How to Screen Job Applicants (Canadian SMB Guide)

Step 1, Define must-haves before you read a single resume

Before reviewing applications, write out your criteria in two columns: must-haves (disqualifying if absent) and nice-to-haves (tiebreakers). A must-have is something the candidate cannot do the job without, a specific licence, a tool they'll use from day one, or a minimum level of relevant experience. Nice-to-haves are genuine differentiators but not dealbreakers. This separation matters because it forces you to challenge assumptions. Many employers list five-plus years of experience for roles where two years would suffice, which artificially shrinks the candidate pool and may disproportionately screen out candidates from protected groups (an indirect discrimination risk under the Ontario Human Rights Code).

When reviewing resumes, assess only against your defined criteria. Look for evidence of results, not just titles, “managed social media” tells you little; “grew Instagram following from 400 to 8,000 over 18 months” tells you a lot. Watch for unexplained gaps, but do not treat them as automatic disqualifiers, gaps often reflect caregiving, illness, or immigration, all of which touch protected grounds under Ontario law.

Step 2, Run a structured phone screen (5–7 questions)

A phone screen should take 20–30 minutes and accomplish one thing: confirm the candidate clears your must-have criteria before you invest in a full interview. Use the same five to seven questions with every candidate, this is what “structured” means, and it makes your process defensible and fair. Suggested phone screen questions for most roles:

• Can you walk me through how your background connects to what we're looking for?
• What is your availability, and when could you start?
• This role is [on-site / hybrid / full-time], does that work for you?
• The role pays $X–$Y. Is that in the range you're considering?
• Do you have [specific licence / certification / tool] we listed as required?
• What questions do you have about the role?

Note your answers immediately after the call using a consistent scoring sheet. Avoid mixing screening calls across multiple days without notes, memory is unreliable and introduces bias.

What you cannot ask under Ontario's Human Rights Code

The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination on the basis of 17 protected grounds. In the hiring context, this means questions, directly or indirectly, about the following are off-limits:

• Age, do not ask birth year, graduation year (inferring age), or “how many years until retirement?”
• Family status, do not ask about children, childcare arrangements, pregnancy plans, or marital status.
• Disability, do not ask about existing health conditions, physical limitations, or medication. You may describe the physical requirements of the role and ask if the candidate can perform them.
• Race, ancestry, or place of origin, do not ask where someone is from, about their accent, or about the country they were born in. You may ask about Canadian work authorization.
• Religion, do not ask about religious observance, scheduling restrictions for worship, or religious dietary requirements (unless the role itself has a legally valid occupational requirement).
• Criminal record, under Ontario's Human Rights Code, you may not discriminate based on a record for which a pardon has been granted. Ask only whether the candidate is legally authorized to work in Canada and, only for roles where a clean record is a bona fide occupational requirement, whether they have any relevant criminal convictions.

If a candidate volunteers information on a protected ground (e.g., mentioning a medical condition), do not record it or use it in your hiring decision. Redirect back to role-related questions.

Background checks: consent, scope, and timing

In Canada, background checks require the explicit written consent of the candidate before you run them. Consent must be informed, the candidate should know what type of check you are running (criminal record, credit, reference, education verification) and who will conduct it. Never run a background check without written consent; this violates PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) at the federal level.

Timing matters: run background checks after a conditional offer is extended, not during early screening. Running them at the resume or phone-screen stage sends the wrong signal and creates unnecessary legal exposure if you later decline to hire based on a protected ground. For roles with no bona fide occupational requirement for a clean record (most roles), consider whether a criminal record check is genuinely necessary.

Reference checks are separate from criminal record checks and can be conducted as part of the final interview stage. Ask open-ended questions of references: “How would you describe their approach to [responsibility]?” and “In what type of environment do they do their best work?” Avoid questions that invite protected-ground disclosure.

Assessment tools for small businesses

Skills assessments provide objective signal beyond interviews and resumes. For a small business without a dedicated HR function, keep it simple: a short take-home task relevant to the actual role (a writing sample, a short spreadsheet exercise, a 30-minute mock customer scenario) is more informative than a general aptitude test. Keep assessments short enough that candidates can reasonably complete them alongside other obligations, 60–90 minutes maximum for unpaid assessments. If the assessment takes longer, consider compensating candidates for their time. Free tools including Workable's assessment library and Google Forms can support structured scoring without expensive software.

Score assessments against a predefined rubric before reviewing who submitted them, where possible, this reduces the impact of the halo effect from earlier screening impressions.

Managing rejections professionally

Every candidate you communicate with is a potential customer, referral source, or future applicant. A rejection email sent within 5 business days of a decision is both professional and good for your employer brand. Keep it brief, warm, and non-committal on specifics: “We've moved forward with another candidate whose experience more closely matches what we need right now.” Never give detailed feedback in writing, it creates legal exposure if the candidate believes the stated reason differs from the actual one. You may offer brief verbal feedback to final-round candidates at your discretion. Keep records of your hiring decisions (the scoring sheets, structured interview notes) for at least one year in case a human rights complaint arises.

For more on the financial cost of getting hiring wrong, see our guide on employee turnover costs for Canadian SMBs.

Frequently asked questions