Principles of shortlisting

Be objective

Shortlisting involves assessing each applicant against the criteria set out in the person specification. You must not let other aspects of the application influence your decision. Making decisions based on things such as gaps in service or the fact that an application is handwritten could be discriminatory. For example, a gap in service may be due to long term sickness and a handwritten application may be linked to a disability.

Take into account skills gained from the applicant's full life experience. For example, an individual may have managed a budget for a sports club or playgroup even if they have not done so in paid employment. It is, however, for the applicant to draw your attention to that experience.

Do not add further criteria

Never add further criteria after the role has been advertised. While candidates may provide evidence of a particular ability, quality or qualification, if it isn't part of the essential and desirable criteria of the role it must not be used to assess the candidate in relation to the role, and must not be then considered for other candidates.

Equality and diversity

Always be mindful of protected characteristics and stick objectively to the person specification. Refer back to the equality and diversity guidelines if you are uncertain.

Fairness

You should endeavour to be fair and unbiased. If there is a conflict of interest or potential 'nepotism' you should avoid involvement in the recruitment process. However, there are times when prior knowledge of a candidate is unavoidable. In such cases panel members should declare their position and during assessment of candidates known to them allow other panel members to assess first before stating an opinion.