Skills Matrix Evaluation for Supervisor Candidate Selection

Introduction

The employees working in an organization are considered to be an extremely important resource. Therefore, an organization that is willing to achieve a competitive edge over its competitors must attract and retain human resources capable of contributing to the achievement of organizational goals (Youndt et al., 1996). Organizations need to evaluate candidates to assess their potential and job-organization fit (Sekiguchi, 2004; Sekiguchi, 2007). The Skills Matrix is used to analyze the skills of candidates and the extent to which they possess the required skills for the job. Furthermore, the Skills Matrix provides direction for employee selection by identifying the gaps and differences that candidates possess in relation to competencies required for the job (Gatewood et al., 2010).

Employees in an organization are responsible not only for achieving work-related objectives but also for contributing to the organization's bottom line by ensuring that the organization operates in an effective and efficient manner while accomplishing organizational goals (Luthans et al., 2006). The procedure for selecting employees from potential candidates is considered crucial for the organization, as noted by Wanous (1992), because the right candidate can positively contribute to organizational objectives, whereas the wrong selection of a candidate can decrease the organization's efficiency and adversely impact organizational objectives. Therefore, potential candidates should be evaluated effectively, ensuring that their possessed knowledge, skills, and abilities are not neglected during the evaluation process.

The Skills Matrix is used in the evaluation process to ensure candidates are evaluated thoroughly with respect to work-related requirements for the position. A Skills Matrix is developed by analyzing the job and determining the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that will be assigned to the job holder. Major factors are then determined and weighted based on their significance in the job. Candidates are evaluated during the interview process to ensure that any important observation and aspect related to the described factors is not neglected. Candidates are scored according to their potential, the weighted score is calculated, and the total weighted score determines the extent to which the candidate possesses the required skills. The evaluation using the Skills Matrix is considered to be less time-consuming and effective at selecting the right person for the job.

In this study, candidates for the position of supervisor as a junior management function in the city manager's office are evaluated and analyzed to select the best possible candidate for the position.

The competencies required for the position of supervisor are as follows:

Critical Thinking — The candidate should possess the ability to think critically with respect to provided quantitative data. The candidate should be able to analyze and interpret given data and make decisions for the implementation of processes.

Competencies and Evaluation Factors

Organizational Savvy — The candidate should possess a better understanding of the organization and should be considered familiar with organizational processes and culture.

Interpersonal Skills — The candidate should be able to communicate analyzed data to peers and managers so that necessary measures can be taken in accordance with the analyzed quantitative data. The candidate should possess oral communication skills to define and present findings to associates in a better way, thereby minimizing communication gaps among inter-departmental and intra-departmental units.

Personality — The candidate should possess a pleasant personality and good manners to meet the ethical requirements of the organization.

Skills Matrix Methodology

Experience and Education — The candidate should possess a respectable degree in a related field to ensure that the candidate has the basic and practical knowledge about his or her work. Moreover, practical field experience is required to ensure professionalism. Experience in a related field is preferred.

The Skills Matrix is developed on the basis of the factors required for the position of supervisor, who will be responsible for data analysis, implementation, and coordination of results. The factors are given weightage (significance scores), and candidates are given ratings on the basis of their observed skills. The weighted score is calculated by multiplying the weightage by the rating. The total weighted score provides the evaluated score of the candidate.

Candidate Evaluations and Results

Candidate A received a total weighted score of 1,080. The evaluation reveals two primary gaps in the candidate's profile. First, the candidate does not meet the basic requirement of strong quantitative analysis skills. Second, the candidate lacks strong active listening skills. The job holder should possess active listening skills because he or she will be responsible for coordinating with workplace associates about progress and should be able to delegate and receive orders from his or her supervisor.

Suggested Measures: The candidate can be provided with beginner-level projects consisting of quantitative data, and quantitative skills can be enhanced through structured learning opportunities focused on data analysis. Additionally, the candidate's supervisor can mentor him or her to ensure that information is fully understood and no details are missed during conferences or briefings. This approach can enhance the candidate's listening skills through supervised feedback.

Candidate B achieved the highest weighted score of 1,090. This candidate demonstrates excellent quantitative analysis skills and exceptional active listening abilities, which are critical for understanding project-related details and specifications. However, Candidate B exhibits some interpersonal skill gaps, particularly in oral communication and delegation.

Candidate B's Gaps: The candidate lacks the ability to communicate properly, which is a basic requirement of the job. The candidate will be responsible for delegating and coordinating work to workplace associates, and improper communication may result in work-related conflicts, reduced project efficiency, and delays in project completion. Additionally, the candidate does not possess strong understanding of city government processes, which may result in lack of awareness about workplace behavior.

