Make a job offer and pre-employment checks
Make the decision
After all the selection stages - interviews, tests or other assessments
- have been completed, you will have to decide which candidate comes
closest to your selection criteria. The decision should be made
as soon as possible, and should always be made fairly.
Write up your notes immediately after the interview and include
all relevant answers and details. This is useful both for decision-making
and providing feedback to the candidates - bear in mind that they
have a right to see interview notes. You should ensure that the
reasons you give for appointing or not appointing an individual
do not fall foul of discrimination legislation. See our guide on
how to prevent discrimination and value diversity.
Once your selected candidate has accepted the job, let the unsuccessful
candidates know that they have not been selected.
Ideas to consider
- Use a structured scoring system, rating candidates against
your selection criteria. This allows you to compare a candidate's
score with your ideal score, but beware of employing a candidate
who scores zero on an essential factor, even if they come top
overall.
- If you use a less formal system of comparing candidates with
what you are looking for, you must try to make your assessments
of candidates on an equal basis.
- You could try making an assessment sheet showing the reasons
for making offers, putting candidates on hold, or rejecting them.
Your reasons should relate to your selection criteria, interview
questions and, if applicable, the results of other tests or assessments.
- Decide on second and third choices if possible, in case your
first choice refuses the job offer.
- Let all applicants, both successful and unsuccessful, know of
your decision as soon as possible and tell them by phone or letter
if the decision is delayed, perhaps because you are waiting for
your first choice to respond.
- Be prepared to give positive feedback to unsuccessful
candidates on any aspects where they could do better next time.
Subjects covered in this guide
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