Choose between final candidates
When to use
You've interviewed your finalists and need to choose between two strong candidates.
What you'll get
An evidence-based comparison of two candidates, with an analysis of what biases might be driving the gap between the evidence and your gut.
The prompt
I'm choosing between two final candidates for [ROLE]:
Candidate A: [CAPABILITY RATINGS AND KEY EVIDENCE]
Candidate B: [CAPABILITY RATINGS AND KEY EVIDENCE]
My gut says [A / B], because [YOUR REASONING].
A few things worth checking:
- The most recently interviewed candidate tends to feel more vivid and present — which makes them feel stronger, even if the evidence doesn't show it. Which candidate did I meet last?
- "Cultural fit" is a real consideration, but it's also where bias hides most effectively. If one person fits the culture better, is it because they'll collaborate well — or because they're more similar to the people already there?
Based purely on the evidence I've provided — not the gut call — which candidate looks stronger and why? Then tell me honestly what might be driving any gap between the evidence and my gut.Why this prompt works
Separating the evidence-based answer from the gut-reaction answer reveals whether the gut is tracking something real or something irrelevant.
The psychology behind this
The Availability Heuristic
Read the full experiment →57_availability_heuristic.mdLoss Aversion
Read the full experiment →18_loss_aversion.md