Sorting resumes: methods and tips for effective selection

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Sorting resumes: methods and tips for effective selection

Sorting resumes: methods and tips for effective selection

6 minutes
13/08/2024
Rédigé par
Théo Janot

The Sorting resumes is crucial in the recruitment process, helping to identify ideal candidates based on specific criteria. This step requires one method at a time efficient and Objective. To increase the chances of hiring, it is essential that the person in charge of sorting takes into account not only the degree but also the specific experience and skills of the position to be filled. An ineffective recruitment process can lead to significant costs for the company, not only in terms of time and resources, but also because of recruitment errors that can amount to several times the annual salary of the position to be filled.

This article will show you how to establish relevant selection criteria, use sorting tools effectively, and refine your selection process, including interviews. You will also learn to avoid biases and mistakes that could compromise the quality of your recruitment.

Whether you are an experienced recruiter or a beginner, here you will find practical advice to excel in the art of sorting resumes.

1 - Establishing relevant selection criteria

To perform a Sorting resumes effectively, it is crucial to start by establishing relevant selection criteria. These criteria must not only correspond to the position offered but also be in line with the corporate culture, in order to allow an objective and complete assessment of the skills and qualities of candidates. Here is a structured method for setting up selection criteria that meet your needs and facilitate the recruitment process.

1.1 - Define the essential skills and qualities

The first step in establishing effective selection criteria is to define essential skills and qualities for the position to be filled. These skills fall into two main categories: Hard Skills And the Soft Skills.

Hard skills: they are technical, measurable and job-specific skills, obtained through training or professional experience. For example, for a web developer position, technical skills could include mastering programming languages like JavaScript, Python, or specific frameworks.

Soft skills: They are behavioral skills that illustrate the personality, attitude, and approach of the candidate at work. They include qualities like communication, teamwork, problem solving, and adaptability. These skills are essential to ensure that a candidate fits well into the team and corporate culture.

différent soft skill en action

To identify these essential skills and qualities, rely on your Job description or your listing, as well as on your specific requirements. Remember to consult with internal stakeholders, such as team managers, to ensure that the criteria reflect the real needs of the position.

If you don't know exactly which soft skill to look for, check out our free competency framework making it possible to identify the soft skills of 11,000 professions defined by ROME.

1.2 - Prioritize criteria to prioritize applications

Not all selection criteria are equal in importance, and it is important to prioritize them to better prioritize applications. Here's how to do it:

Establish a grid of criteria: Create a grid that assigns a weight or numerical value to each criterion based on its importance for the job. For example, essential skills may be given more weight than secondary skills.

Rank the applications: Use this grid to assess and rank resumes, focusing first on candidates who best meet the most critical criteria. This approach makes it possible to differentiate applications effectively and to quickly target the most promising profiles.

1.3 - Use keywords to filter effectively

The use of keywords is a powerful strategy for quickly filtering resumes and identifying candidates who have the skills and qualities they are looking for.

Resume sorting tools: Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that can automatically analyze resumes and compare them to pre-defined keywords. These tools help speed up initial sorting by instantly identifying relevant terms.

Manual search: For manual sorting, you can use the search function (CTRL+F) to locate keywords in resumes. Be sure to choose keywords that accurately reflect the skills required without being too general or excessively specific, so as not to exclude potentially qualified candidates.

By following these steps to establish relevant selection criteria, you can improve the quality and efficiency of your resume screening process, ensuring that you identify top talent that meets the specific needs of your organization. In addition to sorting resumes for the current position, consider enriching your pool of applications maintaining promising profiles that could be suitable for future opportunities within the company.

2 - Optimize the use of CV sorting tools

La digitalization in sorting resumes allows you to Save time And of reduce errors. Among these tools, applicant tracking systems (ATS) play a key role in automating the initial sorting of resumes, based on predefined keywords and criteria. However, it is crucial to remember that these tools are not perfect and require human verification to avoid biases and errors in judgment.

Here are tips for optimizing the use of resume sorting tools.

