The average job ad attracts 118 applicants. While having that many options is great, that’s a lot of resumes to manually assess.
Resume screening kicks off the candidate assessment process, but if you’re not careful, you could be stuck with mountains of unsuitable applicants. On the other hand, effective resume screening saves time and ensures only the best candidates reach the interview stage.
This article will explain the ABCs of screening resumes. From automated screening to efficiency tips, it’s time to master this crucial hiring task so you can earn more of your time back.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
Resume screening is essential for separating qualified candidates from unqualified ones, ensuring only the best reach the interview stage.
Automated resume screening is fast and efficient, can help reduce bias, and can help teams handle large volumes of applications. However, depending on how you automate screening resumes, you might miss subtle (but very important) details.
A hybrid approach combines the strengths of both methods, balancing efficiency with an in-depth assessment.
Key resume screening tips include creating accurate job descriptions with clear job titles. Evaluation grids help you rank applicants, while skills-based assessments focus on critical job criteria that can help ensure good hires.
Technology makes life much easier for a modern hiring manager. Skills tests, video interviews, AI-assisted text analysis, and automated resume scanner tools can all form part of screening toolkits.
Whatever mix you choose, skills should be at the heart of the resume screening process. Toggl Hire’s skills assessments are the ideal way to gauge candidate skills and engage applicants without the need for lengthy text-based resumes.
What is resume screening?
Resume screening helps hiring managers discard unsuitable resumes while retaining promising applicants in their talent pool.
Checking resumes is often the first step to see if a potential candidate fits the job requirements. And while you can’t tell everything there is to know about a candidate or their relevant skills from a resume, they are useful for assessing multiple factors in one go, including experience, education, and skills.
Candidates who meet the basic job requirements enter the applicant tracking system (ATS) and proceed to further assessments or interviews. Those who aren’t a match are set aside (hopefully after you politely tell them they won’t be advancing further).
The importance of a great resume screening process
Every HR team wants a wide selection of candidates to choose from, but when you reach the point where you have to screen hundreds or even thousands of applications, you’ll likely need to examine your screening process more closely.
Resume screening at scale doesn’t have to be hard work, though. Changing how you screen resumes can make the job much easier, and any investment toward improving this step is sure to pay off.
A proper resume screening process is vital to get right for a number of reasons:
Save time
Reading resumes and manually comparing them to role requirements takes time. Instead, use automated tools to process mountains of job applications in seconds, avoiding any hiring delays.
Efficient screening reduces the time to hire and helps you fill positions quickly. It also improves the candidate experience by reducing the time between submitting applications and the responses they receive from you and your team.
Improve quality of hire
Identifying the best candidates improves your chances of a successful hire. Manual resume assessment is vulnerable to human error. HR teams may miss seemingly minor details that are actually very important to the role and the candidate’s success in it.
Resume screening tools won’t tire or settle for “good” candidates to meet project deadlines. They assess each applicant and ensure shortlists include the right individuals.
Reduce hiring bias
Humans inevitably bring unconscious bias to the recruiting process. Automated resume screening tools cut bias by treating every candidate equally. Companies can meet diversity targets by giving people from all backgrounds the same opportunities.
Top tip:
Often, the CV is the first thing the hiring manager sees about a job candidate and is prone to unconscious bias.
For example, liking a candidate because they went to the same university as you or rejecting their application because they have a job gap are both examples of unconscious bias at play. There’s a better way — blind resume screening.
By removing personal information from a CV, such as age, gender, place of qualification, and more, you can prevent biased hiring decisions.
Reduce costs
Efficient resume screening requires less labor, lowering overall recruitment costs. HR professionals can then focus their efforts on other tasks, boosting their productivity (and because they’re working more efficiently, they’ll also likely improve other hiring metrics, like quality of hire).
Hiring the best people also saves money by reducing the risk of employee turnover. If you screen candidates correctly and follow a well-planned hiring process, you ideally won’t need to go through the recruitment process every couple of years.
Manual resume screening vs. automated resume screening
Now we’re clear about the why of resume screening, let’s talk about the how. Recruiters generally have two main options here: manual and automated screening.
