Has the overwhelm of having hundreds of incoming job applications to review hit you like a two-ton truck?

Sure, it’s great to see so much interest in your job ad.

But how on earth will you go through them all with everything else you have going on? A million questions go through your head. Things like:

• How do I even get started?
• How do I separate facts from BS?
• How can I do this as productively as possible?
• How will I know whether my dream candidate is even here?

If you’re like most people, you’ll start by reviewing CVs and Linkedin profiles. And that’s not a very productive start.

There’s an easier way. One that helps you find your ideal candidate in a fraction of the time.

But first, let’s dig into  why CVs aren’t everything in the recruitment process.

The problem with CVs.

CVs and resumes are beneficial during the recruitment process. But using them as your first method for screening candidates is a recipe for disaster. That’s mainly because:

• Properly reviewing one CV is time-consuming. Now multiply that time by a few hundred…
• Candidates use no “standard” format, so comparing CVs can feel like comparing apples to oranges.
• CVs show you how qualified someone is to do the job but not how suitable they are for it.
• Most candidates will exaggerate the living hell out of their accomplishments in their resumes:

You need a standard and efficient application process to help separate exceptional candidates from the rest. Only then is reviewing CVs/resumes a good idea.

Instead, filter candidates at a glance.

We recommend starting with  this simple request to see how well applicants can follow directions – a skill that’s pretty much crucial no matter what the role is.

It helps conveniently compare and shortlist the best candidates much faster than reviewing CVs or LinkedIn profiles. Here’s why this method works:

1. We invite candidates to put effort into their application. If they send 1-sentence responses, we know they’re not serious about the role.
2. There’s no way a copy-paste response will work. Again, we can weed out low-effort applications quickly. And if their English isn’t as good as it might seem in a generic cover letter, we see that too.
3. We encourage candidates to structure their answers. Most people choose not to. Easy discard.
4. By asking what we’re interested in, we let them sell us on the qualities we care most about. The generic, “fluffy” language and examples are left out.

You’d be shocked how many applicants you can eliminate because they fail to follow simple instructions!

The outcome?

You’re able to assess candidates in seconds. The good ones will immediately stand out and the rest can be ignored.

And just like that, the avalanche of CVs is now a manageable list of likely candidates.

Ok, now that you’ve shortlisted the best candidates…what’s next?

This application method is only Step 4 in our proven 7-step recruitment process. The next step is a test assignment where you can see candidates’ skills in action.

Seven steps  might sound like a lot.

But consider the potential cost of a bad hire:  CareerBuilder says 74% of companies who made a poor hire lost an average of $14,900 per poor hire.

Suddenly, 7 steps to find the right hire doesn’t sound like a lot at all!

Each step serves one purpose, which is to help you hire A-players without too much time or effort on your part.

Need help hiring for your online business? Please shoot us a short  email. We’d be happy to help!