Shortlisting

This is the normally dreaded process of reviewing all applications and creating a shorter list of applicants you would like to meet within an interview.

The tools here have been created to help minimise the administration and organisation required to successfully and fairly shortlist your applicants.

Creating Shortlisters

The Shortlisters are critical to your application process. These are the staff members who will review the blinded application forms and provide feedback and make decisions. The way these shortlisters will shortlist the application forms is set within the Position Details.

You can assign someone to be a shortlister from the Manage Positions page. Next to each position there is a button to click directing you to add Shortlisters.

When adding a Shortlister to a position, simply type their name in and add them. You can have as many Shortlisters as you need.

You can also choose their role within the process. This includes options to let them advise only (View applications only) or to be actual decision-makers. There are more detailed options here including whether they are a final decision maker, meaning they can offer an applicant the job, or alternatively, if they can just make decisions on the application without making the final call. You can also allow some shortlisters to score applicants interviews or application questions without being able to make a decision on their progress.

Block Staff Applying for in-House Positions from Viewing Applications

Additionally, you can now use the Shortlister Manager page to block a staff member who would normally have access to the recruitment area from seeing a position.

This allows them to apply for a position but does not give them access to any of the notes, comments, or progress of applicants in that position.

To use this select the option Access Blocked (Overrides Admin Access).

Shortlisting Options

The method of shortlisting is set within the position details. You can find this via Recruitment > Manage Positions > Create new position. Under the General Settings tab go down to Shortlisting.
Depending on how you wish to shortlist the applications, there are various options.

Simple/Draft

This is the most basic option. It allows each application to be marked with a draft decision before the final decision is made.

Only one draft decision is allowed per application but this can be changed as many times as needed. No decision is communicated until the final decision is set.

Score

This method allows the shortlisters to provide a score for each answer within each blinded application.

You can choose to score each question out of: 

• Score Answers out of Three
• Score Answers out of Five
• Score Answers out of Ten

Once the whole application is scored, the shortlisted can submit (or “lock”) their scores. 

Calculating scores

When all scores for an application are received an locked then an average score is displayed. Total score calculations can either be made by creating an average of scores per question OR a total of each questions average score.

Applications can then be ordered with the highest score at the top and this allowing you to make decisions based on feedback from all shortlisters.

Vote

Coming soon.

This method allows each of the shortlisters to vote an application up or down. This will then allow the applications to be listed in order of the most votes. It will also display how many positive and negative votes each application received.
 

Make Changes to Live Application Forms

There is also the ability to edit the details of a live application form. You can edit the blinding/hidden options, page breaks, and scoring options and remove questions at any point in the application process.

To use this, go to Recruitment > Forms > Application Forms. You will see a list of forms that should be drafts or live forms. If a form is a draft and not live, you can edit every question and detail, but it must be live to be assigned to a position.

 To edit a live form, first make sure that it is live. You can tell if a form is live because if it is not live, it should have a Publish Draft button next to it. If the form is active, you should also see the option to Edit Live Form.

Once you have made your changes and saved the application form, it will immediately be updated.

Tracking Applications

Shortlisting & Applicant Status

As a shortlister, you are able to keep track of an applicant's progress.

At the top of each application, you will see an Applicant Summary box. This will provide information on both the position in general and the specific applicant you are currently viewing.

The first line will display how many positions you are looking to fill, how many people you are looking for, and how many have been offered and accepted.

You will also receive notifications if the applicant has applied to other positions in the system. The status of their other applications will also be displayed, and if you have access, links will be provided to view those other applications.

Applicant History

During the application process, you also have the ability to see an applicant's history, including custom messages that have been sent to them.

To do this, go to the position page, click to view the applicants who have applied for the position you are interested in and click View Application. From here, you should be able to see a button to view application history in the action bar, which will take you to a page listing all the developments with the application, including whether they have been invited for an interview, email transcripts and whether the applicant’s application has been transferred to another position.

Answer memory

The system will now remember previously answered questions from the same applicant and automatically pre-fill their application forms with the same details. The question titles must match exactly for the answers to be copied. This works well with subforms, too. This will happen automatically once you transfer an applicant, whether you clear scores or comments when transferring the application.

Applicants that are existing staff members

In addition to viewing the history of an application you can also see if the applicant is an existing employee (based on their email address) of your company when viewing applications. 

If they are, or were a member of staff you will be able to see whether they are a current staff member, a link to their staff profile and any onboarding steps they have completed will appear.
It is important to note that this option is only viewable when you are not part of the shortlisting process.
To use this go to Recruitment > Manage positions > Click to view all applicants on the position you are reviewing. Then click to view a specific application. Below the decision box where you can find portal login information, there is also information about whether they have been or are a staff member.

As always, please get in touch if you have any questions or suggestions. Email us at support@staffsavvy.com.