2.1 - Applicant tracking systems (ATS)

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are software programs designed to centralize, manage and sort applications received. These systems, widely adopted by businesses, simplify the recruitment process by comparing resumes to the keywords and criteria established by the recruiter, then assigning a score to each application to rank them by relevance. Thus, ATS facilitate the filtering of CVs, making it possible to focus only on the most suitable profiles.

un tri des CV facilité

If you don't know which one to choose, discover our Comparison of the best ATS platforms. Be aware, however, that there are Alternatives to ATS.

2.2 - The importance of automation in initial sorting

THEautomating the initial sorting Resumes offer multiple advantages. It not only saves time by eliminating unqualified applications, but also reduces human errors such as the loss or poor ranking of resumes. In addition, it improves the candidate experience through smooth communication and personalized follow-up. In summary, automating the sorting of resumes is an effective way to refine the recruitment process and focus on the most promising candidates.

2.3 - The limits of digital tools and the importance of human verification

Despite their effectiveness, digital CV sorting tools have their limits and can introduce bias or omit qualified candidates who did not use the right keywords or whose resume is atypical. From where theimportance of human verification to make up for these shortcomings. This complementary step makes it possible to take into account elements such as the motivation, personality or potential of candidates, thus offering a more complete and nuanced vision of profiles.

3 - Improve the selection process with interviews

Simply sorting resumes does not make it possible to select the best candidates. It is crucial to meet and assess them duringinterviews, decisive moments in the recruitment process.

Interviews are an opportunity to check skills, the motivation and the personality of the candidates, in order to ensure their adequacy with the position and the culture of the company. But what is the method for conducting interviews that are both effective and objective?

What are the best practices to optimize this crucial phase? Discover some tips for refining your selection process through interviews.

3.1 - Integrate a telephone screening stage

La preselection telephone consists in contacting the candidates selected according to their CV, in order to check certain criteria and confirm their interest in the position.

un candidat durant son entretien téléphonique

This call, making it possible to eliminate candidates who do not meet essential requirements such as salary, availability or mobility, is also an opportunity to establish initial contact and to provide information about the position and the company. A screening call should be short, lasting between 10 and 15 minutes, and based on a predefined interview guide.

3.2 - Schedule structured interviews for an in-depth assessment

One structured interview follows an established protocol, with standardized questions and precise evaluation criteria. This method allows candidates to be compared fairly and recruitment bias to be minimized. It must be carefully prepared taking into account the profile sought, the skills and qualities required, and the objectives of the company. It must adapt to the level and type of position, and include questions open, closed, behavioral, or situational

3.3 - Use skill tests or case studies to complete the sorting

Competency tests or case studies are effective ways to measure the skills and knowledge of candidates, by placing them in concrete or simulated situations. These tools complement resume sorting and interviews, by providing objective and measurable data on candidate capabilities. It is important to select tests or case studies that are appropriate to the position, the skills required, and the desired level of difficulty. They also need to be validated, reliable, and relevant.

This is in particular the case of Yuzu, a Digital Assessment Center, specialized in the evaluation of soft skills (the famous soft skills) designed after several years of R&D with researchers in Psychology and Neuroscience.

With the method Yuzu, talents are immersed in Situations developed with the latest technologies of Video game.

The evaluations, on the other hand, are accessible to all profiles thanks to simplified orders and cloud technologies (all you need is a computer and an internet connection to be evaluated).

Evaluate the soft skills of your talents with Yuzu

The advantages of our solution:

  • One candidate experience exceptional to boost your employer brand ;
  • A solution accessible to all to ensure equal opportunities;
  • A decision support tool to detect and promote interpersonal skills.

Whether it's for your internal mobility or your recruitment process, we are transforming the assessment of Soft Skills In a moment Loud and playful.

To remember

The Sorting resumes is a crucial step in the recruitment process, essential for identifying the most suitable candidates for the position. To make an effective and objective sorting, it is recommended to follow some best practices, including:

  • Define relevant selection criteria, based on essential skills and qualities, prioritize and filter them using keywords.
  • Make the best use of resume sorting tools, such as applicant tracking systems (ATS), which facilitate initial sorting while requiring manual verification to prevent errors and biases.
  • Improve the selection process by integrating telephone screening, organizing structured interviews, and using skills tests or case studies to refine the assessment of candidates.

By adopting these strategies, you will master the art of sorting resumes and be able to recruit the most promising talent for your business. So, take the initiative and apply these methods without delay!