08/09/2026
Gut feel can start the conversation. It should not end it.
Hiring managers often get a strong instinct about a candidate. Sometimes that instinct is useful. Sometimes it is just familiarity, confidence, or a smooth interview doing its job a little too well.
Panel decisions can also drift. One person focuses on experience, another on personality, another on how quickly the role needs to be filled.
Without clear criteria, โbest candidateโ can quietly become โcandidate we felt best aboutโ.
Separate instinct from role-relevant evidence before making the final call.