Shortlisting candidates is still the most time-consuming and frustrating part of recruitment. Luckily, recruiters and talent acquisition professionals have a variety of tools at their disposal to help:

• Job postings that shortlist candidates through job matching
• Talent marketplaces that use a shortlisting algorithm
• Tech-enabled external recruitment
• Pre-hire assessments
• An ATS plus intelligent shortlisting software

All these tools for shortlisting candidates have their pros and cons. First, assess what your recruiting needs are and then match the best shortlisting tool to find candidates faster, cheaper, and a whole lot easier.

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Building Your Best Resume – 8 Tips that Can Get You Shortlisted

One single job opening gets 250 applications on an average. That means from the time you submit your resume to the time you get shortlisted, interviewed, and hired, you have competed with 249 other candidates. So, next time, when you are not shortlisted for the interview round after sending your resume, you might want to ask yourself some pertinent questions. 

Is it possible that your resume itself is not that great or does not have what it takes to grab the attention of the employers? We, as a recruitment agency, deal with hundreds of resumes every day and thus understand the value of a good resume better than anyone.

Building a resume can be time-consuming and often frustrating for the job-seekers. However, it also is your first impression on the employer, much before you might meet them. Hence, it can very well define your fate. So, how to create the best resume that can increase your chances of landing interviews? Here are some efficient tips from experienced hiring managers at Dynamic Staffing Services –

1. Use Job Description Keywords in Your Resume

Using keywords and industry buzzwords in your resume can increase your chances of getting hired by 29%.

Most employers and potential employees now prefer the online medium of receiving/submitting resumes. When we receive a requirement from our overseas clients, we share the resumes with them, and they do the initials CV shortlisting before coming for the face to face interview. The increasing popularity of job portals has played a crucial role in the process. If you are searching for job postings online, you will see that their descriptions have certain keywords. These keywords will help you understand the requirements of the employer.

You can use these keywords while writing your resume. For instance, if you are looking for Graphic Designer jobs, most employers will have keywords like “Adobe Illustrator,” “Photoshop,” “Infographics, “Video Editing,” etc. in their job description. Check the “Qualification” and “Requirements” section of the posting, and you are sure to find such keywords.

If you do have the required skills, you can add these keywords to your resume so that the chances of a hiring manager landing on your resume increase considerably. 

2. Make your Resume Skimmable

As per a popular study reported in Forbes, recruiters spend just 6.25 seconds reviewing a resume . So, you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of hiring managers. Hence your resume needs to be skimmable while not missing out on any information. Here are a few things you can do;

• Short and Powerful Introduction : In the past, resumes used to feature a long objective statement at the starting which talked about the type of job you are looking for. But this trend is mostly gone now. The hiring managers now prefer shorter paragraphs at the beginning talking about your job profile. This means that you now need to write about your qualifications, training, experience, relevant skills, etc. in about 2-3 sentences.
• Use Headings and Bullet Points: Bullet points make the content skimmable and easy to read.
• Use White Space: Use white spaces in your resume efficiently to make it pleasing to the eye and easy to read.

3. Only Add Relevant Experience Details

One of the most common resume mistakes, committed by some highly experienced employees as well, is writing about every single job they’ve ever had, in the experience section. But experts suggest that you should only mention details of your past job that can help you land the job you are aiming for. Needless to say, only relevant experience details should make it to your resume.

Generally, any experience detail that is more than ten years old should not be added to the resume unless it is directly linked to the current job you are aiming for. Employees applying for many different industries and roles generally create multiple versions of their resume to match the requirement of each industry/role specifically.

4. Focus More on Accomplishments and Not Job Responsibilities

Once you have zeroed in on the relevant experience you’d like to add to your resume, list them in recent to oldest chronological order. Focus on a more accomplishment-oriented approach over responsibilities or job titles. This means that rather than highlighting the responsibilities, you should focus more on the outcomes you were able to deliver for your past employers.

Take a couple of lines to explain in detail how your work impacted the companies. For instance, rather than mentioning “Worked as Project Manager,” add more value by writing “Managed a seven-person team that worked on client projects of $200,000, with excellent deadline accuracy.” This will help hiring managers understand your contributions better.

5. Align your Resume with Your Social Media Profile

Around 92% of recruiters use social media to either screen candidates or do a background check before calling them for an interview as per a report. Recruiters are looking for red flags such as discrepancies in job title, job duration, experience, between your resume and social media profile. 

And if you don’t have a social media profile such as LinkedIn or Twitter, you may have more to lose than gain. 57% of the recruiters won’t hire a candidate if they don’t have an active social media profile such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

6. Stick to the Basic Format and Fonts

Different industries nowadays have their own standard resume formats. While it is not necessary to use the same format, they are generally considered a better option as hiring managers like to go through resumes in a similar format. There are several online portals where you can also find resume templates for particular industry/position.

But note that it is very important to stick to a professional format so that your resume does not look too flashy or amateurish. The same is true for fonts too. Avoid using anything too stylish or using multiple fonts on the same page.

Some fonts that are generally considered good are:

Avoid using fonts such as:

• Brush Script
• Century Gothic

7. Write in Active Language and Avoid Using Unnecessary Words

You should always write a resume in active language. Avoid using a flowery language or using a lot of words that are not really necessary. Always make sure that every word you write on your resume helps add more value to it and not simply increases the word count.

You can use power words such as “completed,” “achieved,” “succeeded,” “exceeding,” etc. but only when required. As long as you don’t have a professional experience of more than 10 years, your resume should not be more than a single page. If the resume is too long, try to shorten the sentences without impacting their meaning.

8. Proofread before Sending

As per a post on Monster Canada , a popular online job portal, one of the most commonly occurring mistakes in resumes are typos and grammatical errors. You should understand that every company has an image to maintain, and they would never consider any person who is lazy or just doesn’t care. Typos and grammatical errors in a resume create a similar image for you.

Apart from proofreading, also try to read your resume out loud at least a couple of times to ensure that everything sounds right as well. You can also ask your friend or a professional from the same industry to cross-check the resume for you. And errors, if any, can be eliminated before you click on the send button.

Ready to Write the Best Resume?

The right talent is always in demand. As long as you have the qualification, skills, and experience, and your resume is able to create an immediate impact on the hiring managers, rest assured that your dream job is not far away.

Use the tips discussed in the post for writing your resume, and you are sure to do considerably better than hundreds of other candidates applying for the same job. And you never know, the interview call might be just around the corner.

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Optimize your shortlisting process with a resume screening checklist

Table of contents

What is a resume screening checklist , the benefits of having a resume screening checklist , how to create a resume screening checklist for your open positions , integrate your checklist with assessment software, optimize your shortlisting process.

Recruiters are some of the busiest employees at a company. They are constantly juggling competing priorities and tending to various demands. One of the most demanding aspects of recruiting is candidate selection . You can make the process of shortlisting candidates more manageable by developing a resume screening checklist for each role (especially roles you’ll hire for multiple times).

Recruiters use a range of tools and tactics during the hiring process. From posting to job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed.com, to networking, to workplace referral programs, and more, a wide range of candidates may be approached (directly or indirectly) in order to source candidates for an open role. Here enters the chaos . 

On average , a job posting will garner 118 applicants — and that’s just on one job site. A recruiter can quickly become overwhelmed with hundreds of resumes and the pressure to place a stand-out hire. And unfortunately, a large fraction of the applicants are going to be unqualified. 

Due to their immense workload, it’s no surprise that recruiters look for processes and software to streamline the process. This article will focus on reducing resume fatigue and ensuring unqualified candidates aren’t being put in front of the team by creating a resume screening checklist upfront.

A resume screening checklist is a checklist with all the important elements a recruiter expects to see on the resumes of qualified candidates. That way, everyone on the hiring team is aligned on what skills and characteristics a successful hire will and won’t have. Ultimately, the checklist saves time by eliminating poor fits early in the hiring process and helping the recruiter identify the top talent in the candidate pool with greater accuracy. 

Often a company will develop its checklist well before producing a job description. Soon after a need for a new role is expressed and approved by upper management, the recruiter or hiring manager for the role will sit down with the appropriate manager to identify the correct qualifications such as higher education, years of experience, familiarity with specific systems, and exposure to specific aspects of the business. 

Though some recruiters may appreciate an alternative to a resume screening checklist, it can be most helpful for conservative companies with their resources and don’t have the flexibility or time to drag out the recruiting process or risk hiring a poor fit. 

Creating and implementing a resume screening checklist will require some work from the recruiter and team manager on the front end, but it will likely prove helpful and beneficial to everyone. 

Encourages quality over quantity

The checklist enforces quality over quantity. As tempting as it can be to send a list of candidates hoping that open requisition will be closed sooner, it’s most important to present a team with quality candidates and hire talent that will last past their first 90 days. The checklist can help anchor the vision of the “perfect hire” by having the team identify what their dream candidate looks like.

Saves time and money

In addition to being a quality control aide, a resume screening checklist can save the company money and time. A hire starts costing the company money long before the offer letter is extended. According to one study reported by Toggl Hire, “a number of companies disclosed their total spend on recruiting fees. It adds up to over $16,000 per year – and that’s per single placement.” Having a healthy checklist can reserve a company’s most valuable resources. 

Reduces frustration

Finally, a resume screening checklist can alleviate a considerable amount of frustration; something most would deem priceless. When the team sits down to connect and collectively determines what a stand-out candidate will possess, objectivity is less likely to play a role in decision-making. One of the bottlenecks to cause the most strain during the recruitment process can be leaders and managers not seeing eye-to-eye on the pool of talent. It’s much easier to identify and determine deal-breakers before you’ve begun the interview process. 

A resume screening checklist is truly a guide for the team and managers that take much of the guesswork out of the screening process.

The next step is to build a thoughtful resume screening checklist for the open position. To develop the best checklist, it’s imperative to meet with the right stakeholders to get their buy-in. Some suggested categories or topics to discuss would include:

Work Experience. How much post-graduate experience will you require? This section is especially helpful when discerning between entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level roles.

Education. Are you open to interviewing a candidate without a college degree? Will this role require a master’s degree or other post-graduate education? Is there any formal training a candidate should have?

Soft skills. What soft skills does the role require?

Technical skills. What systems or software should the person in this role be familiar with?

Personality traits. What characteristics will best complement the existing team? How will you determine if the candidate will be a culture add ?

Once you have determined the categories most important to this role, it’s time to determine the minimum requirements and the preferred requirements. For example, you may prefer that a candidate have a master’s degree in marketing, but a bachelor’s degree in marketing is a minimum requirement. Ensure that your requirements, minimum or preferred, are explicitly listed in the job description. 

