Answer: Applicant's cognitive abilities
Explanation:
Cognitive ability could be defined as mental skills we need to projects or given activities within any capacity they would come. Cognitive ability looks at out ability to answer questions, learn, remember and pay attention.
It could also be seen as the ability of someone to perform different mental task where learning and solving problems are involved. Considering the interview, Francis would choose or make his choice based on how both candidate are able to solve problems and their approach to it.