Search Committee Effectiveness in Determining a Finalist Pool: A Case Study

One hundred twenty five applications for an entry-level librarian position were examined to determine whether a search committee at one major Midwestern university library chose finalists based on form over substance, and whether candidates who met the required qualifications were advanced to the finalist pool. Methodology determined the number of applicants who self-reported having each qualification, by round. Findings showed that the search committee was not unduly influenced by resume format over qualifications, and the few applicants who met all of the required qualifications as well as one or more of the preferred ones were not advanced to the finalist pool. Discussion and implications for future study are presented.