How to use the short listing matrix

General principles:

The short-listing process is confidential and the panel should be at least two members of the Appointment Panel.

Any member of the Appointment/Short-listing Panel, who knows any candidate other than as a member of Edinburgh Napier staff, must declare this to the Panel Chair.

The short-listing matrix should be used to record the process and will form part of the Recruitment and Selection documents kept by HR for legal reasons.

You should only use the candidate’s application form for shortlisting. Any extra documents/ information, including cv’s attached to the application form should not be used as part of the shortlisting process.

DO NOT introduce any new criteria at the short-listing stage.

Reasons for success and rejection of candidates must be written down.The forms must be completed fully, legibly and appropriately as candidates can request feedback and to see all of the Recruitment & Selection documents.

Further guidance on the process and principles of shortlisting are on the HR intranet site.

Using the Matrix:

Each member of the short-listing panel should have their own copy of the matrix.

The short-listing matrix should be used to record the panel’s considerations of each applicant and show clearly which applicants meet which criteria and why they were short-listed.

All completed shortlist matrix should be returned to HR together with all application forms. These will be kept on file in HRfor 3 months from the interview date in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

The matrix must clearly show the date of the shortlisting panels meeting; job title of the vacant post; names and signatures of those who shortlisted.

No weighting will be attached to any of the skills (no more importance will be given to one essential criteria than another).

The ‘essential criteria’ identified in the person specification (and included in the job description andfurther particulars) should be used for the first stage of short-listing and be listed on the matrix and replace the numbers 1-15 which are on the horizontal top line of the grid.

How to score

0-No demonstration of skill/ experience/ qualification

1-Mentions the skill/ experience/ qualification

2-Mentions and brief example of skill/ experience/ qualification

3-In depth example and detail of skill/ experience/ qualification and relates their example back to the Job Description.

You should use the scoring matrix using the essential criteria.

If a candidate gets a 0 for any of the essential criteria they should not be shortlisted as they do NOT meet the essential requirements of the post.

Candidates that have met ALL of the essential criteria will then also be assessed against the ‘Desirable’ criteria to reduce the number of candidates to interview. These criteria should be listed on the matrix after the essential criteria and replace the numbers 1-15 which are on the horizontal top line of the grid.

Once this is done, you will add the total scores of essential and desirable characteristics. This will give you your candidates in rank order from which you choose the 7 highest scores to interview. (this is the ideal number, sometimes it might be more or less )

Shortlisting Matrix: Example

Post: PA to the Director / Grade:3 / Department/ School:Director Service
Candidate name / E / HNC/HND in an admin area or equivalent or demonstrable relevant experience as in person spec. / Extensive relevant experience of providing admin & secretarial support. / IT skills, including word processing, spreadsheets & databases, in Microsoft Office software. / Experience of working of using diplomacy in a senstive or confidential work environment / Excellent oral & written communication skills. / Excellent organisational & interpersonal skills. / Ability to organise own workload. / Ability to manage multiple projects & meet conflicting deadlines. / Total
(24)
Jo Bloggs / S / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 0 / 1 / Not shortlisted
Annette Street / S / 1 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 15
Joanne Short / E / 2 / 3 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 15
Aidan List / N / 0 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 1 / 3 / 1 / 3 / Not shortlisted
Iam Perfect / T / 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 20
Lisa Trouble / I / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 8

Shortlisting panel members:

Name: Andre FrenchJob Title:ManagerSignature:Date:21st October 2007

Name: Melissa IrelandJob Title:SupervisorSignature:Date:21st October 2007