Filtering the Candidate Pool

A critical skill of an experienced recruiter is their ability to filter the candidate pool in order to submit only the candidates who offer the best fit.

A recruiter should perform a full interview, not just an initial screening, before presenting a candidate. This enables the recruiter to provide a summary highlighting why the candidate meets your needs for the role. In addition to technical skills, the summary should include soft skills and personality traits that make the candidate a cultural fit. Only ‘fully qualified’ candidates should reach your desk.

“One of the most important things we do before presenting a candidate is to understand their motivation and what your position offers that they don’t currently have. We must find the hook that convinces the candidate to accept your position.”

It is important to help the candidate identify what matters to them enough to make the job change. Why would you consider looking? What is missing in your current organization? What is motivating you to look for a new opportunity? Why are you talking with me today? At this point, it is important to identify “hot buttons” that will motivate the candidate to change jobs. Here are some of the more common “hot buttons” that are very important to the candidate.  

Work/Life balance: Recent studies have shown that work/life balance is the most important factor for accepting a new position. This includes, working remote, flexible hours, and vacation/sick time/family leave.

Location: Technology is making location less and less important for the purpose of performance and communication. However, to a candidate, location plays a big role in their work life balance. They may be working remotely, traveling up to 100% of the time or commuting daily to an office.

Career Path:  Hit the ceiling where they are currently working. No longer progressing towards their short or long-term goals and or objectives. New company has a better career path the candidate desires.

Technology: Does the new opportunity allow the candidate to work with their preferred technology?

Compensation: This is valid if the candidate is under paid, and the current company has already refused to increase compensation. Otherwise, when the candidate identifies compensation as their most important factor, a professional recruiter sees this as a red flag.  Their current employer can easily address this through a counteroffer when they resign.

Culture: office environment, co-workers demographics, company functions, general morale, and communication.

Reputation:  Is the candidate looking for a big name or prestigious firm?

Filtering the candidate pool using “hot buttons” identifies both highly skilled and highly motivated candidates. This tremendously expedites the hiring process and ultimately results in a more efficient, productive, and happy employee.