Applications

Candidate
information
Enquiries
Screening &
shortlisting
Internal vs
external

Candidate information

A common complaint from candidates is a lack of information provided both before and after the selection process. A well-managed and transparent selection process keeps potential candidates informed.

While your training position is advertised, there is opportunity to address candidate enquiries and update the advertised position if necessary.

Key information

The types of information you can provide to candidates as part of the selection process include:

confirmation of the selection criteria candidates will be assessed against
information about the selection process including what tools or information is considered and whether weightings apply
information about working as a trainee in the training program or network, including typical rosters, rotations, secondment arrangements, accommodation and travel supports
key contacts like the Director of Physician or Paediatrician Education, Education Support Officers and key managers or units
when and where interviews will be held, including a location map indicating parking options and public transport options
the nature of the interview process, including information such as how much time is taken, how many questions are asked, and what types of questions are asked (offer example questions)
names and positions of the interview panel (if or when available)
what paperwork is required to be brought to the interview
when offers for positions will be made
options for providing unsuccessful candidates with feedback

Enquiries

Candidates may email or call to make enquiries about the advertised training positions. There are two main reasons:

To clarify information

It is perfectly legitimate for the Chair or their delegate to provide answers to candidates. If the answers to these questions are relevant to other candidates, these should ideally be circulated, such as by posting them on the training program recruitment webpage.
To show an active interest and an attempt to make a first positive impression

Such contact may lead to a request to have an informal pre-interview meeting with a member of the selection committee, usually either the Chair or the Director of Physician or Paediatrician Education This is common if the candidate does not currently work at the hospital or health service they are applying to.

Informal interviews

It is wise to decline any requests for one-on-one informal meetings, or 'pre-meets', out of fairness and equity reasons if you are directly involved in the interview process. All committee members should not request one-on-one informal meetings before the formal interview. If an individual candidate requests a meeting, then arrange with a colleague, who is not directly involved with the selection process, to meet with and answer any of their questions.

Many training programs have moved to providing group information sessions for interested candidates, which provides a fairer process for all trainees. This can have the added advantage of reducing time spent responding to individual candidate enquiries during the application period.

Case Study: Auckland Doctors

Auckland Doctors is a recruitment and information website for doctors which is owned by a collaboration of the three New Zealand District Health Boards in the Auckland region.

The site is designed in an appealing and uncluttered manner. The recruitment web page is easily found from the homepage, and has a menu with links to much of the essential information a medical trainee would want to know, including:

what positions are available
when recruitment occurs
how to apply
relocation information

Each year an information evening is organised which enables all candidates to hear information and ask questions about the application process and training requirements.

Screening and shortlisting

When the final date for applications has closed, candidate applications are compiled for review. As part of the screening process, candidate application letters or online submissions are reviewed along with their CV and any other additional information provide, such as registration and licensing certificates, results of higher degree programs, letters of reference, trainee assessment reports and portfolios. The purpose of this step is to evaluate each applicant's qualifications and determine which applicants are the most qualified for the position.

When determining how the candidates are selected, the Selection Committee needs to decide how their application will be considered. This includes what weighting needs to be applied, for example it might be decided that if candidates choose to supply information that is not specifically requested that this will be ignored as it would not be fair to other candidates.

Shortlisting, or culling, of applications is carried out as a matter of necessity. Many training programs receive more applications than the number of available positions and don’t have the resources to offer an interview to all candidates. Even in situations where the number of applicants is close to, or even less than the number of positions to fill, there may be some candidates who are clearly unsuitable for the role. In this case, offering an interview would be redundant for both the candidate and the Selection Committee. Excluding candidates who don’t meet the selection criteria in some cases will be obvious, for example the candidate not having the appropriate medical registration or level of experience.

The first review of applications might be performed by the Chair of the committee alone and then they present their findings to the rest of the committee. However this is an administrative task, that is objective in nature, and does not require clinical expertise to complete.

Internal vs external

Selection Committees need to be aware that internal candidates, such as medical trainees already working in the hospital, will have a perceived advantage over external candidates working in other unrelated hospitals for positions.

Providing references for internal candidates is one example of this difference. Knowledge of a candidate’s abilities and performance from first-hand observation can be reassuring and hard not to take into consideration when assessing their candidacy.

Selection Committee members should remember to make a point of not discussing the selection and recruitment process with any internal candidate that they are working with.

Processes designed to give external candidates more information about the selection process can help to reduce the internal candidates’ advantage.

However, being an internal candidate can have its disadvantages. Selection Committees may expect more from internal candidates, particularly at interview, as they may feel the internal candidate has had more time to understudy the trainee role that they are applying for.