Compare Two Finalists
When to use it
Give a hiring manager a structured side-by-side when they're stuck between two finalists, without handing the decision to the model.
The prompt
I have two finalists for a {{Job Title}} role and need a structured comparison to bring to the hiring manager. I want framing, not a recommendation. THE 3-5 REQUIREMENTS THAT MATTER MOST: {{in priority order, from the intake or scorecard}} JOB DESCRIPTION: {{paste it, or skip if the list above covers it}} CANDIDATE A: {{interview notes, scorecards, resume highlights, comp expectations, notice period}} CANDIDATE B: {{the same}} WHAT THE HIRING MANAGER IS TORN ABOUT: {{e.g. "A is stronger now, B has more upside", or "the panel split"}} Give me: 1. A table: each requirement, the evidence for A and for B (quoting the notes), and how solid that evidence is — observed in an interview, claimed by the candidate, or never tested. 2. Where the two genuinely differ, and where they only look different because one was asked about something the other wasn't. 3. Practical differences that aren't about ability: start date, distance from the comp budget, counter-offer risk, location. 4. What each would most likely need in their first six months to succeed. 5. Two or three questions the hiring manager has to answer for themselves, such as which gap the team can absorb more easily. 6. The one missing piece of evidence that would most change the picture, and the quickest way to get it. Do not pick a winner. Do not treat names, schools or employers as a proxy for quality.
Tip
Watch for uneven evidence. If only one finalist was asked about system design, the other hasn't failed it — they've never been tested on it, and the fair fix is usually a short follow-up call rather than a decision.
How to use it
Paste the prompt into ChatGPT, Claude or whichever assistant you use, then replace every {{bracketed}} part with your own detail. The more specific and messier your input, the better the output — a model given raw notes has more to work with than one given a tidy summary you wrote first.
More Screening prompts
- Screen a Resume Against a JD
- Structured Reference Check Questions
- Build a Phone Screen Script
- Turn Screen Notes Into a Candidate Submittal
- Turn Resume Gaps and Job Hops Into Fair Questions
- Work Out What Level a Candidate Actually Is
- Read a Resume That Was Written With AI
- Interpret What a Reference Actually Told You
- Separate Real AI Experience From AI Buzzwords
Open the full tool for all 87 prompts, the glossary, and the JD decoder.