Consider having a scorecard or ballot of some kind record and track your candidates. Using the categories above, you can distribute 1 point if they have the minimum requirements, 2 points if they have the preferred, and 0 points if they do not meet the minimum requirement.

To streamline the process, you can use online skills assessments and questionnaires to capture information relevant to the resume screening checklist. For example, a candidate could be required to list the number of working years they have or checkbox all of the languages they speak if being multilingual is a job requirement.

Additionally, you can test them on the skills you require so that you know whether candidates are truly skilled in the areas they say they are. This will help weed out those that are not qualified fits, subsequently saving you time and money.

Ultimately, a resume screening checklist will help you optimize your shortlisting process, reduce your time-to-hire , and reduce mishires. By getting everyone’s feedback before posting a job, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for, so you won’t waste time on candidates who aren’t going to be a fit.

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10 Jan 2023

The Secrets Behind Resume Shortlisting

Are you wondering why your resume isn't getting shortlisted in recruitment drives? Many job seekers face this issue, and the answer may lie in the secrets behind the process of resume shortlisting. In this article, we will explore what goes into the selection process, so that you can understand how to make your resume stand out from the rest.

It's no secret that the job market is extremely competitive. To land the job you want, your resume must be shortlisted by the hiring manager to move on to the next stage of the hiring process. But what exactly goes into making a resume stand out from the rest?

In this blog, we'll reveal the secrets behind resume shortlisting so that you can ensure your resume gets to the top of the stack. 

What Companies Look for in Resumes

Regarding resumes, there are a few key elements companies look for while shortlisting candidates. Here are some of the things that employers take into consideration when reviewing resumes:

• The resume must be well-written and free of errors. This is one of the most important factors in determining whether or not a resume will be shortlisted. A poorly written or error-ridden resume will likely be passed over in favor of a refined one.
• The resume should be concise and to the point. Hiring managers often have to sift through dozens, if not hundreds, of resumes for each open position. They don’t have time to read pages of information and want to be able to quickly scan a resume to get an overview of the candidate’s qualifications.
• The resume should highlight the candidate’s relevant skills and experience. Employers are interested in analyzing how your skills and experience match the demands of the job role. Make sure to tailor your resume to each job you apply for. 
• The resume should be easy to read and visually appealing. Again, since hiring managers have limited time to review resumes, you want yours to be as easy on the eyes as possible so they can quickly find the information they’re looking for. Use clear headings, bullet points, and adequate spacing for better readability.

Tips for Crafting an Impressive Resume

If you’re a recent graduate with little work experience, focus on your academic achievements and any internships or extracurricular activities that may be relevant. For those with more work experience, include information on your previous positions that showcase your past achievements and successes. And be sure to customize your resume to each job you’re applying as generic resumes are often immediately dismissed. Follow a professional and positive tone throughout the document.

Finally, don’t forget to include personal information, such as your hobbies and interests, as this can give the hiring manager a better sense of who you are. With these tips in mind, you’re well on your way to writing an impressive resume that will help you get shortlisted for the jobs you want!

Examples of Effective Resumes

This resume example is clear and concise, with only two pages of information. The first page focuses on the relevant work experiences of the candidate, while the second page provides more detailed information about their educational qualification, and relevant skills. It would be ideal for a candidate with several years of relevant experience.

This resume example is also straightforward but includes more than two pages of information. The first page should provide their employment history and the additional pages provide more detail about the candidate's educational background. This resume would be ideal for a candidate who is seeking a management or executive-level position.

This resume example is shorter than the first two examples, but still provides enough information to be effective. The focus is on the candidate's relevant skills and experience, with less detail about their employment history included. This resume would be ideal for a recent graduate or someone who is changing careers.

The Role of Recruitment Software in Shortlisting

Many companies have turned to recruitment software to streamline the process of resume shortlisting . This type of software is designed to help employers quickly identify qualified candidates for open positions. While there are a variety of different types of recruitment software available, they all share one common goal: to make the resume shortlisting process as efficient and effective as possible.

There are several different ways that recruitment software can help with shortlisting resumes. One of the most common features is the ability to perform keyword searches on resumes. This can be extremely helpful in identifying candidates with specific skills and qualifications as per the demands of the role.

Another useful feature of many recruitment software programs is the ability to rank and score resumes. This can be especially helpful when you are dealing with a large number of applications. By ranking and scoring resumes, you can easily identify the strongest candidates and move them forward in the hiring process.

Finally, many recruitment software programs offer tools for collaboration and communication. This can be very helpful when working with a team of recruiters or hiring managers. By sharing information and providing feedback through a central platform, everyone involved in the process can stay on the same page and work together more efficiently.

While there are many different ways that recruitment software can help with resume shortlisting, these are just a few of the most commonly used features. When used properly, recruitment software can be invaluable for ensuring that only the best candidates are screened and hired.

We hope this article has shed some light on how recruiters select resumes and what you can do to increase your chances of getting selected for an interview. The Career Success Team at Skill-Lync assists you in building outstanding resumes for exceptional brains.

Join the courses at Skill-Lync to master in-demand skills to ensure your resume stands out!

Anup KumarH S

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9 Candidate Shortlisting Tools That Every Recruiter Needs

Vervoe offers skill assessments that are scored automatically — or, more specifically, candidates are ranked against one another so no one is ruled out. Within the platform, Vervoe’s compare feature will allow you to review your shortlisted candidates’ scores and responses side by side. If there are files, videos, or code responses, they will expand out into a modal for ease of use. Recruiters can go in and see each individual’s strengths before extending invitations to the interview phase. 

2. HackerRank 

HackerRank offers deep technical testing for developers, coders, engineers, cloud architects, and other similar roles. HackerRank offers skill assessments benchmarked against the 11+ million-strong HackerRank developer community, one of the largest online developer communities in the world. For non-technical recruiters, HackerRank also helps you understand the strength of each candidate’s score.

Many applicant tracking systems (ATSs) include features that automate resume screening.  According to research from Jobscan, 98% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS, to filter resumes before a hiring manager does their review. 

An applicant tracking system parses resumes to see how well they match the job description or other criteria that a recruiting team has set for screening purposes. “Some applicant tracking systems will compare your resume to the job description and rank applicants based on how well their resume matches the job description. Recruiters can focus on top-ranked candidates instead of reading through each resume,” wrote Jobscan .

The advantage of using an ATS is that it can escalate the best candidates for an open position. However, an ATS is limited in that it only selects a candidate based on the list of qualifications and certifications on a resume, rather than using a skill test to assess real capabilities and experience. 

[Read more:  The Best Applicant Tracking Systems — 10 Top Tools Reviewed ]

3. SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters ’ ATS works with Vervoe and other skill tests to offer pre-integrated assessments tools that make it easy to generate a candidate shortlist. This ATS includes a useful feedback loop so you can see where your best candidates come from, allowing you to optimize your pipeline and continuously source great applications for all your open positions.

4. Workable

Workable combines machine learning and AI with more than 40 integrations in one extremely powerful hiring tool. Like Vervoe , Workable has a lot to offer beyond a simple sourcing tool: including access to a larger pool of premium job boards and levels of customization that helps small hiring teams collaborate over candidate shortlisting. 

Ideal , recently acquired by Ceridian, is primarily a screening tool that also has shortlisting capabilities. It integrates with many popular applicant tracking systems to provide an algorithm that screens candidates using input from recruiter feedback, assessments, and candidate performance to improve over time.

Finally, a separate category of shortlisting tools starts before the screening process . These sourcing tools aim to shortlist candidates through smarter job matching and on talent marketplaces. The goal is to create a pool of quality candidates who have skill sets that are as close as possible to the shortlist selection criteria.

While this method of shortlisting is comparatively weaker than using the other two categories of shortlisting software, it can still reduce a recruiter’s time-to-hire. Here are two tools that can help with targeted sourcing.

Hired is a website that offers pre-vetted candidates. This means that to even view jobs through the platform, candidates have to go through a process of vetting that verifies their experience, skills, and salary requirements. In theory, recruiters who are not hosting a high-volume hiring event can simply create their shortlist from the applicants collected through Hired.

7. SquarePeg

SquarePeg is both a shortlisting tool and service that does some of the upfront screening for you. The software uses a job matching algorithm that takes in hundreds of data points to find the top candidates specific to your company. The result is that SquarePeg sends a shortlist directly to your recruiting team. The downside? You’ll have to get your shortlist criteria right — and you’ll never see candidates who you may have missed out on if you get your criteria wrong. 

If you decide to create a candidate shortlist by hand, these tools make it easy to stay organized and share data amongst your hiring team. 

Trello is a project management tool that’s also great for candidate shortlisting and managing the overall hiring process. Recruiters can create a Trello card for each candidate, capturing their application and contact details, and then move them along the hiring process as each candidate is vetted. This platform requires more manual input than many of the other shortlisting tools, but it also allows all members of the hiring team to see where candidates are in the process and align on the best candidate easily. 

9. Google Sheets + Shortlisting Matrix

Vervoe’s free candidate shortlisting matrix provides an easy spreadsheet for scoring and keeping track of each applicant’s skills. Add your mandatory, essential, and value-add skills in each column. Then, score each candidate on a scale of 1 – 3 based on their level of expertise, with one being slightly below expectations and three being above expectations. Score candidates using these criteria and move top scorers to the candidate shortlist.

Ready to start shortlisting candidates? Sign up for a free trial of Vervoe today.

Emily Heaslip

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9 Resume Screening Tools to Boost Your Hiring

The old ways of hiring candidates are outdated and stagnant, not to mention that they can lead to organizations hiring the wrong people. With the advancement of HR technology, it’s never been easier for companies to hire the right people for open positions.

Resume screening plays a crucial part in this new wave of HR technology. But how does it integrate into your hiring pipeline, and what will it actually do for YOU?

Below, we’ll chat about the importance of resume screening software, why hiring managers should be signing up for new software asap, and how applicant tracking systems are the future of hiring.

TL;DR – Key Takeaways

• Resume screening tools offer unparalleled advantages in processing job applications, providing efficiency and time-saving benefits by automating initial pre-screening.
• By using candidate screening software, you can handle large volumes of resumes quickly and accurately, ensuring consistency in evaluations.
• However, resume screening software can rely too heavily on matching keywords in resumes and job descriptions. They lack the ability to assess soft skills and have difficulty recognizing non-traditional candidates. Discover more about the resume screening process .
• A shift to evidence-based hiring puts resume screening tools in a tight corner. With more hiring managers focusing on skills over resumes, skills assessment platforms offer a viable alternative to spotting truly qualified candidates.
• For example, Toggl Hire’s role-based assessments enable recruiters and hiring managers to quickly check if a candidate’s qualifications and experience listed on the resume match their job-relevant technical skills.

What are the different types of resume screening software?

