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.

The Top 10 Mistakes Made in Recruiting

Recruiting a new member of staff is an expensive and time-consuming business, so it pays to make sure you get the best person you possibly can.  Pressures on budgets and time mean that it can be tempting for organisations to cut corners when recruiting, but this rarely pays off in the long run.  Here are some of the most common (and fairly easily avoided) charity recruitment mistakes.

1.    Not asking the right interview questions

With many not for profit employees being asked to do more with fewer resources, it can be extremely difficult to take the time to prepare properly for interviews.  This means that interviewers can end up just asking superficial questions about previous experience and not really probing a candidate to see how well they will do in the job.  Not preparing detailed questions in advance also makes it much harder to establish a level playing field for multiple interviewees and avoid bias.

Read our past blogs on common interview mistakes and behavioural interviewing to make your interviews more effective. 


2.    Not recruiting for a cultural fit

While no organisation wants employees who are clones and all think in the same way, it is important that any new member of staff fits in with the rest of their team.  Their personality has to mesh with others and it’s important they have similar ethics and values, particularly in charities, where the organisation’s mission should be the primary staff motivator.

Find out how to determine your organisation’s working culture and choose new employees to fit.


3.    Relying solely on an interview

Although the interview is one of the most effective tools in an employer’s kit, decisions on hiring should not be made purely on that basis.  After all, according to a study done by the Chally Group, an interview only increases the chance of finding the best candidate by 2%.  You need to include as much supporting material as you can when shortlisting, including CVs, emails, covering letters, references, personal recommendations and their web presence and social media profiles.

Here’s some guidance on using cover letters to recruit effectively.


4.    Not checking references

A survey from the Society for Human Resource Management reports that 25 % of employers never check references and the Charity Commission estimates that only 23% of charities carry out checks on prospective trustees.

Not taking the time to check references leaves you entirely reliant on the candidate’s view of themselves, which can be accidentally or deliberately distorted.

Find out more about checking references here.


5.    Automatically rejecting overqualified candidates

When initially screening candidate CVs, it can be tempting to take out any candidates who exceed the required experience; dismissing them as ‘overqualified’ and not matching the person specification.  However, the advantages of taking on someone with more experience and extra skills can often outweigh any possible downsides.  In this candidate-heavy market, it seems strange that more employers are not taking advantage of being able to get more for less.

Read more about the potential benefits of 'overqualified' candidates.


6.    Recycling job descriptions and person specifications

Re-using the job description for your outgoing employee might be seen as a good way to save time, but cutting corners like this can definitely backfire.  Roles change over time and the job description might be out-of-date, meaning that you’ll be hiring against an incorrect set of criteria.  Recruiting is also a good time to review a role’s responsibilities – it may make more sense to reshuffle duties around the team, or to split up overstretched roles into more than one job.  Vague and imprecise job descriptions also make shortlisting difficult, as you’ll get many more unsuitable applicants.

Find out more about writing effective job descriptions and person specifications here.


7.    Missing the opportunity to sell your organisation

As there are so many jobseekers around looking for work at the moment, it can be easy for employers to assume that anyone would be grateful to work for them and that they don’t need to ‘sell’ the role or organisation.  In reality, there’s more competition than ever for the very best candidates and particularly in certain niche areas.  And even if they don’t end up with the job, anyone interested enough to interview with you could be an excellent potential advocate or supporter for your organisation.

Read more on selling your organisation at interview here.


8.    Waiting for the perfect candidate

In recruitment terminology, the elusive perfect candidate is referred to as a ‘purple squirrel’ and like their namesake, they can be very thin on the ground.  A candidate-rich market can leave organisations paralysed by choice, as they reason that there must be a jobseeker out there who matches every requirement on their list and they only have to find them.

In reality, perfect candidates are so rare that it is usually best to go for someone who meets all of the key requirements and can be trained in the “would-like-to-haves”.  Training up a candidate builds loyalty and productivity, and they might have other qualities that could come in useful in the future.  Leaving the role open risks drops in productivity and damaging morale as other employees struggle to cover the responsibilities.

Find out more about purple squirrels here.


9.    Asking ‘illegal’ interview questions

While some interview questions are obviously discriminatory and are easy to avoid, it is possible for employers to think they are innocently making conversation but they may actually be straying into potentially illegal areas, and making themselves open to litigation.

However, planning interview questions in advance, and being aware of exactly what you can and cannot ask, will help you avoid any problems.  Find out more about illegal interview questions here.


10.    Mishandling rejections and not supplying feedback

This is probably the most common mistake made, as employers find it hard to devote time to candidates who have not made it through the interview process.  But, as well as simply being polite to take the time to give feedback to a rejected candidate, it can also benefit your recruitment process and employer brand.

Discover the best way to handle rejections and give interview feedback here.

Should you hire an ‘overqualified’ candidate?

With unemployment still relatively high and lots of charity professionals currently searching for a job, we’ve noticed that not for profit organisations are receiving more applications from ‘overqualified’ candidates.  But employers can be reluctant to consider these candidates, even though they would certainly be able to handle the role.

In this blog post, we look at what overqualified means and the pros and cons of hiring an overqualified candidate.

What is overqualified?

Candidates are described as overqualified when they are skilled or educated beyond the requirements for the role.  For example, while a person specification for a role may require a bachelor’s degree, employers could receive applications from candidates with a master’s degree.  Or employers could request candidates with some previous experience of that role, and receive applications from jobseekers with over ten years’ experience.

