Making Informed Hiring Decisions: A Comparative Approach
Selecting the right candidate from a pool of qualified applicants is a critical task. To ensure objectivity and fairness, organizations must implement structured comparison methods. By carefully evaluating candidates against job requirements, we can make data-driven hiring decisions that reduce bias and increase the likelihood of long-term success.
After interviewing some candidates for a vacancy it is easy to start getting confused about how the candidates compare to each other. If you have used the template for capturing information during interviews Job Applicant Interview Record then you will have a stack of records from those who have interviewed the candidates you are currently considering. How to bring it all together?
The template I am sharing here will help you with that:
Interviewers can also use this sheet to score each candidate they interview for a vacancy and then provided completed sheets back to the recruiter who consolidates all input received into one summary for final discussion and decision-making.
Change column headings in this template to match the key criteria that you have used in your Interview Records for this vacancy and use the average scores that each of the candidates obtained from interviewers when you create this summary. The Totals column adds up the overall score for each candidate so you can see how the scores compare and which candidates have scored better than others. This template is useful to the recruiter in advising the Hiring Manager on the outcomes of interviews to plan the next steps for that vacancy.
Variation option:
You can add a row for weighting specific criteria in the spreadsheet. For example, if you believe that one of the items is much more important than the others – could be language skills or supervisory experience – you can decide to give it a higher importance by adding a higher “weighting” to it. (All of the weights for each of the rated categories together should add up to 100)
The overall scores are now created by multiplying the score for each category with the weighting that you have assigned – based on the higher importance of some items.
The Job Candidate Summary template can help you create one simple document that contains all of the feedback received about a candidate during the interview phase. And this greatly benefits a focused discussion about the next steps with the Hiring Manager.
A well-structured candidate comparison process is not just about selecting the best candidate; it’s also about protecting your organization. By documenting your evaluation process, you create a defensible record that can withstand scrutiny from both internal and external stakeholders. This transparency builds trust and ensures fairness throughout the hiring process. Moreover, providing candidates with constructive feedback based on a clear evaluation framework demonstrates your commitment to professional development and enhances your employer brand.
The Rethink Shelf 