Manual resume screening
Until recently (okay, maybe not that recently), resume screening was almost totally manual. Assessing handwritten resumes was way beyond the capability of older IT systems. It’s not an entirely archaic practice, though. Even now, manual screening has some advantages.
Screening resumes manually lets you read every part of a resume. You can see the candidate’s employment history in front of you. This makes it easier to understand who applicants are and what they have achieved.
The benefits of this?
HR teams can consider decisions thoroughly. Missing good candidates with non-traditional career paths is far less likely. Recruiters can also compare resumes with cover letters, adding even more depth to hiring decisions.
Automated resume screening
Reading every resume is no longer necessary. Automated software tools now analyze resumes and profile every candidate at record speed. This has some huge advantages over older techniques, particularly when hiring frequently or at scale.
Automated screening processes applications quickly and efficiently. Software tools compare work experience and qualifications, ranking job applicants according to role requirements.
Qualified candidates automatically enter your applicant tracking system, ensuring a smooth process from applications to onboarding. HR teams can instantly assign promising candidates for skills testing or move directly to interviews.
Automated screening also removes human eyes from the recruiting process, which helps remove bias. The hiring manager can screen resumes consistently without subconsciously favoring different groups.
Top tip:
Automate resume screening (or even manual resume screening) is usually the first step of any hiring process. If you’re hiring at scale or for a particularly senior role, we suggest putting a skills assessment as the next step in the process. Check out our hiring funnel for most of our open roles at Toggl to see what the full cycle looks like. 👇
Overall, manual screening works well when the number of resumes is low. However, automation is very effective for screening resumes at high volume.
But wait. Must it always be a choice between one or the other? There may be an even better option.
Hybrid resume screening approach
We recommend a combined approach that blends manual and automated screening to enjoy the best of both worlds (cue Hannah Montana). Hybrid resume screening combines the efficiency of automation with the insight and detail of manual assessment.
Imagine you’re advertising a coding role that also features an educational or sales component.
Automation extracts and classifies fundamentals. For instance, qualified candidates may need C++ proficiency or Master’s degree-level qualifications in computer science.
Manual assessment considers factors like soft skills and cultural fit. The coding role may also require a strong teamwork record or creative thinking skills — qualities automation struggles with.
By combining the two approaches, hiring managers can build shortlists of qualified applicants while assessing top talent in-depth and with greater confidence.
Top tip:
Regardless of what kind of screening approach you take, we suggest organizing your candidates into a streamlined pipeline view to keep track of who’s been screened, whether they should move onto the next stage, and any important tags or notes regarding the candidates. You can do all of that with Toggl Hire (and we personally think it’s the best, duh), but it’s not the only option.
Hybrid resume screening is also highly versatile, with applications in many recruiting situations:
Rapidly growing businesses can use a hybrid approach to raise their headcount without diluting quality.
Businesses that struggle to fill empty positions can replace employees quickly and ensure high-quality replacements.
Companies lacking recruiting data can extract information from automated screening tools. Data identifies the kind of applicants you attract (and who you don’t). This helps you refine your strategy to reach target audiences.
Businesses may lack diversity or fail to hire from certain groups. Automation limits bias and gives qualified candidates a fair shot. Manual screening helps identify candidates with non-traditional resumes.
Resume screening tips to boost efficiency
Now that we’ve established the foundations, it’s time to start building an efficient resume screening system.
We’ve worked with hundreds of companies on this challenge over the years. Almost every project seeks a balance between technology and human brainpower, which isn’t always easy.
With that in mind, let’s explore some best practices to perfect your resume screening process.
1. Create an accurate job description
The first tip greatly affects the rest of your process: get the job description right.
Screening systems rely on accurate and clear information to assess incoming resumes. Screening tools lacking clarity and detail struggle to separate dust from diamonds. Here are some quick tips to help you out:
Include specific job requirements like qualities, skills, and experience needed by an ideal candidate.
Where relevant, specify essential qualifications.
