How to shortlist CVs quickly and effectively

By Nick Billingham, Manager at TPP Not for Profit

In today’s current job-heavy market, there are some charity jobs that will produce literally hundreds of applications, particularly the more generic administration roles.  It’s daunting facing such a mountain of paperwork, and it can be tricky to know where to start.  In this post, we look at ways to make it easy to shortlist applicants to find the people you want to interview.

Unlike recruiting for more specialist roles, where you may need to compare applicants with very different CVs, the goal here is to exclude as many unsuitable candidates in the shortest possible time.


Log all applications

Firstly, best practice is to log all applications with the candidate’s name, email and source of their application.  When you scan their CV you can also add in some brief notes on their skills and experience.  This may seem like a lot of work already, but it will help you keep track of who you’ve rejected, who you might be interested in and where your applications are coming from (useful for deciding where to place future advertising).


Define your criteria

Before you start going through CVs, it’s very important to define exactly what your ideal candidate will look like.  You should use your job description and person specification to pull together two lists; essential criteria and desirable criteria.  Be really strict about the criteria you term ‘essential’ – as a rule of thumb there should be twice as many desirables as essentials.

You can then go through your CVs and score each against your lists of criteria.  Any that don’t meet all of the essential criteria can be quickly discarded.  Working to lists of criteria also allows you to split up the CVs with other team members and ensures you are all shortlisting on the same terms.

It’s also a good idea to decide before you start to shortlist how many candidates you want to interview – this will help avoid the temptation to keep anyone in who ‘may’ be suitable.



Conduct your shortlist in stages

The quickest way to shortlist is to do it in stages.  The first stage is to run through all the CVs and simply exclude those who don’t meet your essential criteria list, and note this on your spreadsheet.  This should immediately make the pile of CVs much more manageable.

In stage 2 you should go through the remaining CVs and assign the candidates scores against each item in your list of essential criteria, recording the scores on your spreadsheet.  This will give you an easy way to rank candidates and give you a top ten to work with.  At this stage, you should also check for any inconsistencies in their CV and make sure that their presentation, spelling and grammar, and attention to detail are flawless on both their CV and covering letter (if applicable).

In the final stage, you should start with a list of candidates who would all be able to do the fundamentals of the role.  You can now go through and score them against your list of desirable criteria, which will help single out the candidates who will be able to pick things up more quickly and contribute that bit extra to your organisation.

Bear in mind that it is extremely unlikely that you’ll find a candidate who matches every single item on both your list of essentials and desirables.  Indeed, the very best candidate may sometimes require you to think outside the box.  But it’s important to try and stick to your original lists wherever possible in order to minimise unconscious bias as much as possible.


Give everyone a response

Everyone who takes the time to apply for a role should receive some form of response, even if it is just an automated email.  Keeping your spreadsheet of applicants up to date should make it easier to ensure everyone gets an update on their application.

This is particularly important for charities, whose audiences of employees, volunteers, supporters and advocates tend to widely overlap.  A simple email thanking candidates for their interest but expressing regret that not everyone can be asked to interview should be enough.  You can even remind them of all the other ways they could support your organisation.


Sounds like a lot of work?

The fact is, however you manage the process, shortlisting for most roles is always going to require a big investment of your time.  TPP regularly handle roles for our clients that generate high volumes of response; we recently had 116 applications for a Finance Assistant role and regularly deal with vacancies generating several hundred applications.

Some organisations prefer to recruit for lower level roles internally, but these are the ones that typically eat into your valuable time.  If you think your working hours could be better spent, talk to us about handling your vacancy.  We’ll deal with all the administration and candidate liaising, and will interview all candidates, prior to sending you a shortlist.  We also try to make sure all applicants have a positive recruitment experience, whether they are successful or not, and we will always present your organisation to candidates as an attractive opportunity.  And best of all, you only pay when you appoint a candidate.

For more information about our recruitment services, visit our website or contact us on 020 7198 6000 or info@tpp.co.uk.

