The situation
A DSD unit has filled three positions in a year. Each time, the panel chose the candidate who interviewed most fluently and had a graduate degree. Two strong internal candidates with years of direct-support and community experience did not advance past screening.
Fictional worked example
Compare an impression with job-related evidence
Imagine this position requires explaining service options clearly and coordinating a handoff. Those are fictional duties for examining the screening problem; the actual role still needs its own review.
Impression in the discussion
“The answer was confident, and the graduate degree feels reassuring.” Neither observation yet states how the candidate demonstrated the agreed work.
Which rating criterion did the panel actually apply?
Evidence to examine
“In the work example, the candidate explained two options, checked understanding and identified who would follow up.” Compare that evidence with the same written criteria for each candidate.
Could relevant direct-support or community experience demonstrate those duties too?
Bring it into your work: Replace one impression with an observable work example. Ask HR to examine the requirement and permitted alternatives; do not remove a required credential by assumption.
What to notice first
- The screening criteria may be proxies for the work rather than the work itself.
- Fluency and confidence in an interview are being rewarded without a rubric that ties them to the job.
- Internal candidates with lived experience are being screened out at the same stage each time.
Questions to ask before acting
- What does each requirement predict about the work?
- Is there a written rubric, and was it applied the same way to everyone?
- At which stage do people drop out, and does that differ by community or path into the work?
- How was accommodation offered?
Practical next moves
Who to involve
Bring the pattern, not the names, to your HR partner and Equity Director. Selection procedures are governed by HR, labor agreements, and civil-rights law. DSD staff can also request a consultation to think through the next posting.