As careers progress the expectations for both the employer and job seeker increase. Employers anticipate finding job seekers with numerous cost-saving or cost-generating achievements, management and leadership skills and advanced written and verbal communication skills. Skills relevant to the industry or position sought are expected to be more complex with industry knowledge should also be higher as job seekers climb their career ladders. The pressures and expectations are all ready high before the executive/senior level job seeker ever enters the interview.

At this point in the job seekers career, they too have developed certain expectations for the positions they accept. Salary levels are expected to be within a particular range, along with benefits, retirement plans, hours worked, and project sizes or responsibility levels. The higher the career level, the more leverage the job seeker expects to have while time becomes a premium commodity. In order to eliminate wasted preparation time and effort of both the employer and job seeker a screening interview can be very helpful.

What is a screening interview?  It is usually a telephone based communication that gives the employer a chance to evaluate current or future opportunities with the job seeker. The employer usually instigates screening interviews however, job seekers should understand that screening interviews could be equally used and even initiated by them. Finding out critical preliminary information and uncompromising criteria can save the employer and job seeker a lot of time and money.

The screening interview takes place after the resume has been sent and reviewed by the employer and an interview offer has been extended. Before accepting the interview invitation if it is felt there are issues to be addressed before the interview can even be scheduled, then it is important to set up and complete the screening as a determining factor for interview acceptance.

Factors that can initiate a screening interview for an employer are many but some include travel or relocation expectations, and skills levels or starting date availability. For the job seeker it can be issues that would not be up for discussion. It could be benefits, work week hours, available advancement or the company having a definite retirement package that the job seeker feels must be available.

Being honest and upfront about job expectations will let employers know the executive job seeker is serious about the job search, has a certain level of goals and expectations, and is direct and confident enough to bring up these critical issues before wasting precious interview time or even accepting the job and then leaving shortly after realizing expectations didn’t meet reality.

Job seekers gain confidence as careers progress so screening interviews are seen more often at higher levels in professional and executive career levels but should be considered at any level. The employee search is expensive and time consuming for companies and being upfront about personal expectations will save company time and give them a better impression of your goals and potential. Either way a winning outcome for both the job seeker and the employer.