Have you ever been in the middle of an interview with a job applicant and realized, “Wow, this person is not fit for this role at all”? I have, and it’s frustrating, to say the least. Not only are you wasting your time and the candidate’s, but you’re adding days to your hiring timeline and potentially taking time away from a person who’s a much stronger fit.
A common gripe new clients have when they first meet with my team is that they’re squandering precious time speaking with candidates who don’t meet the minimum requirements for a position. When I hear this, I know exactly where we need to fine-tune their hiring process: the pre-screening phase. Asking the right pre-screening interview questions helps eliminate unqualified candidates so you can avoid wasting time and make better hires.
Here, I’ll explain a strong pre-screening interview process and share some of the best questions to use to ensure that only viable applicants make it to the interview stage.
What Is a Pre-Screening Interview?
A pre-screening interview is a conversation that occurs before an official job interview. Recruiters and HR representatives use it to narrow down the pool of candidates for a position, eliminating those who don’t meet the minimum job requirements before passing qualified applicants on to the hiring manager.
Pre-screening interviews consist of basic questions like ‘Tell me about your background’ and ‘Why are you interested in this position?’ It’s not a deep dive into a candidate’s past experience; rather, it’s a way to quickly identify whether they hold the skills necessary to do the job. This phase may also consist of skills assessments designed to verify an applicant’s technical capabilities.
Pre-screening interviews protect hiring managers’ time since hiring is not their full-time job. They’re also overseeing their department’s operations, so they can’t spend all day talking to candidates only to discover that some of them can’t fulfill the basic job duties.
Pre-interview conversations are useful for weeding out candidates who have embellished their resumes, making it seem as if they have more experience or responsibilities than they actually have. Talking live will often reveal this.
In one previous screening experience, a candidate for a data analysis role claimed on their resume that they were proficient with Microsoft Excel. I asked them, “What advanced functions are you familiar with?” After a pause, they admitted that they’d only used the software to create basic spreadsheets. If I hadn’t asked that question, we might have moved forward with a candidate who lacked the technical proficiency to perform at the level we needed.
Hiring managers aren’t the only ones who benefit from pre-screening interviews. They’re also an opportunity for candidates to learn more about a position and opt out if they decide it’s not for them. For example, a pre-interview conversation might clarify that the work isn’t what an applicant expected or that the schedule wouldn’t work for them. This is one more way pre-screening helps avoid wasted time.
Types of Screening Interview Questions
Interest
One of the first things my team will do during a screening interview is assess the candidate’s interest. Are they applying for every job opening within a 100-mile radius, or did this position specifically appeal to them? Ideally, you want to move forward with candidates interested in the role beyond the paycheck. Time after time, those candidates have proven to turn into employees who are motivated to perform at a high level and remain with the company for an extended period of time.
Background
Next, you want to learn a little about the applicant’s history. You don’t need their complete biography, but you want to understand where their professional path has taken them and how they’ve arrived at this opening. This is one area where a resume can’t always tell you the full story. It’s useful to get a summary straight from the candidate’s mouth.
Skills
While the majority of highly focused technical questions will be reserved for later interviews or skill assessments, you can still get a basic understanding of whether the candidate meets the minimum skill requirements. You can learn a lot simply by asking them to discuss their proficiency with a certain tool or process. Someone who uses that skill regularly will have no problem rattling off an answer, while someone who may have fudged their resume is likelier to stumble through their response.
Fit
When screening for a project management role, I asked one candidate, “Why are you leaving your current job?” They shared that they’d become frustrated by fluid responsibilities and shifting deadlines. Being adaptable was a huge requirement for success in the role I was screening for, so unfortunately, their answer told me they were not a strong fit. Assessing fit on the core aspects of the job is a primary goal of pre-screening, from job duties and salary to company culture and personality.
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How to Conduct a Pre-Screening Interview
Most pre-screening interviews are conducted over the phone, but video conversations have become more common due to the increasing use of video conferencing platforms. Pre-recorded interviews and even written surveys are other options.
