A Selection Committee is a group of people responsible for selecting an individual to fill a position within a company. Selection committees are used to ensure a variety of perspectives are considered in the hiring process and to eliminate biases that may arise from individual decision makers. Selection committees can be a great way to streamline the hiring process and make more efficient decisions. However, a successful Selection Committee requires careful planning and preparation, both from the candidate and committee members.
Ultimately, the committee uses the NET rankings as one of many resources/tools in the overall selection, seeding and bracketing process. Each member independently evaluates a vast amount of data during the process to form their own subjective opinions and votes. This individualized process results in different decisions for each individual committee member.
The selection committee is composed of a mix of supervisors, peers and clients/customers to provide a broad range of perspectives on the job incumbent and requirements. Attention should also be given to human diversity in terms of gender, race, ethnicity and functional expertise in order to maximize the effectiveness of the selection committee.
In the event a selection committee has a conflict of interest or commitment, it is the responsibility of each individual committee member to advise the chair as soon as possible, and if necessary, to withdraw from the committee. Likewise, it is the responsibility of each individual committee members not to discuss any committee business with others outside of the committee and/or interviewees.
Ideally, Selection Committee members have an extensive knowledge of the college basketball landscape and of all teams in their respective regions. This extensive knowledge is gained through personal observations, discussion with coaches, directors of athletics and commissioners, review and comparison of a wide range of data and more. Additionally, Selection Committee members are expected to watch a significant number of games – both live and televised – during the course of the selection process.
Selection Committee members do not receive compensation for their participation in the selection, seeding and bracketing process. However, they are reimbursed for expenses associated with their involvement.
In the rare case of a tie, the committee chair has the final call on the placement of all at-large teams. Similarly, in the event of a tie for the top overall seed, the committee chair has the final call on that decision.
Preparing for a Selection Committee interview can be an overwhelming task, both as a candidate and a committee member. The key to success is staying organized and being cognizant of the committee’s style of meeting, as well as maintaining open dialogue throughout the process. This will lead to a productive and successful Selection Committee interview.