Suggested Measures: The immediate supervisor and workplace associates can help improve the candidate's communication by providing a friendly and motivating environment to speak and coordinate. Moreover, the immediate supervisor and the organization's orientation program will play a role in making the candidate more organizationally savvy so that he will gain better understanding of his workplace. With mentoring and peer support, the candidate's interpersonal skills will improve over time.

Candidate C received a total weighted score of 820, the lowest among the three candidates. The candidate lacks the basic requirement of the job and is unable to analyze quantitative data, which will be provided for the completion and management of assigned projects. Additionally, the candidate does not possess sufficient understanding of the organization, which will make it troublesome to become familiar with the organizational culture and processes.

Candidate C's Gaps: Although Candidate C possesses strong interpersonal skills necessary for implementation and coordination, these skills alone are insufficient for the position. The job requires quantitative analysis as a foundational competency. The decisions made on the basis of quantitative analysis must be coordinated and implemented, but the candidate is unable to perform the critical analysis function required for the role.

Suggested Measures: The candidate can be trained at the basic or beginner level in quantitative data analysis to perform the basic duties of the job. However, the candidate's strong listening skills position him or her well to benefit from the organization's orientation program and the immediate supervisor's mentoring in order to gain a better understanding of the organization.

The results obtained from the Skills Matrix present the extent to which each candidate is competent to acquire the position of supervisor. Candidate B (Bruce Hughes) has the highest potential to be selected for the position of supervisor with the highest weighted score of 1,090. This candidate demonstrates the uppermost ability to analyze and interpret quantitative data and is found to be a good listener, which is enlightened to fully understand project-related details and specifications. Although Candidate B lacks some interpersonal skills, these gaps are manageable through mentoring and manager and peer support at the workplace.

Candidate A achieved the second highest weighted score of 1,080. The basic difference from the first rank is that Candidate A does not possess strong quantitative skills, which are considered the basic requirement of the position. While Candidate A does possess strong communication skills, the lack of listening capability makes the candidate vulnerable to neglecting important project aspects during conferences. Additionally, if Candidate A is hired, the candidate will require significant time to become adept at quantitative skills. Prior supervisor feedback has validated the candidate's incompetency and lack of ability as an exceptional performer, making the candidate inappropriate for analytical procedures.

Candidate C, with a total weighted score of 820, lacks the basic requirement of the job and is unable to analyze quantitative data. Additionally, this candidate lacks understanding of the organization, which will present challenges in becoming familiar with the organizational environment. Although Candidate C possesses strong interpersonal skills for implementation and coordination, the candidate is unable to analyze quantitative data, which makes the candidate inappropriate for the position.

Conclusion

Question 1: Describe your strengths and how do you utilize your strengths to accomplish your work objectives?

Rationale: The candidate should know his or her strengths and the ways in which they can be utilized to accomplish work-related objectives.

Question 2: Describe your weaknesses and how do you think they might become an obstacle in the accomplishment of your assigned objectives?

Rationale: The candidate should know his or her drawbacks and should demonstrate awareness of actions that can be taken to minimize or eradicate the negative effects of weaknesses. It also identifies whether the candidate is willing to overcome these weaknesses.

Question 3: When did you fail in recent times, and what measures did you adapt to overcome the consequences of your failure?

Rationale: The candidate should show assertive behavior toward failure and demonstrate whether he or she sees failure as a learning experience or neglects the learning value of the experience.

Question 4: How do you think you can contribute to this organization?

Rationale: This question reveals whether the candidate possesses quantitative knowledge and is able to connect his or her knowledge with this organization.

Question 5: Why are you perfect for this job position?

Rationale: The candidate should be able to relate his or her skills, qualifications, and talents to the available job position. This demonstrates how much the candidate understands the job and his or her willingness to perform work-related tasks.

Employees working in an organization are considered an important asset because they are responsible for completing work-related objectives and making organizational processes effective and efficient. The selection of adequate candidates is crucial for the organization because hiring the wrong candidate may increase overall recruitment costs. When shortlisted employees possess almost equal potential, it becomes difficult for evaluators to judge whether they are appropriate for the available position. To make the evaluation process effective and efficient, the Skills Matrix is utilized so that candidates can be judged according to job requirements.

In this study, the position of supervisor was evaluated using the Skills Matrix, which indicated that Candidate B achieved the highest weighted score of 1,090 with excellent quantitative skills and above-average interpersonal skills. Candidate A secured the second highest weighted score of 1,080, and Candidate C secured the third highest score of 820. Therefore, Candidate B should be selected for the supervisor position. The selection procedure has proven to be less time-consuming, and the decision-making procedure became easier by analyzing the candidates with respect to job requirements.