Inside Our 6-Step Candidate Screening Process

When you bring a new worker onto your job site, you're trusting them with your equipment, your customers and the safety of your team. That's why screening is at the heart of what we do at Aggressive Hiring Group. In 12 years of placing workers for employers in Monroe, MI and nationwide, we've learned that a careful, consistent process is the best way to send people who show up ready to work.

Here's a look inside the six steps every candidate goes through before we recommend them to you.

Step 1: Reviewing resumes and cover letters

We start with the basics. We read each résumé and cover letter to understand a candidate's work history, the kinds of roles they've held and how long they've stayed in past positions. We look for experience that lines up with your job, and we note anything that needs a closer look, such as gaps or frequent job changes, so we can ask about it later.

Step 2: Verifying qualifications and assessing experience and skills

A résumé tells us what someone says they can do. This step is about confirming it. We verify qualifications such as licenses and certifications where they apply, and we assess whether the candidate's experience and skills actually match what your role requires, whether that's operating a forklift, running office software or working in an engineering environment.

Step 3: Conducting phone or video interviews

Next, we talk with the candidate directly. A phone or video interview helps us understand how they communicate, what kind of work they're looking for and whether their goals match the position. It's also where we start to get a sense of their personality and work ethic, which are just as important as skills.

Step 4: Administering pre-employment assessments

For many roles, we administer pre-employment assessments, including personality and IQ assessments. These give us an additional, objective view of how a candidate thinks, solves problems and is likely to fit into a team. They help us match people to the right job, not just any job.

Step 5: Performing background and reference checks

Trust matters. We perform background checks and contact references to confirm work history and learn how candidates have performed for past employers. References often tell us things an interview can't, like whether someone was reliable, worked well with others and would be welcomed back.

Step 6: Performing 10-panel drug screening

Finally, candidates complete a 10-panel drug screening. For employers in manufacturing, warehousing, logistics and other hands-on industries, this is an important safety step. It helps protect your workers, your equipment and your business.

Why culture fit is part of the process

Throughout all six steps, we're looking for more than a checklist. We look for candidates who fit your company culture: their personality, work ethic and skill. Someone who gets along with your team and takes pride in their work is far more likely to stay and succeed.

We also maintain an extensive network of pre-screened candidates. That gives you access to talent that may not be active on traditional job boards, or that an in-house recruiting process might overlook. Because many candidates are already screened, we can often respond faster when you need people.

A simple start for candidates

Our applications are 100% paperless through our online job board (opens in a new tab). That makes it easy for good candidates to apply and helps us keep the process organized and moving.

Experience behind every step

Aggressive Hiring Group is a woman-owned, family-run staffing company. Tim Clark brings more than 30 years of staffing experience, and that experience shapes how we screen. We know what to look for because we've seen what works and what doesn't over many years of placing workers.

Whether you need one person or a full crew, temp-to-hire or direct hire, we'd be glad to put our process to work for you. Call our Monroe office at 734.785.8968, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, or request staff online.