The scenario
Blueridge Coast College is hiring a full-time English Instructor to teach ENG 111 and ENG 112, with some sections online.
Finalist with eight years of adjunct experience at two colleges.
The selected candidate scored strongly on all three posted criteria.
How the committee scored Dana on the posted criteria
| Criterion | Rating | What the committee observed |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching demonstration | Strong | Engaging, well organized, good student interaction. |
| Co-requisite support (ENG 011 with ENG 111) | Partial | Spoke generally about tutoring; no plan for supporting co-requisite students. |
| Online instruction (required) | Not shown | Asked how they would build engagement in an asynchronous course; every example was face-to-face. |
The bad email
Read it as Dana would. What would you change before this goes out?
Hi Dana,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, things have been crazy here with the start of the semester. Unfortunately we have decided to go in a different direction. To be honest it was a really tough decision and I personally thought you were great!
The committee felt that we needed someone who would be a better fit for our team and would be with us for the long haul. We also noticed on your social media that you have a lot going on with your family right now, so maybe the timing just wasn't right anyway.
The person we hired has a PhD and a lot of online experience, so they were just a stronger candidate overall.
Please don't take this personally! We will definitely keep your resume on file and I'm sure something will open up soon.
Thanks,
HR
Ask the room to spot the problems first, then select Mark it up.
- Vague subject line. Dana can't tell what this is about.
- The delay excuse makes the college look careless.
- “Different direction” and “better fit” are vague and can sound like cover for bias.
- “Long haul” can read as a signal about age or family status.
- Social media and family are protected territory and were never part of the application.
- Shares details about the other candidate, and a PhD was not a posted criterion.
- Promises a future job no one can guarantee. And Dana's request for feedback is never answered.
The bad phone call
Talking points one well-meaning person might jot down before calling Dana.
- “I hate making these calls, this is the worst part of my job.”
- Apologize several times.
- “Honestly, it was between you and one other person, and I was rooting for you.”
- When Dana asks why: “I'm not totally sure, the committee just liked the other person more. They had a doctorate and seemed really energetic.”
- “You might want to clean up your Facebook a little.”
- “I'm sure you'll get the next one, we'll call you first.”
- Hang up without a clear next step.
Ask the room to spot the problems first, then select Mark it up.
- Makes the call about the caller instead of Dana.
- Shares a confidential comparison with another candidate.
- Guesses at reasons, and “energetic” isn't job-related.
- Brings personal online activity into a hiring decision.
- Makes a promise HR can't keep.
- No clear close, so Dana is left wondering what to do.
Human first
Before anyone opens an AI tool, HR does the thinking only HR can do.
AI with the SBI framework
Upload the SBI knowledge file, paste this prompt, then paste the bad email and talking points underneath.
Human last
Read the AI's draft out loud and check it against this list before anything reaches Dana.