Imagine you’re an employer and fall into that lucky situation of not only having one great candidate for a role, but two! Sometimes, having two fabulous candidates can make the decision process substantially harder. There’s numerous elements to think about when this happens, and you want to ensure that you make a decision you won’t regret in a few months time. Below, we’ve put together our top tips on how to ensure you are choosing the very best candidate for the job.

Meeting in a Relaxed Setting

The interview process may have been very formal so far, so inviting each candidate for an informal relaxed meeting can do the world of good for the process. Perhaps invite them to a morning in the office. Try to incorporate the team into this as it will give you a good indication of how the candidates will work with other members of staff.

Seeing them in a relaxed setting will show you more of their personality. This isn’t always easy to detect in a formal interview. By introducing them to the team, you are getting them on board for whichever candidate you choose. Your team could also have an input and voice their favourite too; after all, they do have to work with them as well.

Take References

You should make an effort to contact the candidates past employers. Ask each candidate for details on their past employer and contact these for a verbal reference. Ultimately, by talking to someone who’s worked with this person, you can get a better idea on the candidate’s’ cultural fit and personality.

Look at the Future of Your Team

The person you choose will remain with your organisation for the foreseeable future, and so it’s a good idea to consider your company’s future plans. If your team is going to expand, someone who has worked in larger teams would perform better in that particular environment. Likewise, if you are going to expand internationally, someone who can speak multiple languages may be beneficial to the company.

Additionally, do you have skills gaps in your team that you would like to fill? Which candidate has these skills?

Finally…

Be sure to ask the candidate their thoughts on the role, the salary, notice periods, etc. One candidate might be more likely to accept an offer than the other. It’s better to address these issues before you’ve decided on a definite individual. However, you need to make sure that you keep both candidates in the loop during the recruiting process. And finally, ensure that you take the time to give the candidate that isn’t hired some feedback.

If you aren’t in the fortunate position to have two candidates to choose from, and would like to see a selection of candidates apply for your roles, be sure to contact us today.