However, having lots of education or experience does not necessarily make a candidate overqualified.  The key is whether that education or experience is relevant to the role.  If not, they are really starting at the same level as any other candidate.

It is also very important to steer clear of any age discrimination when determining if candidates are overqualified.  Simply having worked for a long period of time does not automatically make an applicant overqualified.

Traditional objections to overqualified candidates
If employers are looking for certain skills and experience, you might think that a candidate exceeding their expectations would be snapped up, but many organisations are reluctant to consider overqualified candidates.  One of the most common reasons cited is a fear that the candidate will expect a higher salary in exchange for their qualifications.  The other is an assumption that the candidate is only using this role as a placeholder and will leave as soon as a better opportunity presents itself – this is a particular worry in the current job market, with many candidates agreeing to take any job purely to avoid unemployment.

Employers may also have concerns that an overqualified candidate would not be challenged or fully engaged in the role and become unproductive and unhappy.  One disgruntled employee can then have a knock-on effect on the rest of the team.

Dispelling the myths

Overqualification does not automatically lead to lower job satisfaction or higher turnover.  In a study from the US, sales associates who were thought to be overqualified actually performed better than their peers, and the more empowered they were in their role, the more likely they were to stay put.  Indeed, nearly half of graduates are now considered overqualified for their first role.

Candidates have a huge range of motivations for taking a charity job and overqualified applicants may have a very good reason for wanting that particular role, rather than simple desperation for a job.  They could be downshifting and looking to achieve a better work/life balance, or wanting to change sectors or roles following a previous unsatisfactory career move, or they could be moving to a new location.

The interview stage is the best time to determine an overqualified candidate’s level of seriousness about the role.  Questions like “Can you describe your favourite job from the past and what you did?” or “What did you not like doing in former jobs?” can help define their motivations and determine whether they would be a good fit for your team.  Have confidence in your organisation’s culture; if you choose to work for your organisation, other people will also want to.

Some ‘hidden’ benefits

There are some less obvious benefits to hiring an overqualified candidate that some employers would not immediately consider.  For example, it can be good for morale overall, as a more experienced employee will be able to pick up the work more quickly, relieving the rest of the team from having to cover the responsibilities.  This is particularly important during this period of belt-tightening, when many employees are already having to take on extra tasks.

In addition, most teams function best with a mixture of people, not just clones of your current or previous employees.  Someone with unexpected skills and lots of life experience may bring something extra to the table that you have not previously considered.

If an overqualified candidate has a good reason for wanting to take your role, chances are that they have really considered what they want to do and may actually be a better long-term proposition than a candidate who exactly fits the person specification.  For example, a jobseeker with lots of commercial experience may move into the charity sector looking for a more meaningful role.  Getting promoted or moving on may therefore be lower on their list of priorities than a candidate moving up within the sector.

Future proof your team

When considering a candidate who is overqualified for the job, it’s always worth looking at the big picture.  When making hiring decisions, the best leaders don’t just consider current needs, but also look to the future.

Overqualified candidates often have other skills in areas that are not required for a particular role but may be useful for the organisation as a whole.  This gives them greater flexibility for the future and could allow them to accomplish things in the future that you have not considered part of that role.  Rather than just fulfilling an immediate need, they could help your organisation grow and achieve even more.

These employees can also improve the skill set of the team as a whole, as they could mentor or train up others to their level.  They can also serve as a model for your employees and help challenge them to bring productivity up.  Having extra skills in your team can also give you the flexibility to react to challenges or opportunities that may arise in the future.  Making full use of their skills will also make them a more engaged employee.

Be honest

If you are considering an overqualified candidate for a position, it’s extremely important to be up front about the role’s potential right from the start.  Being honest about salary, benefits and promotion prospects will help to weed out candidates really looking for something else and will avoid an applicant expecting too much from a role.  But if you think they may be temporarily underutilised, but there is great potential for the future, make sure you make that clear.

You could use phone screening to go through these details, check that the candidate is happy with the terms and weed out those with unrealistic expectations before interview stage.

It is also very important to confirm that their manager would be comfortable working with them and vice versa.  Sometimes it can be difficult to manage an employee who has more years of experience than you do.  Make sure you explore this thoroughly at interview – again, it is worth being completely honest and asking them straight out if they foresee any problems.

It can’t hurt…

Rather than rejecting them out of hand, it’s always worth at least considering an overqualified candidate.  After all, they would certainly be able to handle the role advertised  Often it can be difficult to fully judge a candidate’s motivations and dedication to a role without at least offering them an opportunity to meet with you face to face in an interview.

If you do interview them and you feel that the candidate would still not be a good fit for your organisation, that could help you to refine your person specification and direct your job search.

Hiring an overqualified candidate can be a risk, but sometimes you have to take risks to realise your organisation’s full potential.  When weighing up the pros and cons, there are often more benefits to hiring an overqualified employee than downsides.  And even if they do turn out to be only there short-term, they could still make a positive long-term impact on your organisation.

There are also ways to mitigate some of the risk of hiring an overqualified employee.  You could offer them the role on a temporary or contract basis, to see how they will actually turn out on the job and to get the role filled.

There is a definite move in the commercial world to take advantage of the current candidate-heavy job market and actively seek out overqualified employees to get extra value for money.  Perhaps the charity sector should also be more open to capitalising on this talent glut.  After all, sometimes more is simply more.

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