Who had the best skills and qualifications?

Going back through their CV and the notes you made, you should be able to grade each candidate based on the skills and qualifications they could bring to the role.

Consider implementing a scoring system if you’re really struggling between two candidates, to see how they stack up against each other in terms of skills and qualifications.

Who had the most experience?

Don’t just judge this on paper , make a note of anything that came up during the interview that really resonated with you. When you’re looking at their experience, you’re essentially judging their ability to do the job. How has their career progressed to date? Will this role satisfy them and be different enough from the role that they’re in at the moment?

Who came across best during the interview?

It’s as much about social skills as it is about qualifications and experience, so think about how you interacted with the candidate during the interview. Some people you naturally build up a rapport with and some you simply struggle to connect with. To answer this question, you need to imagine the candidate working within your business; would they fit with the company culture? How will they interact with the key individuals they’ll be working with? A bad fit in terms of company culture can have a really negative effect on moral.

Do I have any reservations?

If you feel like you’ve made your decision, but you have reservations, then don’t ignore them! You know your business, and any doubts you have are valid. Take the time to discuss the role with an impartial colleague, who can help you make sense of your thoughts.

If your reservations are still there, ask your recruitment partner to speak to the candidate, or speak to the candidates yourself to try and get an answer. Don’t simply rule out a strong contender without giving them the chance to win you over.

Then go ahead, make that decision!