What are the benefits of resume screening tools.

When it comes to processing job applications, resume screening tools offer an unparalleled advantage. While a human recruiter can only sift through one resume at a time, these automated tools can effortlessly handle hundreds or even thousands of resumes in a fraction of the time.

“With the help of applicant tracking systems, HR teams can quickly and easily screen resumes, manage job postings, and communicate with candidates, improving the recruitment process and ensuring that the best candidates are hired.” Sumit Sabharwal, Vice President of HR at Fujitsu

Efficiency and time-saving

Utilizing resume screening tools can significantly increase efficiency and save time in the hiring process. These powerful tools can rapidly process vast quantities of resumes in a matter of minutes, reducing the workload for human recruiters.

And automating the initial screening stage allows recruiters to quickly and precisely assess candidates’ qualifications, skills, and experience. Simply put, say goodbye to reading over piles and piles of CVs and LinkedIn profiles.

Consistency

Maintaining consistency in the resume screening process is essential to ensure all applicants are evaluated equitably and without bias. Human recruiters may be prone to fatigue or personal preferences, leading to companies potentially hiring candidates that don’t fit the required tole.

Resume screening tools, however, ensure all resumes are assessed the same way, reducing the risk of prejudice and errors and resulting in a more impartial screening process.

Improved quality of hire

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology has revolutionized resume screening tools. These tools use sophisticated algorithms to examine resumes, searching for specific keywords, job qualifications, and applicable experience.

By harnessing the power of AI and ML, recruiters can pick out exceptional candidates that may have been missed in a manual screening process. Additionally, these tools ceaselessly learn and adjust according to feedback and results, elevating their accuracy and refining the selection process over time.

Cost savings

Automating the resume screening process may potentially cut hiring costs for organizations. By minimizing the demand for extra recruitment personnel, companies can maximize their resources and allocate them to other essential parts of the hiring process.

What’s more, the time saved through automation transforms into cost savings, as recruiters can concentrate on more strategic aspects of talent acquisition.

Scalability

Resume screening tools offer businesses unparalleled scalability for expansion or seasonal fluctuations in recruitment requirements. They can easily accommodate increasing numbers of applications while maintaining accuracy and efficiency.

Resume screening tools provide the flexibility to quickly adjust to changing demands, whether a company is expanding rapidly or facing increases in applicant volume.

The challenges of relying on resume screening software

While resume screening software can be an efficient tool, it does face certain limitations.

“CVs are written to present the applicant in the most positive light possible. They focus on the strengths of the candidate and might leave out important weaknesses. They also require you to trust in the honesty of the applicant, which at this stage in the process, is not a given.” Paul Scharf, CTO @ Toggl

These are the limitations you’ll need to keep in mind when looking at and integrating resume-screening software.

Over-reliance on keywords

One such drawback is its reliance on specific key phrases. These tools tend to prioritize comparing resumes to job postings based on precise keywords.

Unfortunately, this strategy could unintentionally leave out competent candidates who may have used different language or word choices. For example, if a job description highlights “content production,” the software could overlook a candidate who listed “content creation” as a relevant capability. Not to mention the unintended incentive for job seekers to lean on keyword stuffing to pass the initial ATS software check – that can really muddle your talent pool !

Potential for bias

Even though they can diminish prejudice, resume screening software is not invulnerable to it. If the algorithms that power these tools are trained on prejudiced data, they can inadvertently continue present unconscious biases .

For instance, there have been cases where resume screening AI developed partiality against female applicants due to the historical data it was based on — mainly consisting of resumes from male candidates. This highlights the significance of frequently overseeing and enhancing the algorithms to guarantee equitable and unprejudiced results.

Difficulty recognizing non-traditional candidates

Another major challenge faced by resume screening software is its struggle to acknowledge the worth of non-conventional candidates. These applicants, such as those switching careers or having unusual work records, could possess beneficial abilities and experiences that are not effortlessly picked up by traditional screening standards.

If an experienced teacher submits an application for a corporate training position, the software may have difficulty recognizing the transferability of the candidate’s teaching expertise. A candidate’s work history and professional title don’t predict future job performance, so you’re much better off pre-screening and shortlisting candidates based on job-specific abilities.

Technological limitations and errors

These tools may sporadically misinterpret or mishandle information, specifically when faced with distinct resume formats. If, for example, a candidate’s resume is formatted as a PDF file rather than a Word file, the software might incorrectly process or even disregard it.

Inability to assess soft skills

Resume screening software often has trouble effectively gauging and evaluating soft skills , like communication , teamwork, and problem-solving aptitudes. These tools generally focus on keyword matching and certifications.

As a result, a candidate may appear highly qualified on paper but lack the indispensable soft skills required for success in a particular job. It emphasizes the importance of including alternate assessment methods to thoroughly analyze applicants’ overall fit.

The rising star: skill assessments as a modern alternative

As we’ve already pointed out, skill assessment platforms are proving invaluable to employers. Rather than profiling candidates solely on their resumes, these platforms offer a deeper understanding of a candidate’s true abilities. So, let’s take a look at all of the benefits associated with them.

Demonstrating actual ability

Skill assessment tools give candidates a chance to show off their actual aptitudes and skills, allowing employers to see their skillfulness firsthand. Rather than relying solely on self-declared abilities mentioned on a resume or their social media profile, these platforms enable candidates to actively demonstrate their competencies through practical assessments.

Skill assessments supply a more accurate and reliable measure of a candidate’s talents by focusing on in-the-moment performance rather than just verbal statements.

Reducing bias

A remarkable benefit of skill assessment tools is their capability to assist in diminishing prejudice and bias in the recruitment process. By concentrating on a candidate’s capability to undertake work-related tasks or resolve issues directly associated with the role, these platforms move the emphasis away from subjective elements such as personal background or demographics.

Applicable to various roles

Skill assessments are flexible and adjustable to meet different job roles and sectors. From coding tests for software engineering roles to writing evaluations for content producer roles, the variability allows employers to rate candidates’ talents in a precise and job-specific fashion.

Data-Driven Decisions

Skill assessment platforms provide employers with quantifiable information about each applicant’s aptitudes, allowing for data-driven decision-making in the recruitment process.

By tracking objective measurements of capabilities and performance, these tools supply useful insights that can be contrasted and examined to make informed hiring decisions . Employers can judge candidates depending on pre-established criteria, ultimately enhancing the caliber of hiring results.

Improved Candidate Experience

Candidates usually appreciate the chance to demonstrate their talents through skill assessments. By giving a balanced and involving evaluation process, skill assessment platforms add to a better candidate experience .

Candidates sense that their capacities are really thought about, augmenting their involvement and contentment throughout the recruitment journey.

Efficient and Cost-Effective

Skill assessments streamline the evaluation stage and help reduce the amount of time and effort spent reviewing each resume. Not only that, but the data-driven nature of skill assessments also helps employers focus their resources on the top contenders, making the entire hiring process easier and more effective.

9 Great resume screening software tools

Now, it’s finally time to get to the heart of the article: we will tell you about some of the best resume screening software for your organization.

Mind you, we’re listing different types of resume screening software in no particular order, so don’t jump to conclusions too fast 😉

#1 – Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit is a resume management software that helps recruiters save time spent on shortlisting, engaging, and hiring candidates. It lets you parse multiple resumes and transfer candidate information to your candidate or client database.

Category: Applicant tracking system with multiple solutions

Key features: Candidate sourcing, resume management, social recruiting , employee referrals, job advertising, background screening

What customers say:

“Zoho Recruit is tailor-made for a recruiter so that I can interact with my client in real-time, 24/7 no matter where I am. I don’t have to do a lot of documentation that in itself is worth a million bucks.” Katari Grassiel, MD, Seattle BC Group, Seattle

Ideal is an AI-driven HR software platform that enables hiring managers to make better, faster, and unbiased talent decisions.

Category: AI-driven Resume Screening

Key features: AI-powered screening, resume parsing, job board integration, chatbot assistant, candidate ranking and scoring, workflow automation, collaborative hiring

“The IDEAL project team is easy to work with and aren’t “Locked In” to their own way of doing things rather they are willing to listen and open to new concepts. Ideal brought an entire integration project team to the table from day 1 to help us integrate and get launched.” Robert B, Director, Talent Acquisition Systems and Strategy

#3 – Oracle Talent Management Cloud (formerly Taleo)

Oracle Talent Management facilitates strategic review and analysis of talent, retention and improvement of skills, provision of career opportunities, coaching of goals and performance, talent reviews, and succession planning to keep talent engaged and productive.

Category: Traditional Applicant Tracking System

Key features: Recruiting, candidate relationship management (CRM), onboarding, performance management, learning and development, succession planning, career development, compensation management, analytics and reporting, integration and API, compliance and security, and mobile accessibility.

“ Detail-oriented recruitment tool. Globally used and I have been using this tool for the past 5 years. Easy to understand and use the tool for creating candidate experience and others with respect to recruitment.” Priyanshul G., Talent Acquisition – Sourcing & Identification Specialist

#4 – Sovren

Sovren is a software company specializing in creating configurable, scalable, and precise recruitment intelligence software.

Category: Resume parsing

Key features: Resume parsing, job order parsing, skill extraction and matching, semantic search, AI-powered matching, data standardization What customers say:

Their technology affords you an opportunity…a means to do what you do at a higher level, more efficiently, more effectively…than ever before.

#5 – DaXtra Parser

DaXtra Parser is the most accurate and multi-lingual resume/job parsing software, capable of converting unstructured documents into structured XML/JSON in multiple languages.

Key features: Resume parsing, job parsing, skill extraction, semantic search, multi-language support, industry-specific taxonomies, data standardization, integration capabilities, configurable rules and filters, and compliance and privacy.

They did exactly what the told us they could do. Efficient parsing, comprehensive search.

#6 – Affinda

Affinda ‘s machine-learning system identifies more than 100 details from resumes, organizing the information into a searchable format.

Key features: document processing, data extraction, entity recognition, language detection, sentiment analysis, named entity recognition (NER), optical character recognition (OCR), text classification, relationship extraction, and data visualization.

When I compared the accuracy of the Affinda resume parser to 8 other resume parsers, Affinda was better than or equal to the others. But where Affinda really stood out head and shoulders above the others is in their level of support and attention to the customer.

#7 – Tracker

Tracker is a web-based recruitment management and CRM solution designed for recruiting professionals across all industries.

Category: semantic search and matching

Key features: applicant tracking, job posting and distribution, resume parsing, candidate database, interview scheduling

“As the marketing director for our firm, I am already seeing an increase in productivity and ease-of-use for implementing all strategies. The built-in campaign and sequencing is clutch for our prospecting. Data import and access to both client and candidate data online has been terrific.”

