Background: Judith and Eric Sultan own a business providing HR
decision-making expertise to employers across the nation. The name of
their business is HRM Analysis Services. Their business is located in
Phoenix and has grown exponentially since 2005. Up to this point they
have not had their own employees, but instead hired established
consultants (often called management analysts) to work on a
project-by-project basis.
They want to hire three full-time management analysts to work in three
different locations: San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Miami. The analysts
would scout out work in their designated regions and manage the
contracting and oversight of contractual consultants.
Judith and Eric plan to keep ownership of the company, but want to step
away from the day-to-day as soon as the business is working well enough
without them.
Develop a formula to quantify the merits of each applicant based on
the factors provided. Justify why you gave heavier weight to some
factors over others.
- Develop your own visual/graphic showing how each applicant fared.
- Discuss your visual/graphic in essay format.
- Recommend 6-8 applicants to proceed to a panel interview phase.
- Critique the process of identifying best candidates to proceed in a
selection process by using a custom-designed formula applied to
each candidate.
Full Answer Section
Visual: Applicant Scoring Summary
Visual: Bar graph comparing total scores (see appendix).
3. Essay: Analysis of Applicant Scoring
The formula prioritizes experience (30%) and skills (25%) because management analysts must independently oversee consultants and contracts. Education (20%) ensures theoretical knowledge but is weighted lower since real-world experience trumps degrees. Cultural fit (15%) is crucial for remote work success, while location preference (10%) is flexible given relocation incentives.
Top Performers:
- A1 (91/100): Strongest in all categories—ideal for San Francisco (tech-heavy market).
- A2 (85/100): High location preference for Miami—good for client relations.
- A3 (83/100): Solid education but weaker skills—best for Philadelphia (slower-paced market).
Lower Performers:
- A4 (82/100): Great cultural fit but lacks experience—risky for high-stakes San Francisco role.
- A5 (78/100): Mediocre in key areas—consider only if other candidates decline.
4. Recommended Applicants for Panel Interviews
- A1 (91/100) – San Francisco (best overall fit).
- A2 (85/100) – Miami (strong location alignment).
- A3 (83/100) – Philadelphia (balanced profile).
- A4 (82/100) – Backup for Philadelphia (high cultural fit).
- A5 (78/100) – Backup for Miami (location flexibility).
- A6 (80/100) – Additional candidate (see appendix).