The whole candidate screening process can be a real pain. It takes a lot of time you don’t have and it’s very tedious. No one really likes to do it.

One of the challenges stems from the ease with which candidates can apply. Clicking a button on a website is all it takes and that’s too easy – it doesn’t require the candidate to put any effort into applying and thus allows too many unqualified candidates to clog up your inbox.

Here’s one way to lighten the load.

Set up a voicemail box on your phone system to accept candidate calls. Program the greeting message with an invitation to answer a question you can use to help screen them:

“Thanks for your interest in the position! Please leave a message clearly stating your name, phone number and take as much time as you like to answer the following question: Based on what you know about the position, explain why you think you would be a good fit.”

Now you are in a position to listen to a batch of applicants in one sitting and screen out quickly without trying to decipher a resume.

You can call back any interesting candidates for a few more screening questions before putting them on a shortlist for further investigation.

To make this work, you’ll need a well-written ad that gives clear instructions and which clearly describes what you’re looking for in the ideal candidate. The bonus is that it also tests the candidates’ ability to follow your instructions.