{"id":10382,"date":"2024-07-29T23:08:58","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T23:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scouttalent.com\/?p=10382"},"modified":"2026-03-23T23:10:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T23:10:34","slug":"3-tips-to-reduce-time-spent-on-candidate-shortlisting-for-smbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scouttalent.com\/ca\/blog\/3-tips-to-reduce-time-spent-on-candidate-shortlisting-for-smbs\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Tips to Reduce Time Spent on Candidate Shortlisting &#038; Selection for SMBs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applications per job ad continue to rise, shifting the job market further from a candidate-driven market to an employer-driven market. If, like most HR professionals, you\u2019re dealing with more applications than you can handle, here are 3 tips to streamline your shortlisting &amp; selection process, so that you can:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">save significant time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">achieve better hiring outcomes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ensure a positive candidate experience, and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">enhance your employer brand.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shortlisting &amp; Selection can be a particularly time-consuming part of an internal recruiter\u2019s role. This is especially the case when you have a high volume of applications, and you need to evaluate potentially hundreds of candidates against role requirements. Here are three tips to help you speed up your shortlisting &amp; selection process and how Scout Talent can support your efforts (for less than what you might think!).<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>1. Implement AI-Powered Screening Tools<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Competition for roles at the moment is extremely high, with applications per job ad rising 3% in May 2024 (source: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.seek.com.au\/about\/news\/employment-report-june24\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEEK<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). At Scout Talent, we have clients who are receiving over 200 applications for a single role! Sorting through this volume of applications can be overwhelming without the right tools and resources in place. This is where AI-powered candidate screening tools can help, like Scout Talent\u2019s AI Screen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI screening tools have revolutionised shortlisting &amp; selection. They can summarise hundreds of applications in seconds and quickly identify top candidates whose skills and experience align with the job criteria. Not only does this save a significant amount of time, but it also enhances hiring outcomes and reduces human bias. These tools continuously learn and adapt, refining their processes to meet evolving organisational needs. By quickly identifying unqualified candidates, internal recruiters can focus their time on progressing the most promising candidates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scout Talent\u2019s AI Screen helps internal hiring teams quickly evaluate a large number of applications, ensuring a more efficient and effective shortlisting &amp; selection process.\u00a0 AI Screen is available to add onto Scout Talent\u2019s lite ATS (:Recruit Essentials) for a total cost of just $450 per month. Or, when you run a recruitment campaign with Scout Talent, we\u2019ll include 12 months of access to :Recruit Essentials, making access to AI Screen even more affordable at only $300 per month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reach out to the Scout Talent team today if you\u2019d like to find out more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>2. Automate Candidate Communication and Interview Scheduling\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Communicating with candidates and scheduling interviews is another time-consuming aspect of shortlisting &amp; selection. In fact, it is estimated that these activities account for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/withe.co\/blog\/job-interview-statistics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over 40% of an internal recruiter\u2019s role<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Tools that automate this part of the recruitment process, like an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), can significantly reduce the time spent on candidate shortlisting &amp; selection. Here are three ways to use your ATS to reduce time spent on shortlisting &amp; selection:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set up automated communications for different stages of the recruitment process. For example, an email or text message to acknowledge a candidate&#8217;s application, an update if their application has progressed to the next stage, or unsuccessful feedback if they haven\u2019t been selected.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Auto-assign candidate statuses based on responses to application screening questions. For example, a very simple screening question might ask if a candidate has an open drivers licence. If this is a key requirement of the role, you can configure your ATS to mark anyone who answers \u2018no\u2019 as \u2018unsuccessful\u2019 and automate subsequent communications.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use scheduling tools that allow candidates to book interview slots that suit their availability. This eliminates the back-and-forth communication typically involved in setting up interviews and helps to prevent scheduling conflicts and errors.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Investing in recruitment software like an ATS can be out of reach for many SMBs. But with Scout Talent :Recruit Essentials, you can have a fully implemented system and achieve incredible ROI using features such as those listed above for an affordable investment of $1800 per year. That&#8217;s only $150 per month! Or, if you run a recruitment campaign with Scout Talent, we\u2019ll include 12-month access to :Recruit Essentials for no additional cost.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b style=\"font-size: 1.75rem;\">3. Leverage Expert Shortlisting &amp; Selection Services<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shortlisting &amp; selecting the right candidates from a pool of applications is often cited as the most challenging part of recruitment. As mentioned above, we\u2019re currently seeing hundreds of applicants apply for some roles. Reviewing this volume of applications can be a significant drain on resources, and partnering with an outsourced shortlisting &amp; selection specialist can make a substantial difference.