Towards the end of open job recruitment, hiring managers might find themselves faced with the decision of how to choose between similar job applicants. When multiple strong candidates are vying for only one open position, employee selection can be a tough call. What to consider regarding employee selection between two equally qualified applicants?

Tomato vs. Tomahto: 3 Tips for Employee Selection 

1. Stay Neutral: Remaining unbiased in the hiring process is vital to making the best decision about employee selection for your company. Even if a candidate has connections within an organization, their skills and qualifications are what will enable them to perform their job. Pre-interview, consider creating an interview screening guide with a related rating scale to remove potential bias or preference during the employee selection process. Use the same questions and ratings for each candidate for comparison. Post-interview, if you haven't used such an interview guide, consider tactics like listing pros and cons or SWOT analysis for each finalist. Solicit feedback from others in the interview process aligning the feedback to your specific criteria. Avoid generalities as to which candidate is more likable. When faced with the cold facts who would you choose?

2.Past Performance: Conducting employment and character references during the hiring process will provide substantial insight into an employee's prior track record. Learning more about a candidate's performance with previous employers can indicate a potential employee's work ethic and professional ability in the workplace. If speaking with a former employer is not possible, don't be afraid to go with your gut feeling. Benchmark your ideas against those of human resources and other departmental managers to keep your unconscious bias in check.

3. Desire: Your finalists may be closely matched in skills and qualifications. Likely they are both excellent communicators with a pleasant demeanor. Sometimes it may just come down to which shows the most considerable interest in the job! Does one demonstrate passion and excitement at the prospect of working for you? Did he/she send thank you notes along the way? Did he/she check in regularly to express interest and keep the process moving? Did one ask for the job outright?

Determining who the strongest final candidate is can be a tough decision. Remaining consistent and unbiased will assist in the decision regarding employee selection. The right hire can make a big difference in the right company; choose wisely!