Most hiring managers have some sort of process they follow when filling an open position. Common processes include job definition, phone screens, behavior based interviewing, behavioral assessments, reference checking, and on-boarding. Adding an email screen to your process is also beneficial.
The email screen should be done after the phone screen but before the first interview. There are three objectives of the email screen:
• insure the candidate is email savvy,
• assess the candidate’s writing abilities,
• assess the candidate’s ability to follow directions and meet time commitments.
We recommend hiring managers ask candidates to describe in an email how they have demonstrated one or some or the company’s core values in their prior job(s). This provides additional insight into how well the candidate may fit into your culture. For example, “Here at ABC Company, one of our core values is ‘find a way to say yes;’ give me an example of a time when you had a difficult customer and you had to find a creative way to say ‘yes’. Respond to this email as if you were replying to your boss.”
You’ll be amazed at the responses you get. Email screens provide insight difficult to get from interviews. Best of all – they are free and require little of your time.
Empower your hiring managers with email screens and your new hires will be even more successful.
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