Challenge requirements and define acceptable evidence
Course overview · 4 min reading + 12 min practice, estimated
Principles and method
For every requirement, ask why the work needs it and how it will be assessed. Distinguish essential legal or operational conditions from preferences inherited from past hiring. Years of experience and prestigious employers can be weak proxies for capability. Define alternative evidence and transferable environments. Keep the number of essential criteria manageable enough to assess consistently. Do not lower an essential standard silently when a preferred candidate appears. If the standard changes, revisit earlier decisions fairly and record the reason. Legal requirements and adjustments need appropriate expert input.
Worked example
A brief initially requires ten years in aerospace. Discussion reveals the relevant task is managing traceability and corrective action in a regulated production setting. The search includes adjacent regulated industries and tests the actual capability.
Put it into practice
Create a matrix for four requirements with justification, evidence and an alternative route.
Use fictional information and keep your work in your own notes.
Compare your approach: self-review guidance
A good matrix replaces unsupported proxies with observable capability. It may retain a required licence where genuinely necessary, while allowing equivalent experience for a preference. Each criterion has an assessment method rather than a subjective label.
Sources and further reading
Original Academy teaching and fictional examples. These references provide context, not endorsement. Edition 2026.09; updated 2026-09-24.
- CIPD: Recruitment
Professional context for the recruitment lifecycle.