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 HR for 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 and further particulars) should be used for the first stage of shortlisting 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
Candidate
name
E
Grade: 3
Department/ School: Director Service
HNC/HND in
an admin
area or
equivalent or
demonstrable
relevant
experience as
in person
spec.
Extensive
relevant
experienc
e 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
Joanne
Short
Aidan List
S
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
15
E
2
3
2
3
2
1
1
1
15
N
0
1
1
0
1
3
1
3
Not
shortlisted
3
2
2
2
3
2
20
1
1
1
1
1
1
8
Iam
T
3
3
Perfect
Lisa
I
1
1
Trouble
Shortlisting panel members:
Name: Andre French
Job Title:
Name: Melissa Ireland
Job Title:
Manager
Supervisor
Signature:
Signature:
Date: 21st October 2007
Date: 21st October 2007