How to evaluate a cover letter

Every application for a role that comes directly from a candidate should include a cover letter, whether it is a separate attachment or in the body of the email.  In this blog post, we look at how to tell a good cover letter from a bad one, and how you can use them to find out more information about the applicant.


Firstly, read the cover letter!

It sounds obvious, but with hundreds of applications to go through, it can be tempting to ignore cover letters entirely and skip straight to the CV.  And if you use an applicant tracking system to process CVs, it may not like covering letters, preventing you from seeing them in the first place.  But wherever possible you should read a cover letter provided, as they can give you valuable information about a candidate that you can’t get from the CV alone.  Plus, if an applicant has spent hours carefully crafting a superb cover letter, they are treating it as an essential part of their application, and so should you.

However, it’s certainly true that increasing numbers of employers don’t bother to read cover letters, and candidates include them less often these days.  If you definitely want to receive cover letters from all applicants, make sure this is specified in the job advertisement.  And if your organisation uses application forms, don’t make candidates send cover letters as well, as this just complicates the application process.


Check the details

Making sure a cover letter includes the right details can tell you how much effort a candidate has put into crafting their application, and can demonstrate how interested they actually are in the role.  For example, did they address the cover letter to a specific individual (even if this is not specified in the job ad, a quick phone call can usually provide a contact name)?

Every cover letter should be tailored to the role applied for, and demonstrate that the candidate has researched both your organisation and the job.  Make sure it includes at least some reference to your specific organisation, as well as the job title of the role, and that all these details are correct.

Occasionally, a candidate will mention that they have been referred by a mutual contact.  It’s always a good idea to do a quick check to make sure that this is actually the case.


Look at the quality of writing

Obviously, cover letters with spelling or grammatical errors can be discounted, as these show the candidate has not taken the time or effort to proof read their application fully.  You can also use cover letters to assess a candidate’s (written) communication skills.

If the job requires a certain standard of writing, eg if it is a communications or PR role, does the covering letter meet that standard?  Generally, cover letters should be clear, to the point and easy to follow.  They should be broken down into short paragraphs, rather than a big block of text, and neither too short or too long.  An incredibly long and detailed letter may be a result of a candidate’s passion for the role, but may suggest they have trouble keeping things concise.


Look for specifics

The best cover letters tend to have specific details about previous roles and experience and achievements.  Generic statements such as “I have a great deal of experience in fundraising management and am looking for my next role” should ring warning bells.  Instead, look for concrete and measurable examples of what they accomplished in previous roles.  The candidates who can provide this level of detail tend to be the ones who are most suitable.

Similarly, the best candidates don’t tend to talk about what they are looking for.  Instead, they concentrate on what aspects of this particular role they can excel in and what they can bring to your organisation overall.  A really simple way to measure this is to count the number of times they mention you or your organisation instead of themselves.

For any non-profit, it is important that their staff are committed to the organisation’s mission.  A good covering letter should always address why that candidate is attracted to your charity’s cause and demonstrate their passion and commitment.


Tone of voice

The tone in which a covering letter is written can usually tell you something about the personality of the writer.  The most obvious thing to look for is whether they sound excited and enthusiastic about the role.  If they really want the role, it is likely that this will be obvious from their letter.

Other things to look out for are if the candidate has gone for an overly formal or informal tone of voice (although the criteria for this varies depending on the role).  Either way, getting it wrong can demonstrate a certain lack of judgement.

However, it is important to bear in mind that judgements based on tone of voice are subjective and a final decision on whether or not to progress with that candidate should always be based on the content of their CV.


A quick checklist

•    Is the letter addressed generically, rather than to a specific individual?
•    Is the letter tailored to the role applied for?
•    Does it contain spelling and grammatical errors?
•    Does it mention your organisation and the specific role applied for?
•    Does it clearly state what value the candidate can bring to your organisation?
•    Does the letter simply repeat points already made on their CV?
•    Does it communicate their passion and enthusiasm?


