How to Decide Between Two Well-Qualified Job Candidates

Business leaders and hiring managers are often required to make difficult decisions when it comes to hiring new employees. It can be especially challenging to decide between two job candidates that both have excellent qualifications. Here are three practical suggestions you should try to make the decision-making process easier.

Evaluate Their Cultural Fit

If you are experiencing difficulty deciding between two great candidates, you should start by evaluating each candidates’ fit in your company culture. A company’s culture, brand, or personality has a powerful impact on the overall success of your team. Therefore, it’s essential to hire employees that will be a good fit for your company.

Make a list of the specific characteristics that define your company culture. Then, compare that list with each candidate’s resume, qualifications, and personality. Ask yourself which candidate will be most adaptable to your company culture. Some candidates will naturally understand your company’s culture; these candidates are great options!

Look for Special Skills

Another way to decide between two well-qualified candidates is to look for special skills. Every candidate will come with a set of unique strengths and weaknesses. As you conduct your interviews, keep an eye out for candidates with specialized skills that can make a difference for your company. You may be surprised at the diverse skillset a candidate might have. Sometimes their special skills can even save your company money. There are benefits to hiring someone with strategy skills. Candidates with strategy skills will most likely excel at analysis and critical thinking, allowing them to be great problem solvers.

Check Their References

Checking a candidate’s references is a smart way to make a hiring decision. Just as you might read the online reviews before buying a new product, you should call a candidate’s references to validate their information. A reference check can also provide important details about an applicant’s personality, past accomplishments, and ability to work well with others. Additionally, a reference check can save you from making a big hiring mistake by alerting you to any important information. Before conducting a reference check, you should prepare some specific questions that will help you get to know an applicant’s skills. Make sure to also get their previous employer’s impression of their work.

Business leaders and hiring managers will find that deciding between two well-qualified candidates becomes easier as they evaluate an applicant’s cultural fit, look for special skills, and conduct a reference check. These three strategies will help employers obtain all the information they need to make the best decision.

We can help you to find quality candidates to fill the positions at your company. Contact us to get started!