{"id":160298,"date":"2023-07-11T06:58:34","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T06:58:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aihr.com\/?p=160298"},"modified":"2026-02-24T15:33:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T15:33:32","slug":"shortlisting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aihr.com\/blog\/shortlisting\/","title":{"rendered":"Shortlisting Candidates: The All-In-One Guide (+ Matrix Template)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Organizations are beginning to recognize that recruiting and retaining top talent is essential for meeting business goals and maintaining a competitive advantage. Shortlisting is arguably the most challenging and lengthy step in the hiring journey. Although marketing<\/a> and employer branding<\/a> practices can help in sourcing candidates, successfully screening and shortlisting candidates still presents a challenge for most companies. But shortlisting effectively is essential for finding (and hiring) the right person for the right role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, research<\/a> has found that 50% of applicants surveyed turned down a job offer because the hiring process took too long, so shortlisting at speed is equally important to ensure you don\u2019t miss out on your best candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explore what candidate shortlisting is and how to design an efficient shortlisting process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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DOWNLOAD SHORTLISTING MATRIX TEMPLATE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Contents<\/em>
What is shortlisting in recruitment?
<\/a>When does shortlisting take place in the recruitment process? 
<\/a>The shortlisting process in 5 steps<\/a>
Shortlisting matrix template
<\/a>Avoiding bias in shortlisting<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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What is shortlisting in recruitment?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The criteria for shortlisting candidates is a crucial part of the recruitment process, where recruiters and hiring managers must identify which candidates from their talent pool are best suited to the role in question and a good cultural fit for the organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aim is to narrow down the list and determine a set of qualified candidates who will progress to the next stage of the hiring journey. Typically, organizations will have a list of essential skills and experience and desirable skills and experience for each role. If candidates tick all these boxes and look like a good cultural fit, they will be shortlisted for the position. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the shortlisting process, other important considerations include DEIB<\/a>, objectivity, and fairness. Rising unemployment levels mean that most employers are dealing with larger volumes of applicants with a variety of skills and experience. Plus, with more remote working options, geographical limitations have been removed, thus increasing the talent pool. This puts even more pressure on the recruitment, shortlisting, and selection process<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When does shortlisting take place in the recruitment process? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Shortlisting happens at multiple stages in the recruitment process. There is resume shortlisting, skills test shortlisting, and interview shortlisting (including at the phone, video, and in-person stages). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the table below, you can see the different screening types and the stage they occur during the hiring process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shortlisting process<\/strong><\/td>Explanation<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Resume shortlisting<\/strong><\/td>This is the first stage of the recruitment process where resumes are looked through to see if a candidate has the unique mix of qualifications, skills and experience for the role they have applied for. If a candidate’s resume does match the predetermined criteria, they will be shortlisted for the next round.<\/td><\/tr>
Aptitude\/Skill tests<\/strong><\/td>Some recruitment processes include an aptitude or skills test (e.g., a skills test or personality assessment) to determine if a candidate has the desired skills and behaviors for the role and organization. Those who pass the test will move on to the next stage.<\/td><\/tr>
Phone screening<\/a><\/strong><\/td>The candidates who make it to the phone screening round will complete a telephone interview which usually goes through a series of questions related to the information on their resume and how well they would perform in the role. This stage also gives recruiters a good idea of the candidate\u2019s communication skills and enthusiasm for the position and the organization. Those who are successful will be shortlisted for the next stage.<\/td><\/tr>
Video interviews<\/strong><\/td>Sometimes a video interview will be conducted rather than moving straight to an in-person interview, especially if it\u2019s for a remote position. These can occur on Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and Microsoft Teams. There may be one or more interviewers, and candidates will be asked a series of questions that help to evaluate their skills, experiences, and suitability for the position. Candidates who are successful will usually be shortlisted for a face-to-face interview. <\/td><\/tr>
