Screening Questions
What Are Screening Questions?
Screening questions are a set of preliminary questions used by recruiters and hiring managers during the initial stages of the recruitment process to determine whether a candidate meets the basic qualifications and requirements for a particular role. These questions help to quickly assess a candidate's suitability before proceeding to more in-depth interviews or assessments.
Purpose of Screening Questions
The primary purpose of screening questions is to filter out applicants who do not meet the minimum criteria, saving time and resources for both the recruiter and the candidate. This ensures that only candidates with the most potential are moved forward in the recruitment process.
Example of Screning Questions
1. Experience and Qualifications:
- "Do you have at least three years of experience in project management?"
- "Are you a certified public accountant (CPA)?"
2. Skills Assessment:
- "Can you provide examples of your experience with data analysis using Excel or SQL?"
- "Do you have experience with customer relationship management (CRM) software?"
3. Availability and Flexibility:
- "Are you available to work full-time and start immediately?"
- "Are you willing to relocate for this position?"
4. Work Eligibility and Compliance:
- "Are you legally authorised to work in this country?"
- "Do you have a valid driver's licence?"
5. Cultural Fit and Work Preferences:
- "Do you prefer to work in a team or independently?"
- "Are you comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment?"
Screening Questions on Job Sites
A few job sites allow you to ask jobseekers screening questions. Sometimes, these are “knock-out” questions; if an applicant doesn’t provide the desired answer, they’re immediately declined. An example is below:
We Don't Recommend Screening Questions
Screening questions are often “abused”, requesting:
- Confirmation the jobseeker has read the advert: For example, an advert clearly explains that applicants require a car but then asks screening questions such as, “Do you have a car?”
- Duplicate information: They may ask applicants to reiterate information already on their CVs, which greatly frustrates applicants.
- Irrelevant information: Finally, they may ask all applicants to confirm their right to work in the country because a minority won’t. Again, this frustrates some applicants who don’t appreciate being asked such basic questions. (Furthermore, in the UK at least, the only way to check an applicant’s right to work in the UK is by checking specific documents.)
From a usability perspective, screening questions cause application rates to drop. Many web users naturally resist completing long forms, whether requesting an insurance quote or applying for a job. You want to make it super easy for a Great Performer to apply, but some employers think they need to make it more difficult because it “proves” a jobseeker is motivated (when they are often just desperate!).
A bigger issue is that the screening questions rarely improve the quality of applications. Many jobseekers know they will be rejected if they don’t provide the desired answer, so it is easier to lie.
Overall, many jobseekers find these questions patronising and pointless, leading them to believe the hiring manager is lazy and uses knock-out questions rather than taking the time to review all applications properly. Some Great Performers are becoming so frustrated that when they see screening questions, they now boycott applying altogether!