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Examples of expert shortlisting &amp; selection services that Scout Talent offers include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Shortlisting &amp; Selection: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our specialists can act as an extension of your team, completing tasks such as rating and ranking candidates against job criteria, conducting first-round video interviews, scheduling second-round interviews, running necessary checks and tests, and more.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Group Interviews:\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our Shortlisting &amp; Selection Specialists are experts at delivering customised Group Interview and Information Days (GIIDs). These are perfect for roles with high numbers of applications. A GIID will help you uncover top talent through a range of activities, games, and tests. Anyone can run activities or interviews, but it\u2019s the design of the activities and interviews that is pivotal, and this is where it\u2019s best to get a specialist involved. Having a specialist facilitate the day gives hiring managers the opportunity to observe candidates for a range of relevant behaviours. With experts designing your GIID to uncover relevant behaviours (and running it on your behalf), you\u2019ll be able to focus on reading candidate behaviour. That is, instead of being preoccupied with the administration of the day.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Skills and Behavioural Testing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Internal HR professionals often partner with Scout Talent to act as an extension of their team to distribute skills and behavioural tests to candidates efficiently. Our Shortlisting &amp; Selection Specialists are trained to interpret the sometimes ambiguous language appearing in skills and behavioural test reports (which can be up to 40 pages long!). For example, \u2018dominating,\u2019 \u2018analytical\u2019, and \u2018social\u2019 can differ depending on the industry. It\u2019s these nuances that can mean the difference between a behavioural fit and a poor choice. Our Shortlisting &amp; Selection specialists can convey these results to you, equipping you with accurate interpretations that you can refer to later during interviews. Our shortlisting &amp; selection team also helps HR managers to make the most of the test results, both during and after the recruitment process, by unearthing opportunities for employee development. If a candidate expresses passiveness in social situations, for example, you\u2019ll know they\u2019ll need extra support when it comes to stepping into a leadership position.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Video interviews: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our specialists conduct video interviews using detailed and probing questions that go beyond the surface. The key is framing questions in a way that encourages candidates to dive into their past and ask them to recall their challenges and triumphs. It is also helpful to ask them to relate this back to the role they\u2019re applying for. We gain a three-dimensional picture of a candidate\u2019s skills by using these detailed questions. For example, \u2018How do you adapt your communication style when liaising with people across different levels of the business?\u2019 rather than simply \u2018Do you have good communication skills?\u2019 By encouraging candidates to discuss their past experiences and challenges, we gain a comprehensive understanding of their skills and potential. This method allows for a more thorough evaluation than standard interview questions, ensuring you have a well-rounded view of each candidate.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By leveraging our shortlisting &amp; selection services, you are free to focus on other important aspects of your role, and reach your ideal candidate sooner. Plus, with specialists applying best practice shortlisting &amp; selection techniques, you can be confident that candidates are having a positive experience. This not only helps attract and secure top talent but also improves your company\u2019s reputation in the job market.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Optimise Your Shortlisting &amp; Selection Process Today!<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scout Talent offers specialist shortlisting &amp; selection services backed by leading talent acquisition technology to support hundreds of SMBs Australia-wide in hiring top talent. By partnering with our team of experts, you can enhance your hiring results, and reduce time to hire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re looking for support to streamline your shortlisting &amp; selection process,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/scouttalent.ca\/contact\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> get in touch with us today to learn more about our solutions.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h4><b>Further Reading:<\/b><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Blog Post:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/scouttalent.ca\/blog\/7-talent-engagement-tactics-to-win-top-talent\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7 Talent Engagement Tactics to Win Top Talent<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\">Free Download:\u00a0 <\/b><a style=\"background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 0.875rem;\" href=\"https:\/\/scouttalent.ca\/guides\/guide-to-better-talent-engagement\">A Guide To Better Talent Engagement<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Applications per job ad continue to rise, shifting the job market further from a candidate-driven market to an employer-driven market. If, like most HR professionals, you\u2019re dealing with more applications than you can handle, here are 3 tips to streamline your shortlisting &amp; selection process, so that you can: save significant time achieve better hiring outcomes ensure a positive candidate experience, and enhance your employer brand. Shortlisting &amp; Selection can be a particularly time-consuming part of an internal recruiter\u2019s role. This is especially the case when you have a high volume of applications, and you need to evaluate potentially hundreds of candidates against role requirements. Here are three tips to help you speed up your shortlisting &amp; selection process and how Scout Talent can support your efforts (for less than what you might think!). 