[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: If your hiring process seems slow or ineffective, you should learn the best strategies for screening job applicants. In this video, we will share the best job strategies for screening job applicants. Keep watching to learn more. 

This video is sponsored by ZipRecruiter. Find quality candidates fast with ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter distributes your job posting to a hundred-plus job sites with a single click. Get started for free today by clicking the link in the description below. 

Why does it matter how you screen job applicants? Learning how to screen job applicants can help you narrow down a large pool of interested parties into a short list of potential new hires. Depending on the type of screening you do, you can learn about an applicant's experience, education, skill set, cognitive abilities, personality traits, past job performance, professional interests, criminal history, and more. 

Here are a few tips for how to screen job applicants, no matter what screening methods you employ. First, understand what a successful candidate looks like in advance. Write down the required and desired education, experience, credentials, skills, and other parameters. And screen applicants against that criteria. 

Next, compare and rank applicants as you screen them. Front-runners will emerge. And the less qualified will drop to the bottom of the pile. Put all applicants through the same screening process until they get knocked out of the running. That way, your hiring practices are consistent and fair. 

Use preemployment assessments that are proven and reliable. Doing so will ensure you can trust the results. Now let's dive into a few specific strategies for screening job applicants. 

First, implement an applicant tracking system. Applicant tracking systems or applicant tracking software has a great first-line defense against unqualified applicants. The ATS will automatically scan every application and prioritize, showing you the profiles that best align with your job posting. As a result, you never see the lowest ranking applicants. 

Another strategy for screening job applicants is reading résumés and cover letters. Résumé and cover letters can take a lot of time to read, especially if you've got a stack of them. But they can provide valuable insight at a glance. In just a few moments, you'll know each applicant, if they have the skills, education, and experience you need. Plus, you can gauge their writing abilities and learn about their goals and personality. 

Another way to screen job applicants is conducting a phone or video screen. A phone or video screen is appropriate once an applicant has made it through the ATS, the résumé read-through, and a social media review. This screening method is a short scheduled conversation to help you learn more about the applicant. To get the most out of this chat, have a list of questions ready to go. Save time for the candidate to ask questions. And take lots of notes. 

You can also use preemployment assessments to help screen job applicants. Preemployment assessments can help you gauge an applicant's potential fit with the position and company. You can test for specific skills, behavior, personality traits, and cognitive abilities. But remember, while the assessment provides valuable data, the information should get considered alongside with what you've learned from other screening methods. 

For more screening tips for job applicants, click the link in the description below to read the full article with additional strategies. We hope that you now feel confident to know how to screen job applicants after watching this video. But if you still need to post a position to collect new applications, visit ZipRecruiter. You can also check out our list of the best free job posting sites if you're recruiting on a budget. Click the link in the description below to see both links. If you enjoyed this video, please leave a like. And subscribe to our channel for more content like this.