Employment Background Check | 7 Essential Questions To Ask When Phone Screening Pt. 3
Employment Background Check | 5. What are their salary expectations?
It’s an unfortunate fact but the majority of applicants will typically ‘stretch’ the truth slightly in response to this particular question. It’s also important to ascertain what salary they are currently on.
So you might also want to ask, “If I were to ask to see a pay slip, what salary will it indicate you are on now?”. Whilst it might cause an awkward silence or a nervous cough, you are more likely to get a straight answer.
If you don’t ask this particular question (even if you clearly indicated a salary range in your job ad) you may end up brining a candidate in to meet you whose salary expectations are drastically misaligned.
Waste. Of. Time.
6. What is their notice period?
If a candidate tells you they are immediately available (and not working), you need to quickly find out the backstory. Similarly if your need is urgent and when you ask your applicant for their notice period they say “six weeks”, well there’s no point in wasting anybody’s time on this occasion.
Asking this question can also suddenly make the whole job hunting process become very real for any job seeker. If they say “Gosh I’m only just starting to put the feelers out” (or words to this extent), well then they certainly shouldn’t necessarily go straight to the top of your interview shortlist.
7. What is their availability like for an interview in the next few days?
You might get a similar reaction here to the question about their notice period. But if an applicant says they’re just really busy and wouldn’t be able to meet you until next week at the earliest, then again you need to question how serious they are about their whole job searching process.
If they say they can meet with you before or after work tomorrow or that they’ll “do anything to make it happen” because the position looks perfect, then you might just be on to something.
The way an applicant responds to each of the above questions can tell you a lot about them and about just how serious they are about finding a new job. So listen very carefully to what they have to say.
Remember you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. It’s only a 10 – 15 minute telephone call. So make sure you’re listening twice as much as you’re speaking! –Recruit loop
Learn what ESA can do for you! Call 866-830-3724 to discuss employment background check services or complete the form on www.esascreening.com now!