Create clear job titles that instantly inform applicants what the job opening entails.
Relate role requirements to key information about your company mission and business culture.
Update job descriptions for future recruitment rounds.
2. Include a salary range
Include a salary range in your job listing to save yourself a lot of time. Candidates seeking higher pay will remove themselves from the hiring process, and only genuinely interested candidates will remain.
Location details also matter. Unless the role is remote, screening resumes for candidates who cannot move is pointless. If you offer remote work, include that in the description so candidates can manage their job search efficiently.
Details of employee benefits can help avoid mismatches later on. For example, candidates may expect wider health coverage than what your company can actually deliver. Clear information removes them from the applicant pool right away, saving both parties time.
3. Focus on hiring for the right skills
The third tip is close to our hearts: focus on role-related skills at the screening stage.
Resume screening tools make verifying skills easy, accurate, and quick. Candidates can complete quick screening assessments when they apply. You could even make skills tests the core requirement, minimizing the need for traditional resumes.
For example, let’s say you are advertising a marketing role. Quick tests can assess problem-solving and communication skills. You might also include a brief Salesforce assessment (if that’s the CRM you use).
Top tip:
Skills tests uncover details you cannot obtain from a candidate’s qualifications or experience alone. They allow you to gather more information on potential candidates, rank them in your ATS, and only progress candidates with the credentials and skills to succeed. View our test library for better examples of what we’re talking about.
4. Create a standardized candidate assessment rubric
The fourth fundamental is implementing a systematic candidate assessment process. Recruitment checklists or candidate scorecards are good ways to feed relevant information into applicant tracking systems.
Uniform criteria checklists help you tick off basic requirements as you screen each candidate, identifying gaps in a candidate’s resume. Using the same checklist for each applicant ensures consistency and limits bias, allowing objective assessments.
Evaluation grids are essentially complex checklists. Grids typically include a candidate’s qualifications, hard skills, soft skills, and salary requirements. At the end of the screening phase, hiring teams include an overall rating based on all the factors.
Top tip:
Include plenty of detail, but don’t go overboard. Only cover relevant skills or experience needed to find the most qualified applicants for each role.
5. Automate the process
Finally, automate the resume screening process where possible (without losing the human touch).
Use screening tools to scan and record resume information. Combine this data with skills test results and generate automated candidate scores. These scores are a good indicator of candidate potential. But they aren’t everything.
Revisit high-scoring resumes to check for any red flags like poor grammar (especially if hiring for a writing role…). You may also glean valuable information about cultural fit and personality traits.
Top tip:
Use an online form featuring an ATS-friendly resume format. Automation tools need a consistent format to process data, so accepting hundreds of differently formatted Microsoft Word documents is probably not going to work.
Automated resume screening tools
Before we go, it’s important to explore a few automated screening tools. Automation is here to stay (please don’t take my job, robots). However, handing control over to tech can worry some (human) hiring managers.
That’s unsurprising. HR pros are used to using personal insights and hard work to assess resumes. Automation could disrupt familiar recruitment practices.
The main challenge is finding the right resume screening tools. Here are a few potential options.
Skills assessment tools
Skills assessment tools provide digital tests focused on job-specific skills. For instance, you could send coding tests to developers or set written communication tests for content creators.
The great thing about skills assessments is their objectivity. A hiring manager can compare scores against skill levels the perfect candidate must meet. There’s no room for hiring bias — it’s all down to candidate performance.
Tests are also candidate-friendly and fast. Instead of requiring (and checking) lengthy resumes, you can set skills tests related to future roles. Candidates enjoy the experience and receive valuable feedback, while recruiters quickly identify potential hires.
Video interview platforms
Async video interviews require candidates to provide answers to a set of pre-recorded (or pre-written) questions. Hiring teams create video introductions and questions. Then, every applicant receives the video pack and has a time limit to respond.
Video interviews test communication skills. They also shed light on a candidate’s personality and, as a result, their cultural fit for the organization. The async nature also makes it easier for candidates to prepare beforehand and respond on their own time (a plus if they already have a full-time job or if they’re shy and like to prepare answers before submitting them).