#8 – Eightfold.ai

Eightfold.ai , an AI-driven, continuous learning platform brings intelligence from mining millions of data points and billions of interactions across the internet to your organization.

Key features: talent intelligence platform, candidate relationship management, personalized candidate experience, AI-powered candidate matching, diversity and inclusion analytics

“The Eightfold AI is very intuitive and brings in several dimensions to present employees with quality recommendations. The combination of jobs, learning, mentors and projects helps employees and the enterprise connect all the dots. It is truly a dynamic tool delivering a quality employee experience.”

#9 – Toggl Hire

Toggl Hire is a skills assessment platform with powerful applicant tracking system capabilities. It gives hiring teams incredible insight into candidates’ job-specific skills with smart screening tools. Instead of focusing on self-reported competencies on candidates’ resumes, recruiters and hiring managers can get reliable proof of competence via pre-employment assessments , pre-recorded video interviews , and homework assignments . So you find and shortlist quality talent, real fast!

Category: Skills-based hiring platform

Key features: 200+ skills, 180+ ready-made assessment templates, anti-cheating automatic tracking system, different types of tests: skills tests, video tests, homework assignments, hiring pipeline, talent pool, team collaboration

“We’ve been using Toggl Hire for almost 3 years, with more than 20,000 test-takers that completed one of the 20+ tests we have on the platform. The service is easy to use and helps us perform quick and effective top-of-the-funnel filtering while keeping a great Candidate Experience.” Gilad Bornstein, Co-Founder and CEO at Flatworld.co

No More Paper Chasing: The Rise of Skills over Resumes

Resume screening software tools have become invaluable in the hiring process due to their efficiency and time-saving capabilities. Leveraging AI and machine learning algorithms, they quickly process large volumes of resumes, promoting consistent evaluations while minimizing bias and errors.

In addition, they can identify exceptional candidates that might be missed in manual screenings, thus enhancing the quality of hire .

By adopting these tools, organizations can make data-driven decisions, enhance the candidate experience, and streamline the evaluation stage, ultimately making the hiring process more efficient and cost-effective.

But if you’re really serious about efficient candidate screening, enrich your screening process with auto-graded skills tests !

Juste loves investigating through writing. A copywriter by trade, she spent the last ten years in startups, telling stories and building marketing teams. She works at Toggl Hire and writes about how businesses can recruit really great people.

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Home » blog » 8 pointers that get your Resume shortlisted

8 pointers that get your Resume shortlisted

Ever felt like your resume is a boat, lost in the vast ocean of job applications, waiting to be rescued by a benevolent recruiter? Welcome to the job hunting club! Here, frustration is complimentary with every resume sent and hope is the only snack you’re allowed between meals. But guess what? This job searching journey doesn’t have to be an endless saga of dismay. 

We all know the resume is the ‘Kohinoor’ in the crown of job hunting. But not all diamonds sparkle the same, do they? In this bustling Indian job market, your resume must shine bright like a 24-carat diamond, standing out among the pebbles. And that’s where we at IMS Proschool come in. Today, we are diving deep into 8 sparkling pointers that can get your resume shortlisted. So, buckle up and get ready to take notes.

8 Pointers to Get Your Resume Shortlisted

Remember those overcrowded Mumbai local trains during peak hours? Well, that’s the exact situation in a recruiter’s inbox, brimming with resumes. In this crowd, how can your resume earn its VIP pass? Here are 8 tips to secure your resume’s spot in the limelight:

1. Customize, Customize, Customize

Would you wear a cricket helmet to a chess match? Of course not! Just like every occasion demands a specific outfit, each job requires a specific resume. Tailoring your resume to match the job description helps you stand out. It’s like entering the party in a stylish sherwani or saree while everyone else is wearing plain white kurtas.

2. Keywords are your new BFFs

You’ve heard of SEO for websites, but did you know resumes have their own SEO? Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) scan your resume for specific job-related keywords. Consider these keywords as the secret password that gives you entry into the magical world of ‘shortlisted candidates’.

3. Structure it Well

A resume is like a thali meal. It has a lot of elements, but everything needs to be in its place. If your dal makhani spills into your dessert, that’s a recipe for disaster. So, keep your contact information, experience, skills, and education neatly sectioned and well-ordered.

4. Bullet Points are Your Heroes

Imagine listening to a cricket commentary without any punctuation. Confusing, isn’t it? The same rule applies to your resume. Let’s not treat it like a long, unending Virar fast local train ride. Break it down into easily digestible points. Bullet points are your Rajinikanth here, they’ll combat the evil of verbosity and leave the recruiter delighted.

5. Achievement Over Duties

Would you prefer watching a movie about a superhero’s duties or his achievements? Achievements, right? Your resume is your superhero movie. Don’t just list out your job duties. Highlight what you achieved. Convince the recruiter that you are the ‘Shaktimaan’ their company needs.

6. Numbers are Worth a Thousand Words

In the great Indian wedding of your resume, numbers are the ‘band baja’. They validate your achievements and provide context. Rather than saying “improved sales”, try “increased sales by 30% in 6 months”. Numbers are like the tadka to your dal – they just make everything more convincing and palatable!

7. Don’t Forget the Soft Skills

In the ‘Chole Bhature’ of skills, if technical skills are the ‘bhature’, soft skills are the ‘chole’. They might not seem as glamorous, but they are equally important. Skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving can make your resume extra appetizing to the recruiter.

8. Proofread to Perfection

Would you serve ‘biryani’ with ‘haldi’ instead of ‘zafran’? Never, right? Then why serve your resume with errors? Proofread your resume. Then do it again. And maybe once more. Spelling and grammar mistakes are like pebbles in rajma, they can ruin the whole experience.

So, there you have it – the eight golden tips to make your resume the Shah Rukh Khan in a crowd of extras. Remember, the world of job hunting is like a Bollywood movie. There’s drama, there’s suspense, there are heroes and villains. But with these tips, your resume is bound to get the lead role. Next stop – ‘Resume Shortlisted’!

Stay tuned as we dive into why your resume might not be making it to the shortlist and how you can transform it from a flop to a superhit. Don’t miss out on this blockbuster, folks!

Also Read – Hilariously Unforgivable Resume Mistakes: Learn to Avoid Them Like The Plague!

Why Your Resume Might Not Be Getting Shortlisted

Ever been to a Golgappa stall and found they were out of Golgappas? Disappointing, isn’t it? Well, that’s how a recruiter feels when they pick up your resume, and it doesn’t deliver what they are looking for. Let’s discuss some of the common faux pas that could be keeping your resume away from the hallowed halls of ‘shortlisted’:

1. Too Generic

Sending the same resume for different jobs is like showing a Shahrukh Khan movie at a Rajnikanth fan club meeting. It just doesn’t fit! Customise your resume for each job description and watch your shortlist chances rise like a perfectly cooked jalebi.

2. Missing Keywords

Remember how we told you keywords are your resume’s BFFs? Well, missing out on them is like missing out on extra cheese in your pizza. It’s a tragedy! These are the magic mantras that get your resume noticed by the ATS gods.

3. Poor Presentation

Your resume is your ambassador, and it needs to look the part. If it’s sloppy and disorganized, it’s like turning up at a Diwali party in your gym clothes. Keep it professional, neat, and well-structured.

4. Irrelevant Information

Your resume is not your autobiography. It doesn’t need to know that you won a singing competition in 3rd standard unless you’re applying for a singing gig. Stick to relevant, job-specific details. It’s like keeping the chutney out of the gulab jamun; some things just don’t go together.

Remember folks, a resume should be more like a smooth drive on a newly laid highway and less like navigating through a crowded fish market. Keep it clean, focused, and relevant.

In our next section, we’ll decode the mysterious workings of the ‘Resume Shortlisted’ process. Ever wondered how your resume ends up in the ‘yes’ pile? Stay tuned to find out. This is one mystery that even Byomkesh Bakshi would love to unravel!

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The ‘Resume Shortlisted’ Process

Have you ever watched a magic trick and wondered how it was done? Well, the ‘resume shortlisted’ process might seem just as mystical. But today, we’re going to be the magician who reveals the secret. Get ready for a trip behind the curtain!

You send your resume into the digital abyss and then what? It goes into an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), much like a gola in the mouth of a hungry kid on a hot summer day. This ATS is like a dutiful doorman who filters out the unwanted resumes, allowing only the chosen ones to enter the coveted ‘Shortlisted’ club.

Here’s how it works:

1. Screening

First up, the ATS screens your resume for job-specific keywords. If your resume is a biryani, these keywords are the masala. Miss them, and your resume could end up as bland as plain rice.

Next, the ATS scores your resume. Yes, it’s like your board exams all over again! This score is based on how well your resume matches the job description. The more tailored your resume, the higher your score. It’s like the more golgappas you eat, the more satisfied you feel.

Finally, the ATS ranks all the resumes based on their scores. It’s like a race, and the resumes with the highest scores take the top spots. If your resume is a Sachin Tendulkar, this is the stage where it hits the century!

Understanding this process is like knowing the home ground in a cricket match; it gives you a strategic advantage. In the next section, we’ll discuss why you might need different resumes for different jobs. Trust me, it’s as exciting as a T20 match!

Remember, getting your resume shortlisted is not magic, it’s strategy. So, get ready to strategize, because we’re not done yet. The journey from a resume to a job offer is long, but with the right tips and tricks, you can navigate it like a pro! Stay tuned for more insights, and who knows, your next ‘resume shortlisted’ email might just be around the corner.

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Why Multiple Resumes and How to Make Them

Imagine going to a buffet dinner and finding that every dish is rajma chawal. Boring, right? The same logic applies to your resumes. Just like a buffet needs variety, so does your job application strategy. You might be wondering, “Why in the world would I need more than one resume?” Let’s dive into it:

1. Different Job Roles

You wouldn’t wear a sherwani to a beach party, would you? Similarly, a resume tailored for a sales job won’t fit a marketing role. Different job roles require different skills and experiences. So, create multiple resumes to cater to the diverse roles you’re applying for. 

2. Various Company Cultures

Ever noticed how masala dosa tastes different in every South Indian restaurant? That’s because each one has its unique style, just like companies. Research the company culture and tailor your resume accordingly. It might be the same you, but packaged in a different wrapping.

Now, how do you create these different resumes? Follow the same rules as creating a master resume, but add a dash of customization. It’s like making a thali, the main ingredients remain the same, but the tadka changes according to taste.

So, get your multiple resume avatars ready, and step into the job market like a player with a loaded dice!

Next up, we’ll serve a handy table of differences – a quick guide on what separates a good resume from a bad one. It’s the secret recipe to make your resume as irresistible as a plate of steaming momos. So, don’t miss out on this delectable piece of advice. Stay tuned and keep cooking up those fantastic resumes!