In-person interviews<\/strong><\/td>At this stage, candidates will typically arrive at the organization\u2019s head office and have a face-to-face interview with 2-3 people (including a hiring manager and someone from recruitment). They may have been given a presentation to prepare which they will present at this interview. They will also be asked questions about the experience on their resume, situational-based questions, and questions to see how well they would fit into the team and wider organization and what their career ambitions are. Face-to-face interviews allow for more detailed questioning and observation of the candidate. Depending on the level and nature of the role, a job offer may be made after this stage to the most suitable candidate(s). <\/td><\/tr>
Interview shortlisting<\/strong><\/td>If the role is more senior and requires a complex set of skills, candidates may be shortlisted after the first interview stage for a final interview (and potentially another assessment).<\/td><\/tr>
Reference & background checks<\/strong><\/td>Recruiters will commonly check references provided by the candidate to obtain more information on their previous performance, work ethic, and conduct. In some roles (for example, where the employee will be working with children), background checks must be carried out (for example, a criminal record check) to ensure the candidate is suitable for the role and to ensure compliance with legal requirements. <\/td><\/tr>
Final interview shortlisting<\/strong><\/td>If another interview is required, candidates who have successfully passed all the previous stages will be shortlisted for a final interview. This will be an even more thorough interview and may involve more senior members of staff and more assessments. <\/td><\/tr>
Final selection<\/strong><\/td>The most suitable candidate for the role will be chosen, and an offer of employment will be made. Unsuccessful candidates will usually be notified once the offer of employment has been accepted by the chosen candidate. <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The shortlisting process in 5 steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what the shortlisting process will typically look like when HR and hiring managers shortlist candidates for various positions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Review candidate resumes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first step in the shortlisting process is for HR and\/or hiring managers to review candidate resumes to assess the overall quality of the received applications. They will evaluate the CVs to see whether the candidates have the required qualifications, skills, and experience for the role they have applied for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professionalism and attention to detail (sloppy grammatical mistakes on a resume or cover letter) will often lead to a candidate being automatically disqualified, particularly if there is a surplus of candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Establish the criteria for shortlisting candidates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The next step is to determine your criteria for shortlisting candidates. There will typically be a mix of essential criteria and desirable criteria that you’ve defined at the beginning of the recruitment process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essential criteria are anything you consider vital for a candidate to succeed in the role, for example, a minimum qualification. Desirable criteria is something that is not essential but will give a candidate a competitive advantage, for example, the number of years of experience they have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example #1: Shortlisting criteria for a software developer position<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Education and qualifications<\/td>Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field
Relevant certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified Professional, AWS Certified Developer)<\/td><\/tr>
Work experience<\/td>Minimum of 3 years of experience in software development
Experience with programming languages such as Java, C++, or Python
Familiarity with software development frameworks and tools.<\/td><\/tr>
Technical skills<\/td>Proficiency in object-oriented programming
Knowledge of database systems and SQL
Experience with web development technologies (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript).<\/td><\/tr>
Problem-solving and analytical abilities<\/td>Demonstrated ability to analyze complex problems and develop effective solutions
Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Example #2: Shortlisting criteria for a sales manager position<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Education and qualifications<\/td>Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Business Administration, mathematics or statistics
Relevant certifications (within marketing, business, and sales)<\/td><\/tr>
Work experience<\/td>Minimum of 3 years in a sales position
Managerial experience mentoring and coaching other sales reps<\/td><\/tr>
Technical skills<\/td>Data analysis
Managing customers using customer relationship management (CRM)<\/td><\/tr>
Problem-solving and analytical abilities<\/td>Able to identify opportunities in sales and profits
Proven ability to drive the sales process from plan to close
Possess knowledge about mobilizing Sales Representatives to achieve or exceed set sales performance targets
Ability to identify, recruit, and hire talented sales reps<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 3. Create a candidate shortlisting scorecard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The next step in the shortlisting process is to create a candidate shortlisting matrix or scorecard. This scorecard will consider your essential and desirable criteria so that you can assign a numerical rating for each criterion for all screened candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, let’s say you\u2019re hiring for a trainee buying position. Your scorecard might include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n