Selection Process

In the selection process, the hiring team analyses all the input from interviews and assessments to determine which candidate to hire (if any).

This stage often involves a formal debrief meeting or discussion among the interviewers. It may include reference checking and final executive approvals.

The outcome is a decision on a finalist (and sometimes one or two backup candidates). Essentially, this is where the company asks: “Based on everything we’ve seen, who is the right person for the job?” and ensures due diligence before proceeding to offer.

Here are Steps in the Selection Process

Debrief/Hiring Meeting

After all interviews are completed for a candidate (or for a slate of candidates), the interviewers come together to discuss their evaluations.

In many top firms, interviewers submit their feedback and ratings independently before debrief to avoid groupthink and mitigate bias.

Amazon is strict about this – interviewers must enter their written feedback into the system prior to the group discussion. This way no one influences another’s initial impression. In the debrief meeting (which Amazon calls “closing the loop”), each interviewer shares their perspective. The debrief is often guided by the Bar Raiser who facilitates the discussion to ensure it stays evidence-based.

Key questions are considered: Did the candidate demonstrate the required competencies? Are there any red flags? Sometimes the Bar Raiser or hiring manager will ask questions like “Would you want to work with this person daily?” . Or “Does this person raise the bar for our team?” to spur thinking.

Google’s process involves a hiring committee at this stage. Hence, after the interviewers submit feedback, a committee of senior Googlers reviews all the candidate’s information collectively.

The hiring manager at Google cannot alone decide to hire someone. They can veto a candidate, but final yes requires group agreement. The idea is to take bias and personal whim out of the equation and rely on collective wisdom. This shocked many new managers, but Google stands by it. They believe that it prevents single managers from lowering standards or hiring buddies.

Comparative Evaluation

If multiple candidates made it through interviews, the team would compare them. Often there is a ranking or at least a clear top choice that emerges.

Scorecards help here: for example, if Candidate A scored consistently higher on all rubric items than Candidate B, that’s strong evidence. But sometimes it’s nuanced – one candidate might have stronger technical skills, another stronger leadership or culture fit. The team must weigh what’s more critical for the role.

This is where clarity from job intake about priorities is invaluable. If the intake established that, say, technical expertise weighs more than managerial experience for this role, that guides the decision.

No Hire Decision

It’s possible none of the candidates meet the bar. In such cases, the best practice (though painful) is to not hire and go back to sourcing, rather than settling. Jeff Bezos’s mantra “It’s better to wait than hire the wrong person” resonates here.

Companies like Amazon and Google do sometimes decide “no hire” if none of the final candidates are satisfactory. This can delay filling the vacancy but helps avoid a costly bad hire. Ideally, the reasons are documented so the team can recalibrate their search. For example, the job spec was unrealistic, or maybe they need to source a different talent pool).

Hiring Manager Decision & Approvals

In some organizations, after the group input, the hiring manager makes the final call (taking all feedback into account). In others, like Google, the hiring committee or a senior leader must sign off. Meta and Microsoft typically give the hiring manager the final say, but with strong guidance from the interview panel consensus.

If panel feedback is split, sometimes an “on the fence” candidate might be brought back for an additional interview or a follow-up discussion before deciding. There may also be an executive review for critical positions.

For example, a VP candidate might need CEO approval or a final interview with a top executive. If multiple candidates could fit the role, the manager might also consider team dynamics (who complements existing team skills better).

Selection Process Documentation

Part of selection is documenting why the selected candidate was chosen (and potentially why others were not). This is important for compliance (equal opportunity considerations) and for internal learnings. Many large companies have an internal system where the hiring team writes a brief summary of the decision.

Amazon’s Bar Raisers ensure there’s a record that the hire indeed “raises the bar”. They document how the person compared to current team members. Google’s hiring committee writes a hiring packet summary that goes up to an executive for sign-off.

Reference Checks

Many companies will conduct reference checks at this stage for the leading candidate(s). This typically means calling former employers or colleagues provided by the candidate. The idea is to verify the candidate’s past performance and perhaps catch any concerns.

Some companies do very extensive referencing (calling multiple contacts, verifying employment dates, etc.). Others rely less on it (reference checks can be perfunctory as few people will give a bad reference). That said, references can sometimes tip the scale between two finalists.

At executive levels, references are critical and often conducted by high-level managers. GE historically emphasizes on references and known performance.

Background Checks

Especially once a final candidate is identified (often labelled as “contingent offer” or “preferred candidate”), companies will run background checks. This will verify education, work history, check for criminal record (if relevant to job), etc.

This is usually a formality outsourced to background check firms. It’s generally done after a decision has been made but before the formal offer is finalized.

In reality, offers can be rescinded if a major discrepancy arises.