The Good, The Bad, and The Resume – A Table of Differences

Presenting your skills and experiences on a resume can be as tricky as making the perfect round roti. It’s an art that requires practice and precision. To make it easier, we’re serving up a simple table of differences to distinguish between a ‘good’ resume and a ‘bad’ one. Consider this your recipe book for crafting the perfect resume:

With this table in hand, you’re well on your way to making your resume as appealing as a plate of pani puris at a wedding buffet. Just remember, there’s a lot riding on your resume. It’s the first impression you make on a potential employer, so give it the time and attention it deserves.

Next up, we’ll answer your burning questions about the ‘resume shortlisted’ process. From responding to a ‘resume shortlisted’ email to understanding why you need different resumes for different jobs, we’ve got all your queries covered. So, stay with us, because this ride is far from over. After all, the path to ‘resume shortlisted’ is a journey, not a destination. Keep learning, keep improving, and you’re sure to succeed. Stay tuned!

Responding to a Resume Shortlisted Email

Congratulations! Your resume just got shortlisted. Now what? It’s like being handed the microphone at a karaoke night. You gotta respond in style!

• Do express your excitement: Show your enthusiasm, but remember, this is not the time to unleash your inner Ranveer Singh. Keep it professional.
• Do thank them: A simple ‘thank you’ can go a long way. It’s like adding the right tadka to your dal; it enhances the taste.
• Do confirm the next steps: Ask about the following rounds or any preparation required. It’s better to be a prepared scout than a lost traveler.

Don’ts

• Don’t delay your response: A prompt response shows your eagerness for the opportunity. So, don’t wait around like you would for a delayed Indian wedding. Respond ASAP!
• Don’t ask about salary right away: You wouldn’t ask your date’s dad for her hand on the first meet, would you? Save the money talk for the appropriate round.

Now, let’s see an example: 

Subject: Re: Your Resume has been shortlisted!

Dear [Interviewer’s name],

Thank you for considering my application and shortlisting my resume for the [Job Title] position. I am delighted for this opportunity and look forward to the possibility of working with your team.

Kindly let me know the next steps in the selection process and if there’s anything I need to prepare in advance.

Once again, thank you for this opportunity.

Best Regards,

[Your Name]

There you go! With a response like this, you’re bound to impress.

How IMS Proschool Can Help

Now, let’s talk about the ‘mithai ke dukaan’ in your job hunt journey – IMS Proschool . We’re like the ‘pani’ to your ‘pani puri’, adding that extra zest to your career plans. Our courses are tailored to give you an edge in the competitive job market, much like a perfectly brewed cup of chai on a monsoon evening. 

Whether it’s finessing your resume or acing your interview, we’ve got a course for that. Our experienced faculty, coupled with our unique teaching methodology, ensure you get the practical skills needed to land your dream job. With IMS Proschool, you get a learning experience as enjoyable as watching a Bollywood blockbuster. 

FAQs About Getting Your Resume Shortlisted

Ah, the FAQ section. The ‘mithai shop’ of every blog where we serve you sweet, bite-sized answers to your burning questions. So let’s get to it. Here are some common queries about the whole ‘resume shortlisted’ process:

1. How many resumes should you have?

Just like the number of spices in your masala dabba, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. As a rule of thumb, you should have a different resume for each type of job role you’re applying for. So if you’re eyeing roles in both sales and marketing, that’s two resumes right there. It’s all about matching your resume flavor to the job description.

2. Why is my resume not getting shortlisted?

This one’s a tough cookie. But if your resume is more ignored than the green salad at a wedding buffet, chances are it’s lacking in key areas. It might be too generic, missing essential keywords, or it might be poorly formatted. Review it with our tips above and give it the makeover it deserves.

3. How does a resume get shortlisted?

This is like asking how a biryani gets cooked. There’s a process involved. In short, an ATS screens your resume for keywords and relevancy. If it matches the job description and includes the right keywords, it has a higher chance of being shortlisted.

4. How to respond to a ‘resume shortlisted’ email?

Got a ‘resume shortlisted’ email? Congratulations, it’s time for some gulab jamun! But remember to respond promptly and professionally. Thank them for the opportunity, express your interest, and confirm the next steps. It’s like doing a quick bhangra dance, but with words!

Remember, at IMS Proschool, we’re here to help you navigate your job search journey with ease. We offer a variety of courses designed to boost your career prospects and get that resume of yours shortlisted. So, why wait? Visit our website and let’s take the next step on your career journey together!

So folks, that’s a wrap on our guide to getting your resume shortlisted. Remember, every ‘no’ is one step closer to a ‘yes’. Keep refining your resume, keep applying, and soon enough, you’ll hit the jackpot. Happy job hunting, and may your resume always find its way to the ‘shortlisted’ pile!

Also Read –  IMS Proschool Reviews and Testimonies Reveal a Happy Reality

Phew! That’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? But hey, getting your resume shortlisted is not as hard as trying to book a tatkal ticket on the IRCTC website. All it takes is some effort, a few tweaks, and voila, you’re there!

Remember, your resume is like your ‘swagat ki thali’. It’s the first impression you make on an employer. So, make it count. Keep it relevant, tailor it to the job, and sprinkle in those keywords. And when you get that ‘resume shortlisted’ email, respond like a boss.

Got more questions? Want to upskill and boost your career prospects? IMS Proschool has got your back. So, don’t wait. Visit our website, check out our courses, and let’s take a big leap in your career together. 

Until next time, keep aiming for the stars, and remember – “Every ‘no’ is one step closer to a ‘yes’!” So, keep your spirits high and your resumes ready, because your next job could be just a click away! Happy job hunting, folks!

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Super helpful for a fresher like me. I’m literally going through these pointers while making my resume.

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How to shortlist candidates for interviews using 10 simple solutions

Shortlisting is an integral part of the recruiting process. That's why it's critical to speed up the process.

In fact, according to recent research by HR magazine , the workforce today wants a quick turnaround, with at least 50% of job seekers turning down a job since the hiring process took too long. On the other hand, 65% of employers reported they had lost a preferred candidate because of a lengthy recruitment process.

So, to attract and r etain the right talent , HR needs to learn how to speed up the shortlisting process. Otherwise, they may be alienating their best candidates. 

However, identifying the perfect candidates from many applicants can be one of the most complex parts of the recruitment process.

Understanding how to shortlist your candidates fast can simplify the process. Fortunately, in this post, you will learn how to select suitable candidates to focus on fast. Let's dive in.

What is shortlisting?

It is the recruitment process of reviewing candidates for a job application and choosing the ones that best suit the position according to predetermined criteria. This enables the HR candidates to create a shorter list of qualified applicants to move to the next recruitment step. 

Let's say a job application deadline has been reached; now it is time to go through cover letters and resumes to choose your company's incredible talent to hire. Generally, shortlisting comes after finding and attracting suitable candidates.

But what happens after shortlisting? After you've shortlisted your applicants, interviewing and further assessing takes place. Shortlisting process isn't as simple as putting applications in a no or yes pile.

When you create a specific shortlisting process, you'll be able to optimize the recruitment process to ensure all candidates get a fair shot, thus hiring top talent. 

Why is shortlisting important?

Shortlisting helps make the process of narrowing down your pool of candidates feel less overwhelming. Also, it sets standards for your HR recruitment team to consider while deciding on the right candidates to interview. 

A shortlist can also help you know how on target you are when reaching the ideal candidates. If you are facing problems finding candidates that fulfill your shortlist criteria, it could be a sign that you need to post the job listings in the right places. Or perhaps your expectations are very high for the position you want to fill. 

Generally, shortlisting simplifies the hiring process and helps you speed up the hiring process.

What makes a good candidate shortlist?

There are 3 essential qualities of a good candidate shortlist:

• Short: As we said before, a candidate shortlist should be short. If you still have to filter through tons of candidates, you can’t really call it a shortlist.
• Candidates are pre-qualified: Pre-qualify the candidates in your shortlist. What do we mean by this? You’ve already determined that their skills, experience, and qualifications match what your company might be looking for. You will most likely have to qualify them further after being shortlisted for a specific role. However, initially qualifying them on some fundamental factors will save you time later on.
• Updated frequently: Shortlist your candidates constantly. Creating strong candidate shortlists is a continuous process. It can be a helpful, timesaving tool if you are in the habit of pre-qualifying candidates for open and prospective vacancies. For example, you may choose to keep a shortlist of candidates for future openings.

With those factors in mind, here are the seven simple steps to shortlist candidates.

How to shortlist candidates for interviews

1. determine essential and desirable criteria.

You should develop your shortlist criteria based on the most up-to-date version of the job description. What qualifications, skills, and competence does the role require? It can be helpful to cross-check the criteria with an experienced employee in that role or a relevant team leader. 

Once you have developed your list, categorize it into three: Mandatory, Preferred, and Desirable.

The Mandatory criteria should include all the skills and qualifications required to perform the task successfully.

Examples include:

• Relevant experience
• Minimum education level
• Workplace safety training
• Location (if necessary)
• Approved security clearance or background check
• Language fluency

When it comes to preferred criteria, these are the things that are nice to have. Typically, these involve what a person can learn in the process.

If an applicant has these qualities, it gives them an advantage over the other candidates. Examples include:

• Experience in a particular industry
• Working knowledge of relevant tools, software, or programs
• Professional certification

The desirable criteria consist of all the value adds that give an applicant bonus points. Examples include:

• Values, goals, and mission that aligns with your organization
• An understanding of semi-relevant tools, software, or programs.

The best way to avoid wasting time interviewing all the qualifying candidates is to take advantage of screening questions or questionnaires to pinpoint the applicants that match the role and your company.

Screening questions will help you shortlist candidates fast without needing a phone screening immediately. 

At Recruitee , we have an easy-to-use application form builder. Our system allows you to customize the application process after creating a job opening. The system will enable you to make some (or all) questions needed, which we highly recommend.

If you need decisive answers from the applicants, ensure you review the answers. Adding some screening questions to come up with the survey will help you save time every time you are hiring.

2. Decide who to cut or keep with a simple scoring system.

Once you have set up your shortlist criteria, you need to develop a candidate scorecard. A scorecard will help you compare candidates' scores against candidates' scores. This way, you can avoid comparing an individual against an individual, which ensures you don't discriminate or become biased . 

Begin by assigning a numerical value to the criteria categories mentioned above on how essential they are regarding the open vacancy. For example:

• Mandatory criteria = 3 points
• Preferred criteria = 2 points
• Desirable criteria =1 point

Proceed to review every applicant and give them points if they possess the criteria or not. The applicants who score more points will appear on your shortlist.