Real-time discussion still plays a role in the recruiting process. However, async video interviews are a great stepping stone to in-person interviews. They also complement skills tests, highlighting a candidate’s presentational skills and personality.
Automated resume scoring
Automated resume scoring software scans the contents of resumes, using algorithms to rank how closely candidates match job descriptions.
Automated scoring has some significant advantages. Results feed directly into your ATS, allowing seamless candidate management. You can also analyze large volumes of applicants quickly and accurately.
Manual screening can ultimately lead you to miss out on great candidates due to human error, a problem that automated scoring could help avoid. These tools also deliver easy-to-use databases of top candidates — a solid foundation for further assessment and building candidate pools!
Automated reference checks
Automated reference checks can also help verify the accuracy of information on resumes. In a manual process, this tends to happen in a later recruitment stage after generating final shortlists.
Text analytics tools
Finally, you can leverage artificial intelligence to analyze resume text. AI-assisted tools detect keywords or phrases matching those in your job description. Natural Language Processing (NLP) goes further, delivering insights into candidate personalities or experience levels.
For instance, NLP tools rank keywords, identifying relevant technical terms like “data analytics” or “machine learning.” Applications put these terms in context, avoiding problems like keyword stuffing. The result is a detailed analysis of applicants’ skills and level of experience.
How skills-focused applicant tracking systems can help
There’s another important issue to talk about: integrating resume screening into your recruitment process.
In our experience, the best approach links skills testing with resume screening.
You might reply that we would say that. After all, Toggl Hire specializes in providing high-quality, customized skills tests as part of our full-cycle hiring platform. But the reason is simple. We focus on skills testing because it works so well when assessing new hires.
If you have any doubts, here are four great reasons to base screening resumes on skills assessments:
#1. Skills tests attract more candidates
Preparing a resume and adjusting it to the job description takes time. Instead of asking eligible candidates for a customized resume, set them a fun short skills test. In as little as 15 minutes, both you and the candidate will know if you’re a good match.
You’ll also have an easier time tapping into a pool of passive candidates — people who are not actively browsing job boards but can’t resist a 15-minute skills quiz!
#2. Skills tests screen relevant job skills, not resume-writing skills
Skills tests let you know whether candidates can meet job description requirements. Way before the interview process, you’ll find out if they can walk the walk.
Skill levels are one of the most reliable predictors of future job success. You can assess what really matters — the ability to drive results and complete tasks. That’s much more useful than years of past experience.
#3. Skills tests reduce unconscious bias
No hiring process is immune to unconscious bias. However, skills tests work around our natural tendencies.
Tests give you a look at the candidate’s skills before you notice their age, experience, background, or any other personal information. This leads to a more diverse and more competent team of people.
#4 Skills tests are great for employer branding
Most candidates love skills tests. They can forget about time-consuming resumes and immediately get feedback about their test results.
Candidates can apply more quickly, and you’ll never ghost them, as every candidate gets feedback on their test results.
Over time, you’ll build a reputation as a forward-thinking, candidate-friendly employer. Every new job opening will attract better, more motivated candidates.
Screen resumes with Toggl Hire
The robots aren’t all bad. They’ve made screening easier than ever by allowing hiring teams to automate the process, reducing days of work into a few seconds.
That being said, resumes are no longer as important as they once were. Instead, smart companies use them as part of efficient candidate assessment systems, together with other tools, like Toggl Hire!
Our recruitment software includes skills assessment features that allow you to tailor tests to roles and cultural needs. Scores feed into the candidate’s card and your pipeline, ranking candidates as test results arrive. Candidates can apply in minutes and receive valuable feedback (even if they fail).
Tests focus on real-world skills, while resume screening handles work history and qualifications — ensuring more accurate hiring decisions.
Find out more with a free Toggl Hire account.
Elizabeth is an experienced entrepreneur, writer, and content marketer. She has nine years of experience helping grow businesses, including two of her own, and shares Toggl's mission of challenging traditional beliefs about what building a successful business looks like.
