The Smart Way to Shortlist Job Applicants for Your Trade Business

We love using tools to systemize all types of small business operations. Screening and shortlisting candidates for recruitment is no exception. To speed up the process, we use tools, filters, and set criteria.

It's not uncommon for our job posts to receive 50+ applicants, making it overwhelming to review each candidate's resume and experience. If we had to sift through each candidate's resume just to identify if they were the right fit, it would take hours.

Who has the time?

We use forms to collect information from candidates and filter them quickly to understand who has the right skills to do the job. Once we identify that the candidate does, in fact, have the right skills, we move on to recruiting. We usually use the first five minutes of the interview to get to know a candidate's experience anyway, so trying to gauge their personality before then is redundant.

What information do we always look at when shortlisting candidates?

1. Job Experience: Do they have what we need, or are they training for what we need?
2. Location: Are they close to our shop, or have the transportation to get there?
3. Availability: Are they currently available, or will they be soon?

With a system and set of criteria for shortlisting, you can batch applicants. By batching applicants, you can spend 5 hours on your recruitment process instead of 5 days and likely find a better candidate than if you were doing everything manually anyway.

Only interview the right people for the job.

This is probably the most challenging part to perfect. Setting the scene for the interview, ensuring you're prepared and focused, and making your recruit feel welcome is a fine art. 

It's unlikely that you'll nail this on the first try. That's okay. It takes time to sharpen this skill. We've spent 5 years recruiting for different service-based businesses, so we know what to look for. 

Before you start, create a list of questions (see below for some recommendations) you'll ask. A few skill-specific questions and a couple of open-ended, softer questions. This will allow you to gauge what the person is like. 

Anyone you interview should have passed some screening, meaning they have the skills for the position. Ensure you have recently reviewed the applicant's resume and know what questions you'll ask. Also, understand what deciding factors will emerge from the interview.

You'll likely use intuition and vibes to decide if your candidate is the right fit. Is this someone you'd want to spend all day working with or see at the company Christmas party?

If they are, jump into hiring.

Interview Questions for Small Businesses

1. Can you describe a time when you faced an unexpected challenge and had to think on your feet to resolve it? What was the situation, and how did you address it?
2. Imagine you’re on a job site, and a tool or equipment you need is unavailable or broken. How would you ensure the work gets done safely and on time?
3. Tell me about a time when you had to explain something complex to someone with less experience or knowledge in that area. How did you ensure their understanding?
4. Trade work often involves collaborating with others. Can you share an example of a successful team project you participated in? What role did you play, and how did you ensure the team achieved its goal?
5. In this industry, priorities can shift quickly. How do you handle changes in plans, such as a sudden change in job priorities or needing to learn a new skill on the job?