2. Once you’re familiar with the basic required qualifications, create a list of preferred qualifications that will help you screen further for the highest qualified candidates.
You’re bound to receive resumes from candidates who have additional requirements above and beyond the minimum requirements. For example, the minimum requirement may be a Bachelor’s degree but a person with a Master’s degree might have more to bring to your organization. So if the Master’s is a preferred degree, add it to your list of preferred qualifications. The candidates with the Master’s will be considered more highly qualified.
You may also want candidates to have experience in your specific industry. Again, this is a plus and makes the candidates more highly qualified. If a specific certification is not currently required for the position but will be required in the future, add the certification to the list of preferred qualifications. A candidate who is already certified will save your organization training time and money.
Make a list of these preferred qualifications for the job at hand, and check them off for each candidate. This will help you create a list of highest qualified candidates whom you may want to interview first. Then look at your minimally qualified candidates if needed.