3. Use an ATS to filter and rank candidates.

Another must-have method when looking into how to shortlist candidates for interviews is using an applicant tracking system . An ATS automates streamlining your shortlisting process, and using a ranking system makes your candidate shortlists even more effective.

‍ Recruitee is built with teams in mind, so shortlisting can be an efficient, collaborative system.

Filtering and ranking candidates in Recruitee is easy. Drag and drop candidates into specific slots dependent upon ratings and notes previously allotted.

A precise hiring stage and structure help tremendously with the shortlisting process, allowing for organization and less chance of losing track of the right candidate choices.

Disqualify those that just don’t fit. Rank the rest. Decide how many you want to interview. Use this ranking system to place candidates into specific stages of the hiring process. And make sure your shortlist is automatically saved. This allows you to keep track of candidates you need to move forward with.

4. Determine the length of your shortlist

As mentioned, your shortlist should be short. But how short do you want it to be? The number of candidates will depend on the available resources and time. 

Start by reviewing your company's hiring history and relevant information to estimate how much time you need to identify, hire and recruit the new employee and who will be involved in the process. In case you have a tight timeline, ensure your shortlist is short. 

Useful tip:

Also, you can base the length of a shortlist using the applicant's scorecard results. For instance, if your scorecard was out of 25, applicants who scored 23 or above can be chosen to continue.

While eliminating candidates, keep in mind that research shows that the interview conversion rate is at least 15% on average . This implies that for every 100 candidates you get, you should at least shortlist 15.

However, if you have, for example, 13 highly qualified candidates, and you want a shortlist limit of 10, keep the three off the shortlist just so that you can stick to your predetermined limit. On the other hand, only include qualified applicants to reach your target.

5. Review cover letters, CVs, and resumes as soon as you receive them.

If you can’t review the documents that candidates submit as soon as they submit them, try to do so as quickly as possible. You may even want to pick a time out of each workday to run through CVs and resumes. This way, you aren’t leaving the candidate documents to pile up.

If you decide to review the documents all at the end of the application deadline, you may be inundated. This may be overwhelming and cause some lapses in judgment because of eyestrain after sifting through hundreds of resumes!

You don’t want to miss out on a great fit just because you are trying desperately to breeze through a big stack of candidate documents.

Instead of leaving the grunt work to the last minute, take time out close to resume/CV submission to take a quick look and filter for obvious mistakes.

Grammar, spelling, lack of personalization, and other glaring errors are usually a no-brainer for disqualifying candidates. While human error is unavoidable, there are reasons that these simple mistakes should be a warning sign.

The truth is, you shouldn’t ignore these inconsistencies in resumes/CVs. 61 percent of resumes are thrown out for including typos , and it may very well be beneficial to do so 100 percent of the time. Attention to detail can be crucial in many positions, from low to high profile. Make the call, and make it early!

6. Consider phone and video screenings.

Sometimes you might have several candidates vying for fewer positions than those available on your shortlist. If there isn't an obvious way to narrow down the shortlist, consider doing a short phone or video screening, which has become common nowadays. 

A video interview is part and parcel of today's recruitment process. Therefore, bringing these screenings into play a little earlier than expected won't surprise your applicants. They might even welcome it as it's a sign that they have passed the previous steps of the hiring process.

7. Focus on cultural fit.

Cultural fit is something that should be taken into consideration even when you shortlist candidates. To determine cultural fit, talk to them via phone, video call, or panel interview.

This way, you can gauge how they will fit into the work environment and align with the morals, values, and practices that you want to uphold as an organization.

Shortlist candidates that fit with your company and organization, and you won’t waste time on candidates who ultimately cannot hack it in later rounds.

8. Look for inconsistencies.

Make reference checks the rule rather than the exception. If you require references with an application, use them!

Rather than using leading questions, such as “Is this candidate a hard worker?”, use questions that will show you their experience and worth. If a candidate references a big project they led, this is definitely something you will want to verify.

Look for tangible numbers and results to double-check. Candidates often want to put their best foot forward, but lying on a resume is a bit too far.

We aren’t suggesting to question every little detail that your candidates offer up about themselves, but if something doesn’t seem to add up, trust your gut! Follow up and investigate.

If you catch someone bragging about awards or experiences they never had, they probably won’t be a good fit. A little Googling also may work wonders. Double-checking can save you time in the long run.

You can then shortlist candidates who have completed a reference check successfully.

9. Try assessment during the initial application phase

Applicant's assessment typically comes later in the hiring process, but adding it in the early stages can help you know candidates better at the start, especially when you expect a high number of applicants.

Assessment can also be helpful if there is a specific skill you want to score candidates for. For instance, if your mandatory criteria are precise, an assignment will help you identify candidates with the skills. Consider adding the assessment during the application stage, or wait until applicants have applied. 

10. Inform the successful candidates

After identifying your shortlisted applicants, you must tell them the good news! Contact the successful applicants with congratulations and instructions for the next steps, whether scheduling a screening call, skill assessments, or video interview.

Also, send non-acceptance emails to those candidates who didn't make it to the shortlist. When a person is searching for a job, getting no reply from an organization can even be more frustrating. So, once you determine an applicant isn't moving on, send them a non-acceptance as soon as possible.

Beth is a SEO Content Creator at Page One Power, and was the Co-Founder of our Talent Acquisition Innovators group on Facebook.

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Recruiter's Guide To Shortlisting Candidates

November 07, 2022

The holy grail of hiring involves finding a quick and straightforward way for automating candidate shortlisting. But is it as easy as it seems? That is a tricky question!

Here is a scenario: You have defined your candidate persona and posted your job description to various recruiting platforms. The applications have started rolling in. Exciting. But now what? Finding talented and committed hires to invest in remains the core challenge for HR teams.

In fact, more than 50% of talent acquisition leaders say that shortlisting candidates is the toughest part, even more so than sourcing. That is why we have put together a handy guide on separating the wheat from the chaff and bringing in the best potential hires to the interview table.

What is shortlisting candidates?

Shortlisting candidates refers to the process of identifying candidates from your applicant list who meet the job criteria best for the purpose of moving them forward to the next round in the hiring process.

It comes after the talent sourcing process and often takes place simultaneously with screening, as you (or your applicant tracking software) may go through an applicant’s resume and choose to move them forward or eliminate them.

By shortlisting the right candidates early on, companies can invest time and resources in the applicants who deserve it most and also reduce their time-to-hire. Shortlisting, therefore, literally involves creating a ‘short list’ of good potential hires.

Shortlisting candidates process

Typically, a comprehensive process for shortlisting candidates — from receiving job applications to inviting candidates for a final interview — might look like this:

1. Initial candidate shortlisting

This is where the recruiter chalks up a list of skills, competencies, qualifications, and character traits that the ideal candidate will have. These are then used to filter out the most qualified applicants from the candidate pool (we will go into more detail about this later on).

2. Screening questions

Screening questions are an excellent way to remove obviously unsuitable candidates from the mix. Choose questions related to minimum must-haves, such as whether they know how to use critical software, whether they are legally authorized to work in your company’s location, and whether they are willing to travel frequently for work. Try to keep these as yes/no questions as far as possible for simplicity and swiftness.

3. Resume screening

The next step is to look more closely at applicant resumes to determine who would be a good fit. While your screening tool will already have shortlisted the most relevant ones, here are two crucial things you can look for:

a. Cover letter

These allow candidates to get more personal about why they applied for this job and why they are a good fit. Cover letters indicate that the candidate has taken more of a personal interest in your company, rather than simply mass-applying to jobs. Therefore, it is a good idea to shortlist those who took the time to write one.

b. Keywords

Keywords allow you to see whether the candidates possess the attributes that will be the best fit for the job and the work environment. Look for action words like ‘initiated,’ ‘transformed’ or ‘delivered,’ as well as adjectives like ‘motivated,’ ‘self-starter,’ or ‘creative’ in the resume.

Of course, these keywords can vary depending on the industry you are working in, the job role you are hiring for, and what your company values the most.

In addition, remember that clever candidates can load their resume with the keywords you want to see, so this is not a perfect yardstick on its own but still helpful if used correctly.

4. Screening interview

Once you have identified the resumes you like best, it might be good to have a quick initial interview to verify the candidate’s basic skills and competencies and determine their motivation to join this job. There are two parts to this:

a. Preliminary interview

This is usually conducted by a preliminary interviewer who gauges the candidate’s interest level and knowledge of the company while also checking their skills and qualifications.

b. Telephone/video screening interview

These involve screening questions that delve deeper into the candidate’s motivations and interests. Questions like ‘why are you interested in working with this company/industry’ or ‘why should we hire you’ can be asked here. You may choose to schedule this after the preliminary interview or club the two into one to save time.

Tips and tricks on shortlisting candidates

Did you know that about 75% of people who apply for a job are unqualified for it? That makes crawling through resumes to find the genuinely good ones all the more complicated.

Sifting through applications without a game plan in mind also increases the risk of negative moods or personal biases creeping in and coloring the process. That is why HR managers should aim to design a shortlisting method as objective, transparent, and scalable as possible. Here are our top tips to help you identify the best talent right off the bat:

1. Have a clear job description

A good job description is crucial for attracting the right talent. Sit with all the stakeholders in the recruitment process, including HR, senior management, and the head of the department you are hiring for, and chalk out a description of what the job will entail.

This includes day-to-day tasks, overall responsibilities, job vision, onboarding plan, and a goal plan for the first year or so. This is useful for posting on recruitment websites and a necessary step before you determine your shortlist criteria, as we talk about below.

2. Develop shortlisting criteria (before posting the job)

Having a picture in mind of your ideal candidate gives you parameters against which to measure each application you get. That is why you should select criteria beforehand (such as education, skills, certifications, work background, and so on) in collaboration with your team.

Your criteria should be high enough that you get the best person for the job but not so high that you lose out on too many talented applicants. You can divide your criteria into ‘essential’ and ‘nice-to-have’ categories to help you benchmark similar candidates against each other.

Also, make sure that your criteria do not discriminate against candidates based on race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, disability, and so on. Do not let bias unconsciously influence your decisions.

3. Determine the maximum number of candidates for your shortlist

To save on time and resources, it helps to have a maximum number in mind for the people you will shortlist. This could vary depending on the industry you work in (high-volume departments like call centers or operations, for instance, will want to shortlist more people).

However, a good formula is to work back from the average conversion rates (or both application to interview and interview to offer) for your industry. If you do not have this data on hand, though, we recommend playing it safe and interviewing a wider pool of candidates.

4. Eliminate applicants who do not have the criteria you are looking for

For every job you post, there will be some people applying who are utterly unsuitable for the job. If there are specific basic criteria that your applicants do not fulfill, eliminate them immediately. This is where having ‘essential’ and ‘nice-to-have’ shortlisting criteria is advantageous for shortlisting candidates correctly and quickly.

