How to Choose Between Two Awesome Candidates

Interviews are over and it’s come down to two awesome candidates. Now that you’ve solved the issue of finding someone to fill the gap on your team, you’ve got a different problem. How do you choose between these two, strong contenders?

Evaluate Their Enthusiasm About the Job

Remember, hiring is a two-way street. You may be eager to add the candidate to your team, but the feeling may not be mutual. It’s possible that the candidate may have lingering questions about the role responsibilities, the team culture, growth opportunities, and more. Think back to the interviews with each candidate:

• Who asked more insightful questions?
• Was one candidate more engaged than the other during the process?
• How quickly did they follow-up? Etc.

Consider the Logistics

What does each candidate need in order to accept the role? You will want to assess:

• Candidate salary requirements
• Your company’s benefits packages
• Other intangible benefits offered by your company

Ensure you’re able to fulfill candidate expectations. These are dominating factors that will help you make a final decision.

Think Long-Term

Your company may look entirely different in 5 years. Which candidate has the potential to grow with your team, while still meeting the requirements of today? Appraise their coachability, desire to continuously learn, and their capacity for future leadership. Don’t overlook any other talents or skills a candidate may possess – it can add more value to your team in the long run.

Take Them out for a Beer With Your Team

It doesn’t have to be beer! The goal is to find out who meshes better with your team. The best way to find this out is to take them out of the interview environment and into the real world.

How do they socialize with their peers? What do they talk about? A relaxed environment may also give more insight into who the candidate is, what they care about, and how they may work with other team members.

Why Choose?

Still having trouble deciding? Then, why choose! If you’ve experienced a struggle in hiring talent in the past, you may want to take hold of this awesome opportunity and hire both candidates. Especially, if your business or team is experiencing rapid growth.

If you’ve got the budget and approval from other leaders at the company, consider this situation a slam dunk. You’ll be in good shape to help move new initiatives forward and/or reduce a heavy employee workload.

Congrats on finding a great candidate! To ensure your ideal candidate accepts your offer, read these 8 Tips for Closing Candidates.

Visit The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Digital Talent page for more information about how to choose the best candidates!