Selection Committee is a group of people who are committed to interviewing and selecting the best candidate for a specific role. Having a committee can help ensure that all stakeholders are represented and that hiring decisions are made fairly. In addition, a committee can help to eliminate biases and prevent discrimination.
Selection committees are most commonly used in large organizations, but are also often utilized by nonprofit/foundations and small businesses. Generally, a committee will include multiple members who are familiar with the role and/or who have had a hand in making previous hires in that department. This is done to ensure that all perspectives are considered and to minimize the chances of personal preferences or connections impacting the decision making process.
The selection committee must be willing and able to dedicate the time necessary to review applicants and to conduct interviews. A commitment to this goal is important, as mistakes can have a significant negative impact. It is also essential that members are familiar with the prize specifications and are able to apply them in a consistent manner.
Ideally, the membership of the committee should be diverse with respect to gender, race/ethnicity, functional expertise and other factors that contribute to human diversity. Selection committees benefit from a diverse pool of applicants. This helps to mitigate implicit biases, which can enter the process via unintentional criteria-shifting when a committee discusses nominations.
In order to avoid conflicts of interest, members should disclose any potential associations with a candidate and recuse themselves where appropriate. For example, if a member has a direct relationship with one of the candidates in question (such as a family connection), they should not be involved in any discussions or interviews regarding that candidate.
APS recommends that Selection Committees meet at least twice a year to discuss candidates and to score nominees using the online scoring system. In addition, APS staff can host conference calls to facilitate these discussions and provide information about the process.
It is recommended that the chair of a Selection Committee complete the online Selection Committee Chair Training module prior to convening. The chair of the committee sets the tone for meetings, reminds members of their roles and responsibilities, and takes votes where needed. Generally, the chair will not participate in discussion of or scoring of nominees, except when required to break a tie.
In addition, the chairman should make sure that committee members are aware of any potential limitations on their participation in the process. For instance, if a member has an obligation that must be completed before the selection committee meets and would interfere with their participation in the meeting, they should notify the management committee so that a replacement can be appointed. This should be documented in the minutes of the meeting. APS does not compensate members of Selection Committees.