The Screen-In Approach to Hiring

As the shift to skills-based hiring in a talent-starved market continues, it will prove beneficial to apply a screen-in approach to your recruiting efforts. 

For more than two decades, companies have employed a screen-out approach. Meaning, they actively look for resume flaws or dismiss candidates that lack a certain level of education to reduce the number of applicants. Strict screen-out policies discourage potential candidates from even applying, plus they remove candidates who may have the skills to do the job. These policies will likely become a problem for industries already struggling for talent, including the Manufacturing, Construction, and Insurance industries.

Many required skills can be learned on the job, making the screen-in approach superior. When meeting with potential candidates, discover their overall abilities and then determine where they fit within your organization. Better yet, if you identify the competencies necessary to do a particular job successfully, then you can direct your interviews toward uncovering where a potential candidate’s skills lie, resulting in a better match.

Utilizing a skills-focused, screen-in approach will increase your talent pool and new hire tenure. Ultimately, the skills and culture match engages new hires, gives them confidence in their ability to do the job successfully, and keeps them productive longer.