Prerequisite Criteria Pre-Selection
RCTReview
Standard job postings often fail to convey soft-skill or firm-specific requirements, leading to mismatched candidate applications and high screening costs for recruiters.
Picture this
It is like a customized order form at a restaurant. Instead of just asking for a "sandwich," the customer specifies 1 to 5 non-negotiable dietary rules with the chef, guaranteeing that kitchen staff only send out plates that meet those exact criteria.
What the evidence says
Treated firms experienced a 122% increase in vacancies assigned the prerequisites pre-selection service (0.028 increase over a 0.034 control mean, p < 0.01), where counselors co-defined 1 to 5 unobservable screening criteria with employers.
- Who was studied
- N = 7,438 small and medium-sized firms (5 to 250 employees) in France.
- How
- OLS regression with agency-clustered standard errors measuring specific recruitment sub-services assigned to posted vacancies.
What to do
Establish 1 to 5 non-negotiable prerequisite criteria directly with hiring managers before shortlisting candidates to align candidate screening with unstated firm needs.
From the source
"Special criteria involves working with the employer to establish a maximum of 1-5 prerequisites, on which to select candidates that are not necessarily observable in the vacancy posting... Coefficient and control mean indicates that treated firms are much more likely to receive this service for their vacancies, +122%."
Are_Active_Labor_Market_Policies_Directed_at_Firms_Effective_Evidence.pdf