Finally…

Here are a few examples of truly terrible cover letters:
http://www.bubble-jobs.co.uk/blog/cv-tips/warning-worlds-worst-cover-letter
http://gawker.com/5883684/the-awful-cover-letter-all-of-wall-street-is-laughing-about
http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/best-cover-letter-ever

Why you need to review your application form

Even though many job applicants dislike filling out application forms, lots of non-profit employers prefer to use them for their recruitment.  In this post, we look at the pros and cons of application forms and how to tailor them to get the best possible response for your vacancy.


Why do employers use them?

There are some distinct advantages to asking a candidate to fill out an application form, rather than send in a CV.  They usually save an employer time and effort, especially if it’s an online form that feeds directly into an ATS (applicant tracking system).  They also make it easier to reduce bias when shortlisting candidates, as each candidate is forced to give exactly the same information.  Many of the questions on application forms are there for legal or institutional reasons, and ensure compliance when recruiting.

The fact that application forms are so very unpopular also encourages some employers to use them. Filling out an application form tests the candidate’s commitment to that role and discourages unsuitable candidates or those who simply send off untailored CVs to every role going.

However, one of the most common reasons for organisations to use application forms is simply because they always have done.  Each time they recruit, extra questions are added to the form, without reviewing it as a whole – resulting in forms that are extremely long and full of redundant questions.


What are the negatives?

The main problem with application forms is that they tend to be far too long and extremely tedious to complete.  Candidates have usually already spent a long time polishing up their CV prior to starting to look for roles, and having to start from scratch each time can be very repetitive and time consuming.  The questions asked are also not always obviously relevant to the job a candidate is applying for.

At TPP, we have a lot of anecdotal evidence that really good candidates simply don’t bother applying for roles if the process is too complicated.  Application forms may discourage unwelcome responses, but they can also deter some candidates who might be ideal for your role.  It takes most jobseekers at least half a day to complete an application form, which is time that’s hard to find if you’re already working full time.  Exceptional candidates can be greatly in demand, and if they can get a job easily elsewhere with less effort, they are not likely to apply for yours.

The more senior your vacancy, the more likely it is that your ideal candidates are ‘passive’ jobseekers, ie those who are not actively looking for a new role but might be tempted by the ideal job.  These candidates are even less likely to sacrifice the time it takes to complete a long and complicated application form.

Other problems with application forms are that they lack flexibility and make it difficult for good candidates to distinguish themselves in a creative way or to really demonstrate their personality.  Also, if a candidate makes a small mistake filling out the form, their application may be automatically rejected, even if they are perfect for your role.


So what should you do?

First of all, you need to find out if you are required to use application forms for every role in your organisation.  If not, it’s worth deciding on a case-by-case basis whether to use them.  The more senior, specialist or niche your role, the less likely you are to have high volumes of suitable applicants, so it’s worth making it as easy as possible to apply.

A compromise solution might be a two-tier process.  Ask candidates to send in their CV and do an initial quick shortlist of those with the right skills and experience.  You can then ask those applicants to complete an application forms to make the final shortlisting process easier and fairer.  These candidates will also be motivated to fill in the forms as they have already passed one hurdle.

The most important thing you can do to improve your recruitment process is to review your application form and make sure it is doing its job – allowing you to identify excellent candidates while filtering out unwanted applications.  The golden rule is, the shorter and easier your form is and the more relevant the questions, the more likely candidates are to make it to the end.


What should you include?

Always start off with basic information and questions that are easy to complete, such as name and contact details and the post applied for, as this encourages candidates to start filling out the form.

You should ask applicants to confirm their right to work in the UK, give details of previous employment, education and qualifications.

It is also very important to include a free text box to allow candidates to write a personal statement in order to sell themselves, along the lines of “why should we consider you for this role”.  It is also a good idea to give applicants room to comment on their answers, eg to explain gaps in their career or unusual career choices.  However, avoid asking too many open-ended questions, as this will lead to repetition, which makes application forms tedious to complete and to read.  Keep behavioural questions, asking candidates to demonstrate their experience, for an interview setting instead.