If, for instance, someone does not have a professional certification that is mandatory in your field, you need not waste any further time on them. Having screening questions as part of the application can also help with this, such as by verifying that the applicant is legally allowed to work where your company is located.

5. Give your candidates a score

Particularly, if you have several applicants you are finding it hard to pick between, a relative scorecard that takes both ‘essential’ and ‘nice-to-have’ criteria into account can help. You can assign each criterion a weight depending on its relative importance and compare total scores.

So, if two candidates meet all of the essential criteria but one meets more ‘nice-to-have’ criteria than the other, you will likely want to shortlist the first one. This helps you make a choice faster and also lets you apply all the criteria fairly and consistently for every candidate.

6. Watch out for errors

When you are sifting through a large number of profiles, it is a good idea to eliminate ones that have obvious errors in the resumes or online profiles.

While a typo or two may not be a dealbreaker, mistakes such as spelling company names wrong or extensive spelling/grammar errors could indicate indifference in the applicant’s attitude and are good reasons to reject.

Again, long and unexplained gaps in the resume might indicate that the candidate lacks commitment, so you might want to rethink selecting them.

7. Check for red flags

Even if your candidate’s resume passes with flying colors, look out for other signs that they might not be the best to work with.

Things like not maintaining proper etiquette over email, replying late to communications, or missing your screening call without prior notice could indicate a lack of organization or even an indifferent attitude towards the recruitment process.

9. Look up references

References are not just helpful in verifying that the applicant you have shortlisted has been telling the truth about where they work. They are also a good way of getting an insight into what the candidate is actually like to work with on a daily basis.

Does the reference openly appreciate qualities like the candidate’s initiative and creative thinking? Or are they vague about these things?

While the referrer could also be negatively biased, taking a third-party view can help you make a more informed decision about who you interview than relying only on the written profile. You have to do your research on the candidate.

How technology can help you shortlist more effectively

Most job openings today attract about 250 applications on average. It is not optimal for an HR manager to personally sift through each of them, which is where technology can be helpful. There are two main software options you can choose to help with shortlisting candidates, namely:

1. Applicant Tracking System

This tool sorts all applicant profiles and assesses them based on criteria that you feed into the system beforehand. An ATS can scan all incoming applications rapidly and eliminate unsuitable ones based on essential criteria.

It thus helps in presenting you with only the most qualified ones. A good ATS can also track important metrics like the applicant-to-interview ratio and send out alerts to candidates about their application status.

We recommend that every HR team invest in an ATS, as the benefits in terms of time saved and accuracy cannot be equaled.

2. Online skill assessment platforms

These are a valuable supplement to the ATS and allow you to focus only on candidates whose job-specific skills have been verified through a standardized online test.

Skill tests help keep things objective (as the candidates are reviewed solely based on skill and not, say, where they went to college) and give you more accurate insights, as the tests are based on scientific measures of ability.

For the best results, choose a platform like Adaface that lets you test multiple types of skills, such as cognitive ability, behavioral attributes, and technical know-how. We can help you assess candidates for various roles and reduce your time-to-hire by up to 80%.

Over to you

Talent can be scarce, and the best talents will always be wooed by multiple prospects. Effective candidate shortlisting can help you identify the top profiles from a pool of average applicants and get closer to offering them an employment letter.

By investing some extra time now in preparing a shortlisting strategy and getting the tools in place to execute it, you will make better hires faster and provide a fair and positive candidate experience to everyone who applies. Good luck!

Asavari is an EiR at Adaface. She has made it her mission to help recruiters deploy candidate-friendly skill tests instead of trick-question based tests. When taking a break, she obsesses over art.

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Shortlisting Process (Guide for HR)

• Anne Morris
• 3 June 2023

IN THIS SECTION

Shortlisting is a crucial stage within the recruitment process, when employers identify the candidates from their applicant pool who best meet the essential and desirable criteria for the job opening in question.

For employers, the shortlisting process should optimise both the effectiveness and efficiency of candidate selection for interview.

There are, however, important legal considerations to take into account when approaching the shortlisting process, not least avoiding issues of unlawful discrimination against applicants.

In thie guide, we look at the shortlisting stage of the recruitment process in more detail, including the basic but essential principles of shortlisting, what a shortlisting process should look like and how not to overlook the best candidates.

Basic principles of shortlisting in recruitment

Whether you are the owner of a small firm, the head of a department in a larger organisation or part of a human resources team, finding a candidate who is the right fit for the business can be both time-consuming and challenging.

That said, by understanding the basic principles of the shortlisting process, this can help you to reduce the time taken between ‘sift and selection’ to appointing the best candidate for the job. In particular, you should have regard to each of the following three essential shortlisting principles:

Equality and diversity

Objectivity.

Before embarking on the shortlisting process, it is incumbent upon you to first understand the basic principles of recruitment and selection in the context of equality and diversity. In particular, you should be mindful of the protected characteristics as set out under the Equality Act 2010, namely, age , disability , gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, as well as sex and sexual orientation.

By way of example, a gap in someone’s employment service may be due to long-term sickness . By taking this factor into account, and by allowing it to affect your decision-making within the shortlisting process, this could be construed as discriminatory. Equally, where an application is handwritten, this may be linked to an applicant’s disability.

During the shortlisting process, you will be required to sift through multiple applications, assessing each applicant against the shortlist criteria. This must be done objectively at all times, without allowing other aspects of the application, or your perception of the applicant, to impact on your decision-making.

By failing to objectively stick to the shortlist criteria, allowing other factors or bias to influence your decision, you may, albeit inadvertently, be acting in a discriminatory manner. You may also erroneously shortlist candidates who are not the best qualified, whilst inadvertently screening out suitable candidates that meet all of the specified criteria.

Throughout the shortlisting process you should endeavour to be fair and unbiased. To avoid any unintended or unconscious bias, the ‘sift and selection’ process during shortlisting, as well as any assessments and interviews, should be conducted by at least two people experienced in recruiting job candidates.

You should also adopt clear and fair shortlist criteria based on what is essential and desirable to do the job, only rejecting candidates that you deem unsuitable for the role based purely on these requirements.

Once the job role has been advertised, no additional criteria should be introduced into the recruitment and selection process, such that every applicant is assessed on the basis of the same factors throughout.

Legal risk when shortlisting candidates

The importance of effective and fair recruitment should not be underestimated, both in legal and practical terms. Indeed, there are various areas of risk when recruiting a candidate for a new job, from unlawful discrimination during the shortlisting process to inadvertently screening out suitable candidates.

It is unlawful to discriminate against someone by reason of a protected characteristic, in other words, to treat them less favourably than someone who does not possess the same characteristic.

In particular, you will need to ensure that your criteria for shortlisting does not discriminate, either directly or indirectly, against any legally protected classes of applicant. It is also crucial to apply your criteria consistently, fairly and objectively across all applicants, regardless of their gender, race and so forth.

Additionally, albeit with limited exceptions, under the 2010 Act you are expressly prohibited from asking job applicants questions about health or disability during the early stages of the recruitment process, thereby minimising the risk of disabled applicants from being unfairly discriminated against.

Whilst health and disability questions can be asked to determine whether any reasonable adjustments need to be made to enable a disabled person to participate in an assessment, or to attend an interview, you must ensure this information does not negatively impact on any shortlisting decision.

In addition to the legal risks, your shortlisting process may also pose a number of practical issues for your business, not least in losing a potentially ideal candidate though either overly stringent or unsuitable shortlisting criteria, or inadequate and ineffective methods commonly used to apply that set of criteria.

In particular, the use of software systems in the shortlisting process, especially those that use automated keyword matching to screen resumes, has limited functionality and can easily lead to distorted results.

Needless to say, relying solely on technology, and absent any experienced and trained recruitment personnel, your shortlisting process is likely to fall far short of what is legally and practically required to select the right candidate for the job.

Positive action & shortlisting

Notwithstanding the legal risk of unlawfully discriminating against applicants by reason of a protected characteristic as identified above, there are certain steps that an employer can take in the shortlisting process to actually assist people who share a protected characteristic. This is known as taking positive action .

Under the 2010 Act, it is entirely lawful for an employer to take positive action to assist people who share a protected characteristic and who are disadvantaged by reason of that characteristic or under-represented in the workforce. By way of example, an employer can lawfully offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who, having met the minimum shortlisting criteria, will automatically qualify for interview.

That said, although the statutory provisions relating to positive action will allow an employer to recruit a candidate by reason of their protected characteristic who is of equal merit to another candidate, positive action does not allow an employer to appoint a less suitable candidate just because that candidate has a protected characteristic that is under-represented or disadvantaged.

It is also important to bear in mind that positive action is entirely voluntary. There is no legal requirement for an employer to apply the provisions relating to positive action, either in the context of recruitment or otherwise.

What should an effective shortlisting process look like?

To help make the shortlisting process more manageable, the following practical steps set out below provide a good starting point, namely:

Determine the length of your shortlist

Determine your shortlist criteria, create a shortlist scorecard, rank candidates against that scorecard.

• Use of AI and technology

You will first need to decide how many candidates you want to shortlist for interview. This will create a target when sifting through the applications, and will ensure that you are not left with too many, or too few, candidates to assess.

When deciding on your shortlist length, you will need to have regard to how much time you will have to interview these candidates, and what has worked well in the past, possibly even factoring in the average conversion rates in your own recruitment and selection processes.

There is no ideal number to shortlist to get a successful hire, nor is there any legal minimum or limit on how many people you can interview. Equally, even with a pre-determined number in mind, you do not need to be confined by your shortlist number and miss out on a potentially good candidate in consequence.

Having determined the target length of your shortlist, you will next need to decide on the key criteria that you feel is necessary for the job role, although these should, at least in part, have already been captured within the job description and person specification as advertised.

Typically, any shortlist criteria should be correlated with job performance rather than personal opinion, based on the qualities and traits of top performing employees currently in a similar role. Your criteria should also be categorised into what is ‘essential’ or ‘desirable’.

Essential criteria are those that a candidate must meet to be considered for the role, ie; ‘must-haves’, such as qualifications and experience. Desirable criteria, on the other hand, are those that would make someone a stronger candidate for the role, such as professional certifications.

The next stage in the shortlisting process is to take the essential and desirable criteria you have identified above and create a shortlist scorecard for your pool of candidates. The purpose of this scorecard is to assign a rating to each of the criteria for every screened candidate.

By way of example, if you are hiring someone for a retail sales role, your scorecard might include: education level, retail experience, customer service experience and communication skills, where you would provide a score of say 1-3 based on how well they fit a particular criteria.

