Principle 2: Competitive Assessment 1 min read

Every candidate must be compared before any offer

Offered the job before seeing the last candidate? You just broke merit.

A competitive selection process means candidates are assessed against each other, not against an absolute bar. All candidates must be considered before any offer is made.

This sounds obvious. It is routinely broken. A strong early candidate creates pressure to lock them in before they take another offer. A hiring manager signals intent before interviews conclude. A verbal offer leaks ahead of the panel’s final deliberation.

Any of these can invalidate the round. The MPC’s new review model, effective from 1 April 2025, examines the entire selection process, including the sequencing of decisions. A pre-emptive offer is a visible defect.

Run the full round. Deliberate once, with all candidates on the table. Communicate outcomes only after the panel has signed off.

Write your panel’s decision sequence into the process plan before the round opens, and enforce it.
This article is part of a short-read series collaboration by Nguma Pty Ltd and Onpoint 365 on Australian Government hiring.
#APS #AustralianGovernment #GovernmentRecruitment #HiringPanels #MeritPrinciple
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