April 1997
- Size and Composition of the Hiring Committee/Panel
In determining the size of the committee/panel, the nature of the position needs to be taken into account, particularly with respect to the involvement of members outside the department. In some cases, it may be appropriate to include external members when the position requires interaction on a regular basis with varied client groups. Under normal circumstances, the incumbent should not be included on the panel; however, situations may arise where this is necessary (e.g., the duties of the position are unknown to a new manager). If the hiring manager is not the direct supervisor, it may or may not be necessary for her/him to be a part of the committee/panel; in fact, it may, in some cases, be impractical. In all cases, a representative from Human Resources should serve as a resource to the committee/panel. - Information to Candidates
Candidates, particularly internal ones, should be informed of the names and positions of the committee/panel members. Candidates who have concerns about any member of the committee/panel have the right to voice this concern to the hiring manager or Human Resources. However, the decision to remove the committee/panel member is at the sole discretion of the hiring manager. - Decision Making Process
At the outset, the committee/panel should have a clear mandate (e.g., identify a short list for final interview by the hiring manager; make the hiring decision; make a recommendation to the hiring manager if the hiring manager is not a member of the committee/panel). Mindful that in some cases unanimity may not be reached, the committee/panel should operate in a consensus mode.
Committee/panel members should be present for all interviews. Advice and direction on the way in which interviews should be structured can be obtained from Human Resources. However, in all cases, interview structures should be identical for each candidate (e.g., the panel/committee should identify a list of questions to ask each candidate; introductory comments by the committee/panel chair should be similar; candidates should be given the opportunity to ask questions). - Confidentiality
All discussions and decisions reached by panel/committee members must remain confidential. Information relating to the candidates or the recruitment process should not be shared with any person outside the committee/panel. Information to the panel/committee from candidates or vice versa should flow through the chair of the committee/panel or delegate.