A Selection Committee is a group of people who are responsible for making a hiring decision for a particular position. Selection Committees can be used to reduce bias, ensure that the best candidate is selected, and increase diversity in the workplace. Selection Committees can be comprised of people from different departments, supervisors, peers, and clients/customers. It is important that the committee members are diverse in order to get different perspectives about a particular candidate or applicant pool. Ideally, the committee should include a mix of men and women.
To help make a fair and inclusive hiring decision, a Selection Committee should consist of individuals who are knowledgeable about the job requirements, have experience in the hiring process, and who can evaluate the candidates without preconceived notions or personal agendas. It is also helpful to have someone on the committee who can educate the committee members about unconscious cognitive bias and how it might affect their evaluations of applicants.
In addition, a Selection Committee should use a variety of methods to evaluate the applicant pool. For example, they should use a combination of structured and informal discussion techniques, such as pairing or small group discussions and individual interviews with applicants. They should also use a range of assessment tools, including self-reporting and objective assessments of applicants’ skills and abilities. Lastly, they should discuss and agree on the criteria that they will be using to evaluate applicants, before reviewing or discussing any nominations. This prevents unintentional “criteria-shifting” that can occur as the committee reviews candidates.
The Selection Committee should also ensure that all members can participate in the deliberations and meetings, within the time-frame that is established at the outset of the process. Selection committee members should be willing and able to give their full attention and support the process, and they should not be replaced by others in the case of absences or conflicts of interest.
It is critical that the Selection Committee understands that their decisions will impact the lives of the candidates and their family members. Therefore, it is imperative that they follow the University’s conflict of interest policies and procedures. In the event of a conflict of interest, the Chair should declare it and ask the members to vote on a different candidate.
One final point about Selection Committee is that they should always keep their discussions and evaluations confidential, as this will help them avoid unconscious bias. They should also be encouraged to talk through differences of opinion, as this will lead to better and fairer hiring decisions.
If a Selection Committee member feels that they are not able to be impartial in their evaluations, they should consider withdrawing from the committee. This is to protect the integrity of the Selection Committee and the hiring process. If the committee does not have a chair, it is recommended that a person from the Human Resources division should be assigned to facilitate the deliberations of the Selection Committee.