How to Shortlist Candidates

A short two-minute video, and transcript, on how to effectively shortlist candidates for selection and ensure that you do not lose potential talent through your shortlisting process

Shortlisting candidates is an integral part of getting recruitment right. However, so many businesses view CVs and make decisions based on spelling mistakes, the document's formatting, a picture of the person on the CV and any other number of instinctive reasons. I've even known candidates being rejected because they don't support the right football team...

Instead, a structured, logical approach to shortlisting is required to ensure consistency, eradicate subjectivism and ensure that you don't reject the best talent for all the wrong reasons. So here's a quick exercise to help you get it right.

When designing your personal specification, make a list of all of the skills, qualities, and attributes you're looking for your ideal candidate to have. Now mark them M for mandatory, E for Essential, and P for preferred, the icing on the cake, the nice to have. Score all of the attributes accordingly.

To elaborate, M is the mandatory minimum requirement to be selected for an interview. E is Essential; they will need to demonstrate to secure the role at the interview. And the P's are the Preferred, the nice to have.

When shortlisting, go through the logical process of matching-- does the CV have the Ms? If they do, bring them in for that first interview.

This simple exercise can assist in shortlisting for your business effectively

Using Aptitude Testing

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Date published: 5th March 2024

by Rob Scott

Managing Director

About the author

Rob Scott

Rob is the Managing Director of Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment, a national recruitment agency specialising in sourcing sales and marketing staff for businesses across a broad range of commercial sectors. Before setting up Aaron Wallis, Rob spent ten years at a specialist Sales and Marketing recruitment division of a £0.5BN recruitment group, leaving in 2007 as Marketing & Sales Director to establish Aaron Wallis.

With over 24 years of experience in sales recruitment, Rob is a History graduate with an MBA (Merit) and a PgCert in Management Practice. In 2007, 2009 and 2013 Rob conducted the most extensive surveys of sales professionals in the UK and is a trusted authority in the sales industry. From guiding employers through the recruitment process to helping candidates find their dream job, Rob's advice has been quoted in leading publications such as Business Insider and The Independent, as well as OnRec, which host The Online Recruitment Awards every year.

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