How Many Candidates Are Usually Shortlisted For An Interview? (With 2024 Relevant Examples)

Getting shortlisted for an interview after clearing that screening round is a tough nut to crack. There are many candidates out there who have either faltered or not screened due to shortcomings in resumes. You will also find a few candidates who excelled academically and had relevant work experiences but still, they were not able to make it to the next round. Hence, first of all, congratulations to all our readers, on clearing your first hurdle and getting shortlisted for the interview. Now, understand the various shortlisting scenarios which differ from field to field, explained below.

Shortlisting Scenarios In Different Fields

1) Engineering Sector

Engineers are always in demand and this sector as a whole considering all its branches is always booming and prospering with job offers round the year. There are different engineering fields, and shortlisting scenarios in major fields is discussed below:

a) Civil Engineering

Being an evergreen sector, due to consistent and continuous development activities taking place all over the world, the demand is more than the supply. But in conditions of depression and a contracting economy, we tend to see less focus on infrastructure activities. Hence, we must consider the following situations:

Situation	Scenario
Period of a boom in the economy	Everyone who has applied will get shortlisted
Period of depression in the economy	Usually, half of those who have applied get shortlisted i.e. a shortlisting percentage of 50

b) Information Technology or Computer Science Engineering

With the advent of technology and technological boom, the demand for IT engineers has skyrocketed and this demand is steady and consistent. Now technology has become an integral part of the business and no business can survive without being dependent on technology. Such is the need for IT Engineers, that there is always a huge demand for them which overtakes the supply. Shortlisting scenarios depend upon,

Size of the organization	Shortlisting scenario
Big tech giants like Google, Apple, Facebook	Everyone will be shortlisted i.e. a shortlisting percentage of 100
Mid Cap tech firms	Everyone will be shortlisted i.e. a shortlisting percentage of 100
Small firms	Around 70% of the applications will be shortlisted, due to constricted budget and limited clients

c) Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering

Both these fields see a relevant and active demand, though less when compared with the Technological sector. The no. of applications are huge and the job openings are almost at par with the supply. The shortlisting scenarios are:

Situations	Shortlisting scenario
Period of a boom in the economy	Around 90% of applications will be shortlisted
Period of depression in the economy	Around 75% of applications will be shortlisted

2) For Vacancies Generated In Government Offices

The openings generated in public offices or government sectors are less and inconsistent. Since they involve fields such as social services, public welfare, and administration, the demand for such sectors is huge, and almost each and every candidate apply for a handful of vacancies. This leads to very strict competition and a drastically lower selection ratio.

The scenario of shortlisting is pretty poor and depends upon the number of vacancies generated for the year or that particular batch. Usually, the no. of applications shortlisted are five to six times the no. of applicants available for the interview stage.

For example, If there are 200 candidates available for selection for the interview stage (the rest of the candidates were eliminated in previous stages) then 1000 to 1200 candidates are called for taking part in the interview process.

3) Jobs Related To Educational Institutions

When we talk about educational Institutions, we refer to Schools, Colleges, and Private coaching centers. The shortlisting scenarios differ for each institution, that largely depends on the number of vacancies available, as explained below:

Name of the educational institution	Reasons	Shortlisting scenario
Schools	Present in huge numbers, and generates huge vacancies. Both private and public funding available, with a high level of applications overtaking the demand.	Around 80% of the applications will be shortlisted
Colleges	Present in moderate numbers and generates a moderate level of vacancies. Both private and public funding available, with a high level of applications overtaking the demand.	Around 75% of the applications will be shortlisted
Big coaching institutes	Present in moderate numbers and supported by private funding. With a limited budget and cut-throat competition, they prefer to move with caution, leading to a lower generation of vacancies and more applications.	Around 70% of the applications will be shortlisted
Small coaching institutes	Present in huge numbers, in the form of sole proprietorships. With a limited budget, they generate fewer vacancies and thus receives fewer applications, leading to a high chance of shortlisting.	Around 90% of the applications will be shortlisted

4) For Vacancies Generated At Fast Food Restaurants

Due to a huge demand for their products and services, and their consistently increasing number, the vacancies generated by them are large in numbers and open for everyone, even for a teenager aged merely fifteen. The number of applications is not that high, due to their ultra-low salary and poor job security offered by them. Still, teenagers and less qualified candidates apply for these jobs. The demand generated in these jobs overtakes the supply.

Shortlisting Scenario

Often everyone who applies for the job gets shortlisted for an interview thereby maintaining a shortlisting percentage of 100. If you possess a calm attitude and decent communication skills, it is highly likely that you will end up with a job at these kinds of restaurants.

5) Openings In The Tourism and Aviation Sector

These sectors are directly related to the lifestyle of the people and attract candidates due to their charm and elegance. They still receive a huge number of applications.

6) Medical Sector

The medical sector has always been timeless and evergreen. The doctors and other medical staff draw high salaries. The openings are huge in numbers and almost everyone who applies gets shortlisted and even hired.

7) Accounting Field

There are various fields related to commerce that includes Auditing, Financial Analysis, Accountant, Tax Consultants, etc. Almost all organizations require at least one of them, thereby making their job prospects bright coupled with a high no. of vacancies. The demand for these roles is almost at par with the supply and around 80% to 90% of the applicants are shortlisted for the interview round. Though, the interview conducted is highly technical and requires a thorough understanding of the role offered and core principles.

8) Hospitality Sector

Similar to aviation and tourism, the hospitality sector includes hotels, restaurants, and bars. This sector enjoys popularity due to its glamorous and attractive avatar, and thus candidates pursuing a degree in hotel management, apply in huge numbers. Until the prospects become bright for this sector, it would continue to shortlist and hire a lower no. of people, than it used to. As per the latest trend, it shortlists only 10% of the total no. of applications received.

Conclusion

To come to a definitive percentage of shortlisting, is almost inevitable, due to its dependence on a variety of factors, situations, and consequences. The popularity of the job, budgetary constraints, political situations, demand and supply factors, and the environment in which the business operates, are the main factors that affect and influence the shortlisting percentage greatly.

Thus, this article will help you to get a fair idea of the current shortlisting scenario present in the various fields. If you like our articles then don’t forget to share them with your family and friends. Also, do share in the comments section below, how much you like our articles.

References

1. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-319-13479-6.pdf#page=211
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2007.02972.x