In the world of job hunting, the interview process can often feel like a daunting and mysterious journey. Candidates navigate through the intricate maze of job postings, tailor their resumes, and craft heartfelt cover letters, all in the hopes of landing a job. At the other end of this process are employers who are equally invested in finding the right candidate. For them, screenings play a vital role in identifying potential gems among the applicants.

In this blog post, we will explore the purpose of screenings in the interview process, emphasizing how they can open gates for candidates who may not fit every checkbox in the job posting and how they are conducted with nuance and respect for applicants' time.

A Low-Barrier Way to Identify Potential

You can't always gauge a candidate's suitability for a role based solely on their resume or cover letter. The purpose of screenings is to identify individuals who may have the potential to excel in the position. Resumes can only tell part of the story, and screenings provide a low-barrier way to determine if you should invite a candidate for a more in-depth interview.

Opening the Gates of Opportunity

Historically, and I would argue currently, resumes and cover letters have been used as gatekeeping tools, often excluding otherwise qualified candidates who may not fit traditional molds. Screenings aim to change this narrative by allowing employers to be open to candidates who might not meet all of the job posting's criteria on paper.

 Exploring Values and Beliefs

In many organizations that we work with at The Spark Mill, values and foundational beliefs are crucial. Asking applicants to address these values in their cover letters is a place to start, but the screening allows us to dig deeper into questions around values such as racial justice. For many organizations we work with this is imperative to glean from candidates in the beginning of the process.

 Respecting Applicants' Time

The interview process, from start to finish, demands a significant investment of time and effort from applicants. Screenings are conducted with the utmost respect for this investment. At The Spark Mill, we only screen candidates that our clients genuinely want to learn more about. This means not inviting a fixed number of applicants for screenings, but rather inviting those who genuinely pique their curiosity. It's a way of valuing applicants' time.

We believe that screenings in the interview process are a critical step in finding the right candidates for positions we are hiring. Ultimately, this approach creates a more equitable and respectful interview process, benefiting both employers and candidates alike. If you would like to learn more about our hiring process, please send me an email at lindsey@thesparkmill.com.