Pre-Screening Interviews: An Overview

Pre-Screening Interview is a preliminary interviewing tool which can be used to collect standard information about the candidates to find out whether they meet the basic requirements for a job role or not.

This step in the hiring process helps to separate out the candidates that have the potential, but doesn’t fulfil the crucial job expectations. Pre-Screening Interviews are conducted to have a better understanding of the candidates before conducting an in-person interview with the candidates. Such type of interviews ensures that only best candidates are shortlisted for an extensive interview, which also saves the time and resources of the company.

How to Conduct a Pre-Screening Interview:

• Choose an Appropriate Interview Format- Pre-screening interviews can be conducted in the form of a phone interview, online assessment/survey, or a video interview. Select a format which suits your hiring objectives. For example, you can conduct a video interview either as a pre-recorded video interview or a live session. In pre-recorded interviews, candidates record their answers to a given set of questions using a video interviewing software and then share it with the recruiter. But, in a live session, there is a face-to-face conversation between the employer and the candidates over a video conferencing platform. So choose your format wisely.
• Establish a Date and Time for the Interview with Each Candidate- Contact with each candidate to schedule the date and time of the interview which suits both the parties. Also, send a reminder email or message atleast 24 hours before the scheduled time with all the instructions and resources, like a link of the meeting if it’s a video interview, so that candidates remember the timings of the interview and report on-time on the date of actual interview.

• Convey all the Instructions- Communicate all the information with the candidates prior to the interview. Provide instructions regarding the format, schedule and platform or software to be used during the interview so that candidates get themselves prepared for the interview in advance.
• Create a List of Questions- Prepare a list of questions that you can refer to during the interview. As it’s a pre-screening interview, don't make it too lengthy. It is advised to keep the number of questions between 5-10 only. Asking more than that number of questions may increase your dropout rate as the candidate might don’t have so much time or interest to complete an overlong interview.
• Take Detailed Notes- Have a solid note taking process in-place. After taking the interview of each candidate, spare some time to write down the answers and performance of every candidate. Immediately make notes of your thoughts and observations that you had made during the interview regarding each candidate, as they are afresh at that moment. This will help you to evaluate the candidates later on or while discussing the performance of every candidate with your team at some other time.
• Explain the Next Steps of the Hiring Process- Provide the candidate information about the further steps in the recruitment process. Instruct them if they cleared this round, what will be the next round, how many rounds will be there in the hiring process, what they are expected to do and what they can expect from the company’s side. This establishes a clear picture regarding the interviewing process of the company in candidates’ minds, so that candidates can prepare themselves in advance accordingly.