FINALLY, one applicant remains as the final selection…..OR, the committee has determined that you have a failed search.
With a failed search, it simply means that there were no applicants that were quite what you were looking for. You may need to re-assess the results of Step 1 (job design) to determine whether the KSAs are reasonable and the duties can be accomplished by one person. Or you may need to evaluate the effectiveness of Step 4 (recruiting) to ascertain whether you advertised in the right places, for a sufficient length of time, and with a posting that was attractive to the type of applicants you’re seeking.
If there is agreement and great committee rejoicing over an applicant chosen for hire, you will need to clearly identify the rationale for the choice, and ensure that all proper approvals and final details (including reference or background checks) are completed.
Next: Step 9 - Offers and Notices to Applicants
These materials are a work in progress and continuously evolving based on your feedback and best practices. Please forward your constructive comments and improvement suggestions to Julane Cappo, Associate Director of Human Resources, at jcappo@nmu.edu.