The Importance of Defining Resume Screening Criteria: A Key Task for Recruiters

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced hiring environment, defining resume screening criteria is more than just a step in the process—it’s the foundation of effective recruitment. As hiring volumes increase, and more applications flood in, creating clear and aligned criteria helps recruiters sift through resumes quickly and accurately. Without well-defined criteria, you risk wasting time on unqualified candidates or, worse, missing out on top talent.

A survey shows that up to 85% of resumes submitted for job openings are irrelevant to the position. This highlights the need for a well-planned and targeted approach when setting criteria. Working closely with your hiring team to define the right criteria from the start will save time, ensure better candidate matches, and improve overall hiring efficiency.

Brainner’s Approach to Criteria Definition

At Brainner, defining screening criteria is a critical part of our process. Our AI model was built to follow your instructions precisely, ensuring that it only highlights candidates that meet your specific requirements. This approach not only helps reduce bias but also ensures that human judgment is central to defining what matters. Our AI model steps in to handle the repetitive work, but humans stay in control of the key decisions.

This balance allows for faster and fairer resume screening. By clearly defining the criteria, recruiters set the foundation, and AI does the heavy lifting by analyzing resumes impartially, following the guidelines exactly. This helps remove unconscious bias from the process while ensuring the criteria align with your hiring goals.

Best Practices for Defining Resume Screening Criteria

We collaborate closely with our clients to help them define their screening criteria effectively during the onboarding process. Each new role presents its own challenges, and we constantly learn and improve our best practices. Here are some key takeaways:

1. The more specific the criteria, the more accurate the results.

Being detailed and clear makes it easier for Brainner to screen resumes accurately. Vague criteria can lead to confusion and inconsistency in the results.

Example:

• “Experience working at Google” (Too broad)
• “Experience working at global tech companies like Google with operations in the USA” (Much clearer)

2. Write criteria that answer the question: “What should the candidate meet?”

Example:

• “Must be based in the USA” (Clear)

• “USA” (Too vague)

3. Avoid abbreviations when writing criteria.

Abbreviations can cause confusion. Always spell things out for clarity.

Example:

• “Holds a degree in Business Computer Science” (Clear)
• “Holds a degree in BCS” (Unclear)

4. Quantify work experience and skills for accuracy.

By quantifying, you ensure the AI differentiates between junior and senior candidates.

Example:

• “5+ years of experience as a Back-End Developer” (Specific)

• “Experience as a Back-End Developer” (Vague)

5. Use Boolean logic (AND, OR, NOT) for complex criteria.

This ensures that candidates meet the exact combinations of skills and experience you’re looking for.

Example:

• “5+ years of experience with Adobe Premiere AND Adobe Illustrator AND Adobe Photoshop” (Precise)

6. Include relevant criteria beyond the job description.

There are often additional qualities or experiences that are important for the role but aren’t listed in the job description.

Example:

• “2+ years of experience at McDonald’s, Burger King, or KFC” (for specific industry experience)

7. Consider the frequency of job changes as a criterion.

While some job changes may be beyond the candidate’s control, it’s still a useful indicator for stability.

Example:

• “Has spent at least 2 years in each of the last 3 jobs.”

8. Decide whether to consider soft skills.

Although it can be hard to evaluate soft skills from a resume, Brainner’s AI can offer an initial assessment based on the content. Some users choose to use this data to complement their decision-making process.

Conclusion

Defining criteria for resume screening is a key task that needs careful planning and alignment with your hiring goals. Brainner’s AI-driven resume screening, combined with well-defined criteria, helps reduce bias, improve efficiency, and ensure that recruiters focus on the right candidates. By working closely with our clients, we continue to refine and perfect the process to help recruiters make better decisions, faster.