Having a shortlist scorecard serves two purposes: it ensures you are applying each criterion fairly and consistently across all candidates, where candidates are assessed against the selection criteria and not against each other, and also allows you to easily and objectively identify and rank the strongest candidates.

Before ranking candidates against your shortlist scorecard, you may first want to screen and reject any applications that are missing the essential criteria. With a large number of applications, you may even need to reject the ones with the fewest desirable criteria. Only once you are somewhere close to your target shortlist number should you rank remaining candidates against your scorecard.

In some cases, if you have more candidates on your shortlist than you need, you may want to consider other eliminating factors. That said, whatever your reason for removing someone from your shortlist, you will need to make sure that your reason is not connected to a protected characteristic.

One possible way of addressing the problem of too many candidates is to introduce a further screening aspect into your shortlisting process, for example, a short Skype chat or phone call prior to interview. Again, however, you must ensure that any decision to remove someone from your shortlist is not related to a protected characteristic revealed through any form of direct communication.

Using AI for shortlisting

Employers are increasingly turning to tech, such as AI, to improve procedural efficiency, reduce costs and free up HR talent for more creative and person-centric work. Shortlisting is one area of the HR remit where AI solutions now abound.

Typically, AI tools are offering the recruiter the ability to automatically process large volumes of CVs and applications using set criteria such as qualifications, skills and experience. These may be weighted and tiered by ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’ criteria. 

The challenge for employers is to research and understand the solutions that are available, and identify and integrate appropriate tools that support enhanced processing of applications without overlooking more creative or flexible selection decisions.

Determining shortlisting criteria

Your shortlist criteria should be carefully drawn from your job description and person specification based on both essential and desirable requirements. To improve the quality of the pool of applicants from which you will be able to select suitable candidates, you must ensure that the criteria is specifically tailored to the role in question and the needs of your business.

In very broad terms, however, shortlist criteria should include the following:

• Education – this will refer to the minimum entry requirements, such as a degree with a minimum classification.
• Work experience – this could either refer to experience in a particular industry, or a specific field, such as managerial or retail experience.
• Skills and knowledge – this will usually include job-related expertise, for example, data analysis and project management.
• Personality traits – these include things like problem-solving, good interpersonal skills or the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Competencies – also described as aptitudes, these refer to special abilities for doing certain things, such as a head for statistics or artistic talent.

As explained above, it is important to bear in mind that all criteria used during the shortlisting process do not discriminate against any legally protected categories of applicant . By way of example, it is better to set out the type of experience needed, rather than ask for a certain number for years that could potentially discriminate against an applicant by reason of their age.

Further, on one final legal note, it is essential to bear in mind the importance of protecting an applicant’s privacy under the new GDPR rules, by making sure only authorised people in the shortlisting process are able to access and assess an individual’s personal data – either based on the shortlisting criteria or otherwise.

Need assistance?

DavidsonMorris’ HR specialists are on hand to advise on all aspects of recruitment including the process of shortlisting applicants. We can support the development and application of fair selection criteria, and support HR and managers in decision making that supports the needs of the business while mitigating legal risks.

Shortlisting process FAQs

What is shortlisting for a job.

Shortlisting is a critical stage in the recruitment process where employers identify candidates from the applicant pool who best meet the essential and desirable criteria for the job opening in question, and invite them to the next stage of the recruitment process.

Why should multiple people be involved in shortlisting?

To avoid any allegations of bias or complaints such as discrimination, it is advisable that more than one person contributes to the shortlisting process.

How many candidates should be shortlisted?

This will depend on the role, the location and the number of applications received, among other factors.

Last updated: 3 June 2023

About DavidsonMorris

As employer solutions lawyers, DavidsonMorris offers a complete and cost-effective capability to meet employers’ needs across UK immigration and employment law, HR and global mobility .

Led by Anne Morris, one of the UK’s preeminent immigration lawyers, and with rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners , we’re a multi-disciplinary team helping organisations to meet their people objectives, while reducing legal risk and nurturing workforce relations.

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The No. 1 AI mistake job seekers make, from a career expert: So many people use ChatGPT 'in exactly the wrong way'

As a leader at the education nonprofit Khan Academy, I was thrilled when ChatGPT came out in November 2022. It meant we could use generative AI to provide personalized tutoring to more kids than ever.

But as a hiring manager and cofounder of a career development business who's trained first-gen students at CUNY and MBAs at Harvard Business School alike, I was heartbroken to see that so many job seekers were using these tools in exactly the wrong way. 

They forgot that no matter how exciting this new technology is, humans are still in charge of the hiring process. Which is why having a robot write your resume is a recipe for disaster.

But given that I wrote the literal book on using ChatGPT in your job search , I know you can still turn to AI to make your resume shine. Used properly, it can help you land the interview — and ultimately the job. 

The wrong way to use AI for your resume

In my experience, most job seekers using ChatGPT or other AI platforms begin with a prompt like "Generate a marketing resume." This might seem like a great place to start, but it's the biggest mistake you could make. Here's why: 

The results are massively generic 

Take this summary, for instance:

As a hiring manager, the first thing I'm always looking for is evidence of specific accomplishments. When I scan this, though, my first thought is "Wow — this candidate is great at buzzwords, but not so great at actual marketing." 

That's hardly the first impression you want to make when employers spend seven seconds , on average, reviewing your resume!

ChatGPT and other AI tools are going to make stuff up 

As if that wasn't bad enough, check out what comes next under a single job listing under the experience section:

Not only do these bullet points lack specificity (with no clear projects or outcomes), but the sheer range of skills covered is literally unbelievable. As in, I've never met a marketer in my two-decade career who did all of these things in one job.

So my human BS detector immediately assumes the worst: This isn't a resume, this is a hallucination!

The right way to use AI for your resume

OK, you get the picture: Having AI generate your resume from scratch can be a fast track to rejection. But if we know that human reviewers want specificity and credibility, we can actually leverage AI to help us with those exact things.

1. Start with a draft resume written by a human (i.e., you)

Instead of asking AI to generate your resume, start with your own first draft, even if it's in rough shape. That way, you can at least be specific and accurate about what you actually did, even if those accomplishments need a little polishing.

2. Identify and incorporate missing keywords

Go right to the source of truth. The job description was created by the hiring team to spell out the skills they're looking for — and it contains the exact keywords you want to match.

Here's where you turn to AI. Enter the following prompt: 

• Which keywords from the below job description are missing from my resume? 
• Here's the job description: [Paste the job description here] 
• And here's my resume: [Paste the text of your resume here]

Once you've got a list of missing keywords, identify the ones you have experience with and prompt the AI to help you incorporate them: 

Suggest three ways to incorporate [keyword] into my resume.

3. Quantify achievements and demonstrate results

The best predictor of future performance is usually past performance, which means recruiters and hiring managers want to see real results, not just hallucinations.

So get a little nudge in the right direction with a prompt like: 

Suggest three ways to add more quantitative impact to the following bullet point: [Paste your bullet point here]

Now, it's tempting to copy and paste the bullets your AI platform suggests straight into your resume. But make sure you're editing the text to match your actual accomplishments. For instance, maybe you generated $300,000 in donations, not $500,000 like the AI spit out, or your organization actually measures growth quarterly rather than monthly.

4. Review, review, review!

Always proofread your resume before submitting it. If you've used AI, it's all the more important to review every last word and number to make sure everything's 100% accurate. 

The last thing you want is to be sitting in a final-round interview and have your prospective boss's boss's boss ask you about a resume bullet the AI fabricated and you forgot to update!

Jeremy Schifeling is the founder of  The Job Insiders , which provides career technology training for hundreds of top universities and business schools. He is also the author of " Career Coach GPT: The Complete Guide to ChatGPT Resume, Cover Letter, Interview, and Job Search Success " and shares his latest career and AI hacks on LinkedIn .

Want to land your dream job in 2024?  Take  CNBC's new online course How to Ace Your Job Interview  to learn what hiring managers are really looking for, body language techniques, what to say and not to say, and the best way to talk about pay. CNBC Make It readers can save 25% with discount code 25OFF.

Plus,  sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter  to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

Cramming your career onto a one-page resume? You don't have to, experts say

Keeping your resume up to date is not on everyone's to-do list. But resumes are changing fast— and career experts say you have to keep up.

The job resource site LiveCareer compared data from 50,000 resumes from 2018 and 2023. It found resumes, on average, doubled in length.

In 2018, the typical resume had 312 words and was likely prepared as a single-page document. By 2023, resumes had an average of 503 words, making two pages the norm.

Career expert Toni Frana said there's nothing wrong with a two-page resume as long as the information is relevant to the role.

"Think about it in terms of adding something like a professional summary, work experience, education, and even a technology section," Frana said. "Someone could even include some key highlights in addition to those sections because that really adds value to an application."

Frana said there's also a clear trend toward IT and specific software skills.

"We noticed that coding languages dominate the hard skills we see on resumes. With advances in technology, like AI tools across several different industries," she said.

A not-so-surprising change, Frana said resumes that reference "hybrid" or "remote" work increased from 2.44 percent of resumes to more than 7 percent, "so tools like Zoom, Slack, and Google Workspace tend to be commonly mentioned in a section like this."

One of the biggest mistakes in the job searching world remains, according to LiveCareer, which is uploading the same generic resume to all potential employers. Instead, experts say customize each resume to match the specific requirements of the job.

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Talks resume to bring Israeli officials to the U.S.

White house officials want to discuss rafah plans.

WASHINGTON — Talks have restarted aimed at bringing top Israeli officials to Washington to discuss potential military operations in Gaza, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a planned visit this week because he was angry about the U.S. vote on a U.N. cease-fire resolution, the White House said Wednesday.

“So we’re now working with them to find a convenient date that’s obviously going to work for both sides,” said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

No date has been finalized yet. One U.S. official said strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer and national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi would be among the delegation to come to Washington.

An Israeli official said the White House had reached out with the goal of setting a new meeting. Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister “did not authorize the departure of the delegation to Washington.”

The prime minister canceled the trip this week after the U.N. vote to demand a cease-fire in Hamas-run Gaza; the U.S. abstained from the vote but did not veto it. Netanyahu accused the United States of “retreating” from a “principled position” by allowing the resolution to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of hostages held by Hamas.

The delegation to the U.S. was meant to discuss a promised ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is overflowing with displaced civilians. Israel has so far rejected American appeals to call off the planned operation.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was already in Washington by the time Netanyahu canceled the trip by other officials. Gallant met with Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Gaza operation was one of many topics they discussed.

Netanyahu on Wednesday said his decision to cancel was meant to deliver a message to Hamas that international pressure against Israel will not prompt it to end the war without concessions from the militant group, an apparent attempt to smooth over the clash between the allies.

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