1. Implement AI-Powered Screening Tools Competition for roles at the moment is extremely high, with applications per job ad rising 3% in May 2024 (source: SEEK). At Scout Talent, we have clients who are receiving over 200 applications for a single role! Sorting through this volume of applications can be overwhelming without the right tools and resources in place. This is where AI-powered candidate screening tools can help, like Scout Talent\u2019s AI Screen. AI screening tools have revolutionised shortlisting &amp; selection. They can summarise hundreds of applications in seconds and quickly identify top candidates whose skills and experience align with the job criteria. Not only does this save a significant amount of time, but it also enhances hiring outcomes and reduces human bias. These tools continuously learn and adapt, refining their processes to meet evolving organisational needs. By quickly identifying unqualified candidates, internal recruiters can focus their time on progressing the most promising candidates.\u00a0 Scout Talent\u2019s AI Screen helps internal hiring teams quickly evaluate a large number of applications, ensuring a more efficient and effective shortlisting &amp; selection process.\u00a0 AI Screen is available to add onto Scout Talent\u2019s lite ATS (:Recruit Essentials) for a total cost of just $450 per month. Or, when you run a recruitment campaign with Scout Talent, we\u2019ll include 12 months of access to :Recruit Essentials, making access to AI Screen even more affordable at only $300 per month.\u00a0 Reach out to the Scout Talent team today if you\u2019d like to find out more. 2. Automate Candidate Communication and Interview Scheduling\u00a0 Communicating with candidates and scheduling interviews is another time-consuming aspect of shortlisting &amp; selection. In fact, it is estimated that these activities account for over 40% of an internal recruiter\u2019s role. Tools that automate this part of the recruitment process, like an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), can significantly reduce the time spent on candidate shortlisting &amp; selection. Here are three ways to use your ATS to reduce time spent on shortlisting &amp; selection: Set up automated communications for different stages of the recruitment process. For example, an email or text message to acknowledge a candidate&#8217;s application, an update if their application has progressed to the next stage, or unsuccessful feedback if they haven\u2019t been selected.\u00a0\u00a0 Auto-assign candidate statuses based on responses to application screening questions. For example, a very simple screening question might ask if a candidate has an open drivers licence. If this is a key requirement of the role, you can configure your ATS to mark anyone who answers \u2018no\u2019 as \u2018unsuccessful\u2019 and automate subsequent communications. Use scheduling tools that allow candidates to book interview slots that suit their availability. This eliminates the back-and-forth communication typically involved in setting up interviews and helps to prevent scheduling conflicts and errors.\u00a0 Investing in recruitment software like an ATS can be out of reach for many SMBs. But with Scout Talent :Recruit Essentials, you can have a fully implemented system and achieve incredible ROI using features such as those listed above for an affordable investment of $1800 per year. That&#8217;s only $150 per month! Or, if you run a recruitment campaign with Scout Talent, we\u2019ll include 12-month access to :Recruit Essentials for no additional cost. 3. Leverage Expert Shortlisting &amp; Selection Services Shortlisting &amp; selecting the right candidates from a pool of applications is often cited as the most challenging part of recruitment. As mentioned above, we\u2019re currently seeing hundreds of applicants apply for some roles. Reviewing this volume of applications can be a significant drain on resources, and partnering with an outsourced shortlisting &amp; selection specialist can make a substantial difference.\u00a0 Examples of expert shortlisting &amp; selection services that Scout Talent offers include:\u00a0 Shortlisting &amp; Selection: Our specialists can act as an extension of your team, completing tasks such as rating and ranking candidates against job criteria, conducting first-round video interviews, scheduling second-round interviews, running necessary checks and tests, and more. Group Interviews:\u00a0 Our Shortlisting &amp; Selection Specialists are experts at delivering customised Group Interview and Information Days (GIIDs). These are perfect for roles with high numbers of applications. A GIID will help you uncover top talent through a range of activities, games, and tests. Anyone can run activities or interviews, but it\u2019s the design of the activities and interviews that is pivotal, and this is where it\u2019s best to get a specialist involved. Having a specialist facilitate the day gives hiring managers the opportunity to observe candidates for a range of relevant behaviours. With experts designing your GIID to uncover relevant behaviours (and running it on your behalf), you\u2019ll be able to focus on reading candidate behaviour. That is, instead of being preoccupied with the administration of the day. Skills and Behavioural Testing: Internal HR professionals often partner with Scout Talent to act as an extension of their team to distribute skills and behavioural tests to candidates efficiently. Our Shortlisting &amp; Selection Specialists are trained to interpret the sometimes ambiguous language appearing in skills and behavioural test reports (which can be up to 40 pages long!). For example, \u2018dominating,\u2019 \u2018analytical\u2019, and \u2018social\u2019 can differ depending on the industry. It\u2019s these nuances that can mean the difference between a behavioural fit and a poor choice. Our Shortlisting &amp; Selection specialists<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10383,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[374,27,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-shortlisting-selection","category-talent-engagement"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 5.0.1.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Applications per job ad continue to rise, shifting the job market further from a candidate-driven market to an employer-driven market. 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