What should you take off?

Quite simply, take out anything that is unnecessary.  For example, do you really need details for every one of the candidate’s previous employers?  Or just the most recent or relevant?

It is also important to make sure that the questions elicit responses that are non-discriminatory.  For example, you should not ask for a candidate’s date of birth, native language or religion.  Some questions are borderline, eg asking for reference details is standard but may result in average candidates being shortlisted purely because they have impressive referees.  See our post on interview questions to avoid for more tips on avoiding discrimination.

Many not for profit employers like to collect equal opportunities information to monitor the success of their policies designed to promote diversity.  TPP’s advice is that this is a separate, completely anonymous form and not simply tacked on to the application form.


Make the process easy

Even if you can’t improve your application form, there are steps you can take to make the application process as a whole better for candidates.  Your application form should be attached to job advertisements wherever possible; requiring candidates to contact you to request a form is simply creating more work for both you and them.

Online forms are usually the easiest to complete, but even these can be difficult.  Make it clear to applicants how many sections there are to the form and what stage they have reached, and make sure that they can save their progress mid-way and that the form won’t time out.  Adding validation to required fields means that candidates can only submit the form when they’ve given you all the mandatory information you require.

Finally, after making candidates jump through hoops to apply for your job, you should always acknowledge receipt of their application and let them know the outcome, whether successful or not.  After all, people interested in working for you may also be those most likely to donate, refer or volunteer, and you don’t want to damage your relationship with them or your organisation’s reputation.


Finally, test the process

The last stage in improving your application forms is to make sure that they are clear and unambiguous and as easy as possible to complete.  The best way to do this is to have several current employees pretend to be candidates and complete the form for you, giving you feedback on the overall process.

It’s also worth getting hold of the forms used by organisations similar to yours and comparing them to your own.  If it’s much harder to apply for your roles, candidates may choose to go elsewhere instead.


Useful Resources
Application form template for charity jobs from HRBird

CIPD – How to design application forms, including good tips on avoiding discrimination

The right way to check references

Checking the references of prospective employees is often left until late in the recruitment process, if it’s done at all. Checking references is a great tool for deciding between equally qualified candidates, or for weeding out applicants who won’t be suited to your organisation’s culture. It can be very hard to tell what someone is like to work with on a day-to-day basis from a formal interview.

It’s also increasingly important to check reference as CVs can be incomplete or even contain misrepresentations. There are currently a lot of jobseekers on the market, and the extreme pressure of applying for a limited number of jobs can lead some candidates to knowingly exaggerate their credentials and experience in an effort to stand out above their competition.

In a recent survey by ELAS, one in three managers have admitted to lying or exaggerating about their qualifications in the past. With many charity fraud cases in the headlines recently (the NFA estimates that charities lose 1.7% of their annual income to fraud), it’s even more important for non-profit organisations to protect themselves and vet potential employees prior to offering them a job.

In the case of senior employees, if there is an inconsistency or misrepresentation on a CV and the truth comes out, it can be potentially extremely embarrassing for the organisation involved and potentially damage relations with their donors. Take the recent scandal that ensued when Yahoo’s then-Chief Executive Scott Thompson was found to have an "inadvertent error" on his CV.

When is the best time to conduct checks?

The best time to check references generally varies depending on the responsibility of the role in question and the amount of time spent recruiting.  You don’t want to get to the end of a lengthy recruitment process, only to find out your chosen candidate’s references don’t stack up. However, obtaining references can be a time-consuming process and too difficult to do for every candidate in the running.

Many employers leave reference checks until after the first-stage interviews, when they have narrowed down the pool of potential employees. A previous employer’s opinion can be extremely useful at this stage to decide between candidates with similar experience or qualifications. Another approach is to conduct a two-stage reference checking process, with written requests to verify basic details made early on, followed by detailed telephone conversations later with previous line managers of the favourite candidates.