A pre-screening interview shouldn’t take too much time on the part of the interviewer or the candidate; 15 minutes is a good benchmark. Limit the conversation to just a handful of questions designed to gather the most important information. Remember, the goal is not to learn everything there is to know about a candidate but rather to make a ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ ruling about whether the applicant should move forward in the hiring process.
Related: Phone Interview Dos and Don’ts
Pre-Screening Interview Questions Examples
Work experience and responsibilities
The primary objective of a pre-screening interview is to determine whether the candidate possesses the necessary skills for the job. This can be done by asking basic questions about the candidate’s work experience and responsibilities in their one to two most recent positions.
Example questions:
- Tell me about your current job.
- What experience do you have with [job duty]?
- Tell me about your skills in [technical skill area].
- How will your skills benefit you in this position?
- What types of responsibilities are you looking for in a new job?
Work environment
Work environment plays a big part in a candidate’s success at a new company. You want to learn whether their expectations are in line with what it’s actually like at the hiring organization and how adaptable they’ll be to a new environment.
Example questions:
- What type of work environment do you prefer?
- What does your ideal workday look like?
- What do you like/dislike about your current work environment?
- How do you adapt to a new work environment?
Work style
Work style encompasses things like communication, teamwork, independence, and the ability to receive feedback, all of which are important elements of fit. Ask questions to get a general sense of whether the candidate’s style would allow them to thrive in the role.
Example questions:
- Describe your work style.
- Tell me about your ideal boss.
- What’s your communication style?
- Do you prefer to work independently or as part of a team?
- How do you prefer to receive feedback?
- How do you deal with workplace conflict?
Time management
Time management is a crucial skill regardless of the position or industry. Can the candidate stay on task and get their work done on time?
Example questions:
- Tell me about your time management skills.
- How do you prioritize work when you have multiple important things to get done?
- What kind of deadlines did you have in your previous position?
- Have you ever missed a deadline? How did you handle it?
Salary expectations
This can be a sensitive topic, but it’s a necessary one to learn whether it makes sense to continue the conversation with a candidate. While you don’t need to nail down an exact figure, it’s important to ascertain whether the applicant’s expectations are on par with the salary band for the job. It could indicate a mismatch if their expectations are too low or too high.
Example questions:
- What are your salary expectations?
- Are there certain benefits you’re looking for in your next position?
About the company
A good candidate will have done their homework to learn what the company does and the basics of the job. This topic can help you gauge a candidate’s level of interest in the position. It’s also a good idea to hand the microphone over to the candidate and give them a chance to ask their own questions.
Example questions:
- Why do you want to work for our company?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- What interested you about this position?
- What role do you see yourself filling here?
- What other types of jobs are you applying for?
- What questions do you have for me?
Red Flags to Watch Out for During Pre-Screening Interviews
A pre-screening interview is mostly meant to gather information. However, it’s also a chance to have your antennae up for any red flags that could be grounds for tossing the application straight into the trash.
They don’t ask any questions
If a candidate seems disinterested, distracted, or doesn’t have anything to ask at the end of the conversation, it could be a sign that this job is merely one of the dozens they applied for rather than one they really want.
They only ask about pay and benefits
It’s natural for a candidate to want to ensure the position meets their salary requirements, but if this is the only thing they ask about, you probably want to look elsewhere.
They are secretive about their background
If a candidate sidesteps questions about why they’re leaving their job or seems apprehensive about providing references, it causes me to dig a little deeper. There are valid reasons they may seem cautious–for example, they don’t want their boss to learn that they’re job searching–but they also might have been fired, had disciplinary issues, or have other things in their background they’re trying to conceal.
When speaking with candidates, take thorough notes. Specifically, jot down any topics you want to cover further in a future interview. If you need more information from an applicant to give them the green light to move forward, this is a good opportunity to ask for it. Hence, you have all the necessary details to make an informed decision on their candidacy.
Related: Guide for Evaluating Candidates in a Job Interview
If your screening process could use some refining, my team is eager to help. We can assist in creating tailored screening questions that zero in on the capabilities that separate qualified candidates from the rest. You’ll spend more time speaking with the strongest applicants and gaining the information you need to confidently move forward. Set up a time to talk with us today.
