It’s no secret that hiring is tough, and finding someone who meets all your qualifications during good economic times can be even more challenging. With the national unemployment rate at a low 3.6%, employers are scrambling to hire the best of the best.

And to make matters even more complicated, top talent only takes ten days to get off the market. Therefore, as you look for the best talents who are the right fit for your company, it’s vital to reevaluate your recruitment strategy.

One area you should pay close attention to is your screening questions. Besides looking into a candidate’s qualifications, a good screening process will help determine who is best suited for your team and culture. 

If you’re looking to build a cohesive team of talented individuals to drive company objectives forward, you’re in the right place.

In this article, you’ll find a comprehensive definition of screening questions, why they’re important, and examples of the ones successful companies use.

What are screening questions, and why are they important?

Screening questions are used during an interview to help identify if a candidate has the necessary skills and qualifications for the role they’re applying for.

Screening questions are essential because they help you save time by weeding out candidates who aren’t qualified for the role. By using screening questions, you can focus on interviewing individuals who have the potential to be a good fit for your company.

What are some types of screening questions?

As mentioned, screening questions during a phone screen interview aim to help sift from the large pool of candidates to find the best ones for your organization. Therefore, comprehensive screening questions should cover diverse elements to generate the best results. 

As such, there are different types of questions for each key area you need to evaluate. Here are some examples:

• Technical skills questions: These questions assess candidates’ ability to do the job they’re applying for. They focus on a candidate’s technical skills, knowledge, and abilities.
• Personality questions: Such questions are structured to help you understand a candidate’s work style and how they would fit into your company culture.
• Work experience questions: These questions help gauge a candidate’s past work experiences and see if they have the necessary skills for the role.
• Motivation questions: This group of questions helps you understand what drives a candidate and why they’re interested in the role.
• Behavioral questions: These explore how the candidate has behaved in past situations to understand how they might behave in similar situations in the future.

All these screening criteria are essential. However, behavioral questions are often considered the most crucial type of screening question. This is because they provide insight into a candidate’s character and work ethic. 

Also, when crafting your screening questions, avoid illegal questions about a candidate’s age, race, religion, or country of origin. Additionally, avoid leading questions that candidates can answer with a simple yes or no – instead, opt for open-ended questions.

Regardless of industry, there are many things top brands have in common. Key among them is a robust and effective screening process. So, by modeling your screening questions from brands, you can also enjoy similar recruitment success.