You will probably have to wait until after a conditional offer is made to the candidate to contact their current employer.

What’s the best way to do it?

There are essentially two ways in which you can get references – in writing or over the telephone. While a written reference may be sufficient for a junior role, other roles are likely to require a phone conversation to get anything but the most basic information.

Some organisations have a policy of not giving references, and will only confirm basic employment details, while others try to shunt you off to the HR department. However, be persistent and try to speak to a line manager, as they will give you the most useful information. Contact the referees in advance (or ask the candidate to do so) and book in a specific time for your conversation.

Who should you talk to?

As mentioned above, a previous line manager of the candidate’s is best, even if they have since left the organisation, as they will have direct experience of managing the candidate on a day-to-day basis. If the candidate has lost contact with their previous line manager, suggest they use LinkedIn to track them down.

Don’t bother with personal references, as it’s highly unlikely you’ll get objective feedback from a candidate’s friends or family. If they’ve had no previous paid employment, talk to someone who has worked with them on a volunteer or extracurricular basis.

If you have any doubts as to whether a referee is genuine, always ring back the organisation’s main number to check their identity.

Please note, you should always have your candidate’s permission to contact referees. Many jobseekers will prefer you not to contact their referees until an offer is made and accepted, especially if they are a current employer. If you have a signed statement of permission from a candidate, it may be worth attaching this to any initial email making contact with a referee to reassure them.

What should you ask?

Essential questions for basic written references include:

• Dates of employment
• Job title and main responsibilities
• Attendance record and number of days sick leave taken
• If they were reliable, honest, hardworking etc
• Any disciplinary actions taken against them
• If there are any reasons why they should not be employed

 Questions for more detailed telephone interviews include:

• What were the main responsibilities of the candidate in their last role?
• What are the candidate’s greatest strengths?
• Do you think the candidate is qualified for this new role?
• What specific qualities does the candidate have that will help them fulfil these responsibilities?
• What kind of management style did the candidate respond best to?
• What sort of office environment did the candidate work best in?
• How well did the candidate handle a specific skill or situation?
• What was the candidate’s reason for leaving?
• Would you rehire this candidate?

Always make sure questions are as open-ended as possible, not ones that solicit simple yes or no answers, and let the referee do most of the talking. Don’t ask leading questions – let the referee supply the information instead, eg instead of “John Smith has told us that one of his key responsibilities was x – is that correct?” ask “What were some of John Smith’s key responsibilities?”.

Don’t ask questions that are designed to solicit negative comments, eg “What are this candidate’s weaknesses?”. Most referees will feel uncomfortable giving bad feedback on a previous employee, and are likely to clam up altogether. Instead, you need to coax information out of them and intuit negative feedback from what is NOT said.

Don’t ask questions which are too general or open to interpretation, eg “What is your impression of this candidate’s character?”. It’s best to stick to the skills involved in the candidate’s old and new positions. Make sure you probe sufficiently into their responsibilities – previous volunteers can be particularly prone to over-inflating their duties.

Don’t forget to check unpaid staff

Reference checks are also an excellent idea for potential volunteers or trustees, particularly if they will be coming into direct contact with your supporters. The Charity Commission estimates that only 23% of charities carry out checks on prospective trustees.

With these unpaid staff, it is even more important to make sure the candidate is comfortable with the nature and timing of reference requests before you contact referees.

Some things to remember…

Stay legal when requesting references. Thomas Mansfield have produced some legal guidelines to conducting reference and other background checks.

Be consistent when comparing candidates. It’s best to prepare your questions in advance and keep detailed notes of the answers so you don’t stray into unconscious bias.

While TPP only supply reference checks as standard for our temporary candidates, all our candidates are interviewed face-to-face before we send over their details, enabling us to pick up any inconsistencies or cultural mismatches prior to shortlisting and allowing us to supply a consistently high quality of employees.

Further resources

100 sample questions for job reference checks

Template for a letter granting permission for reference checks

Background checking services:

Experian

NorthgateArinso